BIRDS—FRINGILLIDAE—-SPIZINAE. 491 
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 wings; nearly even. 
a. Bill elongated ; upper mandible rather deeper, or as deep as the lower. Feet large and 
strong. 
CatamospizA.—Bill moderate; slightly convex above. Outer lateral toe rather 
longer, but falling considerably short of the middle claw. Hind toe large; 
equal to the middie, 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. 
EvspizA.—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. 
Gurraca.—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. 
CYanospizA.—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 Conirosires. 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, which 7s broad and graduated ; primaries graduated ; the 
Jirst seldom longer than the secondaries. 
a. Head crested. Prevailing color red. Bili red, . 
PyrrauLoxtA.—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. 
