222 



SINGING BIRDS — OSCINES. 



p. Townseiidli. 



leaves, gaining a scanty subsistence from seeds and insects. I have seen 

 eitlier tliis or the next species as far south as San Uiego in winter, and no- 

 ticed its arrival near San Francisco about October 20th. 



Passerella megarhynchus, Baird. 



THE LAEGE-BEAKED SPAKEOW. 



PassenUa sdnstacm, B.iiiiD (in jiiirt), P. R. llcp. IX. Birds, 490. (Foi't Tcjon.) 

 Passerella meijurhijHchus, B.iiRD (same vol.), 925. Ib. Birds N. Aiucr. pi. I.kI.x. f. 4 (schis- 

 tacea, f. 3). 



Sp. Char. Bill very thick ; the upper mandible much swollen at the base ; under 

 yellow. Above and on the sides uniform slate-gray ; the upper surface of wings, tail 

 feathers, and upper coverts dark brownish-rufous ; ear coverts streaked with white. Be- 



P. vugarhynchus. 



neath puva white, with hroad triangulai-, arrow-shaped, and well-defined spots of slate- 

 gray like the back everywhere, e.\ccpt along the middle of the belly ; not umnerous on the 



