398 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— PASSERES— OSCINES. 



extent, and speckled with dusky throughout; the crissuin rich rusty. (It is the P. fuscTM, 

 Cass., 111., 1854, pi. 17; Bd., 1858; but not the true fuscus of Sw. ; Fringilla crissalis, 

 Vigors, 1839. J 



309. P. a'berti. (To Lieut. J. W. Abert.) Abert's Towhee. Gray Towhee. Some\vhat 

 similar to the foregoing species of this section of the genus, but entirely distinct ; a very 

 large, long-tailed form, with no decided markings anywhere excepting the dark face. Above, 

 grayish-bro^vn, with a slight fulvous tinge ; wings and tail darker and })urer brown, the tail- 

 feathers slightly rusty-tipped. Below as above, but paler, by dilution with a peculiar pale 

 pinkish-brown shade (like that on the side of an Oregon snow-bird), particularly on the throat ; 

 crissum more cinnamon-brown ; lores and chin blackish. Bill and feet brown ; under mandible 

 paler than the upper. Young more rusty. There is much individual variation in shade, but 

 this large dingy whole-colored bird with dark face is always easily recognized. Length about 

 y.OO; wing 3.40-3.70 ; tail 4.50-5.00; tarsus 1.00-1.10. New Mexico and Arizona, abundant, 

 especially in the valley of the Gila and Colorado, where we find it a wild and shy inhabitant of 

 thickets and chaparral ; N. to Colorado and Utah. Nest in bushes, loose and bulky ; eggs 3-4, 

 1.00 X ().75, bluish-white, sparingly speckled and scrawled with blackish. 



310. P. cliloru'rus. (Gr. ;(X<Bpos, chloros, green; ovpa, oitra, tail.) Green-tailed Towhee. 

 Blanding's Finch. S, 9i adult: Above, grayish-green, somethnes quite olive-gray, at 

 others bright olive-green, the exposed surfaces of the wings and tail ^\-ith brighter greenish 

 edgings. Edge of wing and under coverts and axiUaries bright yellow. Crown rich chestnut ; 

 forehead blackish, with a whitish loral spot on each side. Chin and throat pure white, bounded 

 by dusky maxillary stripes as sharply contrasted as in the white- throated sparrow with dark 

 surroundings. Whole breast and sides of head, neck and body fine clear ash, or slate-gray, 

 obscured on the flanks and crissum with brownish, fading to white on the belly; completing 

 the resemblance to ZoMO^n'cZwa albicolUs. Bill blackish-plumbeous; feet brown, toes darker. 

 Length about 7.00; extent 9.50; wing 2.80-3.20; tail 3.40-3.70; tarsus 0.95. Less matur'- 

 birds have the chestnut cap veiled by gray tips of the feathers. Young : Crown like back . 

 Ui^per parts duU brown tinged with greenish in places, streaked throughout with dusky, but 

 wings and tail as in the adult ; under parts forecasting the pattern of the adults, but dusky- 

 streaked throughout. This stage is brief and the birds resemble the adults after the first fall 

 moult. An interesting bird, of no intimate relations with any other ; it has long been con- 

 ventionally placed in Pipilo, for want of a better location ; it is not easy to see how it differs iu 

 form from Zonotrichia or Embernagra.. Southwestern U. S., especially S. Rocky Mts. ; N. to 

 Wyoming and Idaho ; migratory ; winters over our border. A sprightly inhabitant of shrub- 

 bery ; nest in bush or on the ground ; eggs 0.90 X 0.68, pale greenish or grayish-white, freckled 

 all over with bright reddish-brown, usually aggregating or wreathing at the larger end. 



97. EMBERNA'GRA. (A villanous compound of emberiza, a bunting, and tanagra, a tan- 

 ager ; the former is only Latinized from Old German, the latter is South American.) The 

 integrity of the genus is questionable. Said to contain several extralimital species not nearly 

 allied to ours. It is difficult to see how the following species differs more than specifically from 

 Ptpilo chlorurus. It offers the following details of form : BiU not notable in any way. Tarsus 

 exceeding the middle toe and claw. Lateral toes short ; outer a little longer than inner ; claw 

 of neither reaching base of middle claw ; fore claws all small and weak ; hind claw about as 

 long as its digit. Wings very short and much rounded ; 4th to 7th primaries about equal and 

 hmgest ; 2d as long as 9th ; 1st equalling the 3d from the innermost secondary. Tail about as 

 long as the wings, much rounded, the outer feathers half an inch shorter than the middle ones ; 

 all broad to their rounded ends. Coloration olivaceous with yellow edge of wing and incon- 

 spicuous head-stripes. 



311. E. rufovirga'ta. (Lat. rufo, with rufous, virgata, striped; virga, a rod.) Green Finch. 

 Texas Sparrow. $, adult: Above, dull olive-green, brighter on wings and tail. Under 



