OF ORNITHOLOGY 61 



easier to say what birds were " fringilline " in their character 

 than to give the reason therefor. It is as difficult, also, to say 

 exactly where, in the natural sequence of the family, each spe- 

 cies should be placed. There are species in other families, 

 and even whole families, which so greatly resemble the Frin- 

 gilHdte as to leave the question still an open one, as to whether 

 or no they should rightly be placed with them. We adopt, 

 however, the seemingly best adapted definition for the whole 

 group meagre and unsatisfactory as it is : 



Bill short, stout, conical, and tapering abruptly to the sharp- 

 pointed tip from a base whose diameter, in either direction, is, 

 very frequently, nearly if not quite as great as the length of 

 the whole bill.' The bill itself forms the best means of char- 

 acterizing the family. Tarsus scutellate in front, undivided 

 on the sides, and ridged behind ; wings with nine primaries 

 only ; tail with twelve feathers : the size and shape of both, 

 however, are subject to almost endless variations. The angle 

 of the commissure at the base of the bill is often made the 

 prominent characteristic of the family — but this does not 

 seem as decided throughout all the species as the general cone 

 shape of the bill itself. The nostrils are prominent but un- 

 certain in position, shape, and general appearance and general 

 surroundings ; the rictal bristles, also, are not constant. 



I have found it very advantageous to the student, in this 

 group especially, as well as in many of the others, to have him 

 or her secure one or several typical forms, then write out a 

 careful analysis of their chief characteristics — even going 

 into minute particulars. He can, with this as a guide, com- 

 pare his other genera with it and note how they deviate from 

 this type. The Song Sparrow, the White-throated Sparrow, 

 or the Purple Finch, are good species for this purpose. 



The attempts to arrange this family into sub-families have 

 been so intricate and unsuccessful that we shall not enter into 

 a discussion of the question here. 



Professor Baird's separation of the Finches is of especial 



