BIRDS — FRINGILLIDAK — PASSERKLLINAK. 



487 



EiMBKRNAGllA, Lesson. 



Emhemagra, Leison, TrnitF d'Omilli. 1831. (Agnssiz.) Typo Sol/o/or liriJis, Vieillot. 



Ch. — Bill conical, elon|;ate<l, comprossod ; the upper ontlino considerably curved, llio lower struiglil ; llio conimisBUro sliglitly 

 concave, and faintly notched at lhc> end. Tarsi lengthened ; considerably longer than the middle too. Outer too a little longer 

 than the inner, not reaching <iuito to the base of the middle claw. Hind toe about as long as iho middle without its claw. 

 Wings very short, and much rounded ; the tcrtials nearly equal to the primaries ; the secondaries a liltlo shorter ; the outer 

 four primaries much graduated, even tho Rcond shorter than any other quill. The tail is moderate, about as long as the wings, 

 much graduated ; tho feathers rather narrow, linear, and elliplically rounded at tho end ; tho outer webs more than usually 

 broad in proportion to llie inner, being more than one-third ae wide. Tho upper parts are olive green, the under whitish. 



The position of this genus is a matter of considerable uncertainty. On some accounts it 

 would be better placed among the Spizinae. 



EMBERNAGRA RUFIVIRGATA, Lawrence. 



Embemagra rtifivirgala, Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. V, May, 1851, 112 ; pi. v, f. 2. Texas —Sclater, Pr. Zool. 

 Soc. 1656, 306. 



Sp. Cii. — Above uniform olivaceous green. Sides of tho hood, and a stripe behind the eye, dull brownish rufous, not very 

 conspicuous ; an ashy superciliary stripe rather yellowish anteriorly. Under pafta brownish white, tinged with yellowish 

 posteriorly, and with olivaceous on the sides ; white in the middle of the belly. Edge of wing, under coverts, and axillaries, 

 bright yellow. Length, 5.50 ; wing, 2.60 ; tail, 2.70. 



y/oi. — Valley of tho Rio Grande, and probably of Gila, southward ; iVIazatlan, Mexico. 



In this species the bill is rather loug ; the wings are very short, and much rounded ; the 

 tertials equal to the primaries ; the secondaries rather shorter ; the first quill is .05 of an inch 

 shorter than the seventh, which is longest. The tail is short ; the lateral feathers much grad- 

 uated ; the outer half an inch shorter than the middle. 



A specimen of this species from Mazatlan, in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy, 

 has the bill rather stouter at the base, and the stripes on the head much better defined. Tiiose 

 on the crown are continued, though less distinctly, down the back of the neck to the upper part 

 of the back. This is probably a male, and No. G246 a female. 



List of specimens. 



Sub-Family PASSERELLINAE. 



Ch. — Toes and claws very stout ; the lateral claws reaching beyond the middle of the middle one ; all very slightly curved. 



Bill conical, the outlines straight; both mandibles equal ; wings long, longer than the even 

 tail, reaching nearly to the middle of its expo.sed portion. Hind claw longer than its digit ; the 

 toe nearly as long as the middle toe ; tarsus longer than the middle toe. Brown above, either 

 uniformly so or faintly streaked ; triangular spots below. 



