OF ORNITHOLOGY 63 



B. — Bill smaller, with the culmen more or less curved ; the 

 lateral outliue not so long as the skull. Wings about one- 

 third longer than the tail or a little more ; first quill shorter 

 than the second. Claws considerably curved and thickened ; 

 hinder one most so, and almost inappreciably longer or even 

 shorter than the middle anterior one. Tarsus shorter than the 

 middle toe. Lateral toes unequal. 



G-ENERA, Pinicola, Carpodacua, and Chri/somitris. 



C. — Hind claw considerably longer than the middle anterior 

 one, with about the same curvature ; claws attenuated towards 

 the point and acute. Lateral toes about equal. Wings usu- 

 ally almost one-half longer than the deeply forked tail. 



A. — Points of mandibles overlapping. 

 Genus, Curvirostra. 



B. — Points of mandibles not overlapping. 

 Genera, JEgiothus and Leucosiicte. 



D. — Hind claw much the largest ; decidedly less curved than 

 the middle anterior one. Tarsi longer than the middle toe. 

 Lateral toes equal ; reaching about to the base of the middle 

 claw. Hind toe as long or longer than the middle one. Bill 

 very variable ; always more or less curved and blunted. Tail 

 slightly emarginate or even. Wings one-half longer than the 

 tail. First quill as long as the second. 



Genus, Plectrophanes. 



Under sub-family 2 we have, 



A. — Tail small and short ; wings considerably or decidedly 

 longer than the tail, owing either to the elongation of the wing 

 or to the shortening of the tail. Lateral toes shorter than 

 the middle, without its claw. Species streaked above and 

 below. 



A. — Thickly streaked everywhere above, on the sides, 

 and across the breast. Wings pointed , longest pri- 



