BIRDS — FRINGILLIDAE — SPIZINAE. 49 1 



absence of the stiff bristly feathers concealing the nostrils distinguishes them from the first 

 section. The rictus, however, is almost always very strongly bristled. 



The species may be conveniently divided, however artificially, by the proportional length of 

 the tail, as follows : 



A. — Tail decidedly shorter than the toings; nearly even. 



a. Bill elongated ; upper mandible rather deeper, or as deep as the lower. Feet large and 



strong. 



Calamospiza. — Bill moderate ; slightly convex above. Outer lateral toe rather 



longer, but falling considerably short of the middle claw. Hind toe large ; 



equal to the middle, without its claw. Claws large, with an indented groove 



on each side. Outer four primaries equal and abruptly larger than the rest ; 



tertials as long as the primaries. Color black, with white on the wings. 



EtJSPiZA. — Bill rather more slender ; commissure distinctly sinuated. Tertials 

 little longer than secondaries ; first quill longest, the others regularly gradu- 

 ated. Lateral toes reaching nearly to the base of the middle claw. Back 

 streaked. Crown and rump nearly uniform. No streaks below, where the 

 colors are white, black, and yellow. 



b. Bill stouter, and more curved above ; upper mandible generally not so deep as the lower. 

 Feet smaller. 



GuiRACA. — Bill enormously large ; the lower mandible wider at base than the 

 length of gonys. Outer web of external tail feather considerably expanded towards 

 the end. Tail even. Hind claw much curved ; decidedly longer than the middle 

 anterior one. Second quill longest. Wings reaching to middle of the tail. 

 Size large. Color blue, or with black head. 



Ctanospiza. — Size very small. Outer web of exterinal tail feathers narrow ; but 

 little expanded at the end. Claws all about equal. Both culmen and commis- 

 sure gently curved. Color more or less blue. 



B. — Wings and tail of the species about equal in size. 



Spermophila. — Smallest of American Conirostres. Bill greatly curved above and 

 very short, scarcely longer than high. Tail feathers widened at the end ; acu- 

 minate, mucronate. Wing broad, short ; quills all nearly equal. Claws long, 

 not much' curved ; hinder considerably longer than anterior. Color black, or 

 brown and white. 



C. — Wings much shorter than the tail, ivhich is broad and graduated ; primaries graduated ; the 



first seldom longer than the secondaries. 



a. Head crested. Prevailing color red. Bill red. 



Pterhuloxia. — Bill pyrrhuline, very short, and greatly convex ; shorter than high. 

 Hind claw less than its digit ; not much larger than the middle anterior one. 

 Tarsus equal to the middle toe. 



Cardinalis. — Bill coccothraustine, very large ; culmen very slightly convex. 

 Wings more rounded. Feet as in the last, except that the tarsus is longer than 

 the middle toe. 



