456 



U. S, p. E. K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



middle of the penultimate joint of the middle toe, and falling considerably short of the base of the middle claw. Wings long, 

 pointed, reaching nearly to the middle of the tail ; the tertials not longer than the secondaries ; the first quill shorter than the 

 second and third, whicli are equal. The tail is moderately long, considerably graduated, the feathers rather narrow, and 

 elliptically rounded at the end. 



Streaked on the back. Head with well defined large stripes. Beneath white, with a pectoral spot. 



But one species of this genus is at present known, 

 different specimens are as follows : 



The comparative measurements of 



Comparative measurements. 



CHONDESTES GRAMMACA, Bonap. 



Lark Finch. 



Fringilla grammaea. Sat, in Long's E.xped. R. Mis. I, 1823, 139. — Bon. Am. Orn. I, 1S25, 47 ; pi. v, f. 3. — Aud. 



Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 17 ; pi. 390. 

 Chondeitts gi-aminaca, Bon. List, 1838. — Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 479. 

 Emberiza grammaca, Ann. Synopsis, 1839, 101. — Ib. Birds Amer. Ill, 1841, 63 ; pi. 158. 

 Chondeitet strigatus, Swainson, Philos. Mag, I, 1827, 435. 



Sp. Ch. — Hood chestnut, tinged with black towards the forehead, and with a median stripe and superciliary stripe of dirty 

 whitish. Rest of upper parts pale grayish brown, the interscapular region streaked witli dark brown. Beneath white, a round 

 spot on the upper part of the breast, a maxillary stripe and a short line from the bill to the eye, continued faintly behind it, 

 black. A white crescent under the eye, bordered below by black and behind by chestnut. Tail feathers dark brown, tipped 

 broadly with white. Length, 6 inches ; wing, 3.30. 



Hab. — From Wisconsin and the prairies of Illinois (also in Michigan ?) to the Pacific coast ; south to Texas and Mexico. 



The black maxillary stripe does not reach quite to the base of the bill ; it cuts off above a 

 white band, that curves round back of the chestnut colored auriculars, which turn into black 

 anteriorly under the eye. The entire outer web of the first tail feather and about an inch of 

 the tip are white ; the white of the other feathers decreases to the one next the innermost, 

 which is like the back. The outer edges of the primaries are white, the color widening 

 towards the base. The other wing feathers also have paler margins. There are two whitish 

 bands across the coverts. 



The colors of the female are duller than in the male ; the black markings very indistinct. 



The young bird has the breast and throat with a good many spots of dark brown instead of 

 the single large one on the breast. The other markings are more obscure. 



Specimens vary considerably in size, as will be seen by reference to the table of measurements. 



