494 



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



This genus comes nearer to Calamospiza, but has shorter tertials, more slender bill, weaker 

 and more curved claws, &c. 



Synopsis of species. 



Top and sides of head light slate ; forehead tinged with greenish yellow. A superciliary 

 stripe, a maxillary spot, sides of breast, and middle line of breast and belly, yellow. Chin 

 white, throat black, shoulders chestnut. Female with the black of the throat replaced by a 

 crescent of spots JS. americana. 



Body throughout, (including the jugulum,) dark ash, tinged with brownish on the back and 

 wings. Superciliary and maxillary stripe, chin, throat, and middle of belly, white. A maxil- 

 lary line and a pectoral crescent of black spots. No chestnut shoulders E. totvnsendii. 



Under the head of Cyanospiza, page 500, will be found some remarks upon the genera Euspiza 

 and Spiza, of Bonaparte. The name of Spiza was first used in connexion with the Emberiza 

 americana, but so mixed up with types of several other modern genera as to render it uncertain 

 whether to apply it to one rather than another. Under the circumstances, therefore, it may be 

 best to retain Euspiza, although if Spiza pointed more unmistakeably to the E. americana it 

 might, perhaps, be necessary to adopt it. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



EUSPIZA AMERICANA, Bo nap. 



Black-throated Bunting. 



Emberiza americana, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 872. — "Wilson, Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 86 ; p!. iii, f. 2. — Audubon, 

 Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 579 ; pi. 384.— Ib. Syn. 1839, 101.— Ib. Birds Amer. Ill, 1841, 58 ; 

 pi. 156. 



FringilTa (Spiza) americana, Bonap. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 85. 



Euspiza americana, Bonap. List. 1838. (Type.) — Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 469. 



Euspina americana, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 133. (Type.) 



Fringitla flaiicoUis, Gmeliu , Syst. Nat. I, 926. 



" Emberiza mexicana, Latham," Syn. 1, 1790, 412. (Gray.) 



Passerina nigricolUs, Vieillot. 



Yellow-throaied finch. Pennant, Arc. Zool. II, 374. 



Sp. Ch. — Male. Sides of the head, and sides and back of the neck ash ; crown tinged with yellowish green and faintly 

 streaked with dusky. A superciliary and short maxillary line, middle of the breast, a.\illaries, and edge of the wing yellow. 

 Chin, loral region, spots on sides of throat, belly, and under tail coverts white. A black patch on the throat diminishing to 

 the breast, and a spot on the upper part of the belly. Wing coverts chestnut. Interscapular region streaked with black ; rest 

 ofback immaculate. Length, about 6.70 ; wing, 3.50. 



Female with the markings less distinctly indicated ; the black of the breast replaced by a black maxillary line and a streaked 

 collar in the yellow of the upper part of the breast. 



f/^, — United States from the Atlantic to the border of the High Central Plains. * 



