290 BIKDS or ILLHiOIS. 



prououncc it n very fine performance. Snatches of this song may 

 be occasionally heard in the spring lieforc the northward exodus, 

 and his notes at this season certainly are remarkable for their 

 richness. In Historii of North Amerirtiu liinh (Vol. II., p. 52), 

 Dr. Brewer thus describes the full song: "In the spi'ing the male 

 becomes quite musical, ami is one of our sweetest and most re- 

 markable singers. His voice is loud, clear, and melodious ; his notes 

 full, rich, and varied ; and his song is unequaled by any of this 

 family that I have ever heard. 



Subfamily SPIZIN,ffi. 



Cbah. Bill viiriiiblo. nlwiiys Inrgo, miioh nivlicd. nn»l witli iho culmun .■onsUloriibly 

 curved; somotimos ot enormous size, and with ii Breiiter development baekwurd of the 

 lower jaw, which is always appreciably, sometimes considernbly. broader behind thau 

 the upper jaw at its base: nostrils exposed. Tail rather variable. Bill (jeneruUy black, 

 light blue, or rod. Wings shorter than in the first group. Gnpe almost always much 

 more strongly bristled. Few of tlie species sparrow-like or plain in their appearance; 

 usually blue, rod, or black and white; except in one or two inst^mces the sexes very dif- 

 ferent In color. 



"The preceding diagnosis is intended to embrace the brightly col- 

 ored passerine birds of North America, different in general appear- 

 ance from the common Sparrows. It is diflScult to draw the line 

 with perfect strictness, so as to separate the species from those of 

 the preceding group, but the bill is always more curved, as well as 

 larger, and the colors are brighter. They resemble quite closely, at 

 a superlicial glance, the Coccothraustinee, but may be readily distin- 

 guished by the absence of the projecting tufts surrounding the base of 

 the upper mandible, shorter, more rounded wings, and longer tarsi. 



"The genera may be most conveniently arranged as follows: 

 {Hist.N. Am. B.) 



A. Wings decidedly longer than the tail. Eggs plain blue or white, unspotted. 

 o. Feet very stout, reaching nearly to the end of the tail. Species terrestrial. 



Calamospiza. Bill moderate, the commissure with a deep angle posteriorly and 

 prouiincnt lobe behind it; anteriorly nearly straight; commissure of lower man- 

 dible with a prominent ongle. Outer toe longer than the inner, iioth nearly as 

 long as the posterior. Outer four primaries about equal, and abruptly longer than 

 the rest. Tertlals nearly eiiual to primaries. Tail-feathers broad at tips. Color 

 black with white spot on wing in male, brownish streaks In female. Nest on or 

 near ground; eggs plain pale blue. 



Spiza, Dill wi'iiker. the commissure with a more shallow angle, and much less 

 pri'niiiient sinuution behind it; anteriorly distinctly sinuated. Outer toe shorter 

 than inner, both much shorter than the posterior one. First primary longest, the 

 rest successively shorter. Tertlals but little longer than secondaries. Tiiil- 

 feothers attenuated at tips. Color: back brown streaked with black; throat 

 white; juguluni yellow or ashy; with or without bhick spot on fore neck. A yel- 

 low or white superciliary stripe. Nest on or near ground; eggs plain pale blue. 

 h. Feet weaker, scarcely reaching beyond lower tail-coverts; species arboreal. 



