FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 



69 



interscapular region streaked with black. A superciliary and maxillary line, chin and 

 throat, and central line of under parts from the breast to crissum, white ; the edge of the 

 wing, and a gloss on the breast and middle of belly, yellow. A black spotted line from 

 the lower corner of the lower mandible down the side of the throat, connecting with a 

 crescent of streaks in the upper edge of the slate portion of the breast. Length, 5.75 ; 

 wing, 2.86 ; tail, 2.56. 



Hab. Chester County, Penn. But one specimen known (in the Mus. Smith.). 



It is still a question whether this is a distinct species, or only a variety 

 of E. americana. There is, however, little ground for the last supposition, 

 although its rarity is a mystery. 



The original type specimen of this species, collected by Dr. X K. Town- 

 send, still continues to be the only one known, and has been presented by 

 its owner, Dr. E. Michener, to the Smithsonian Institution. 



Habits. Only a single specimen of this apparently well-marked species 

 has been observed, and nothing is known as to its history. The bird was 

 shot by Mr. J. K. Townsend, in an old field grown up with cedar-bushes, near 

 New Garden, Chester Co., Penn., May 11, 1833. 



Genus HEDYMELES, Cabanis. 



? Goniaphea, Bowd. " Excurs. iu Madeira, 1825," Agassiz. (Type, Loxia ludoviciana, ac- 

 cording to Gray. ) 

 Habia, Reichenb. Av. Syst. Nat. 1850, pi. xxviii. (Type, L. ludoviciana; not Habia of 



Lesson, 1831). 

 Hedyyneles, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 153. (Same type.) 



Gen. Char. Bill very large, much swollen ; lower mandible scarcely deeper than the 

 upper; feet almost coc- 

 cothraustine, tarsi and 

 toes very short, the claws 

 strong and much curved, 

 though blunt. First four 

 primaries longest, and 

 nearly equal, abruptly 

 longer than the fifth. 

 Tail broad, perfectly 

 square. Colors : Black, 

 white, and red, or black, 

 cinnamon, yellow, and 

 white, on the male ; 

 the females brownish, 

 streaked, with the axil- 

 lars and lining of the 



^l^^S yellow. Hedymeles melanocephalus. 



There seems to be abundant reason for separating this genus from 

 Guiraca ; the latter is, in reality, much more nearly related to Cyanospiza, 

 it being impossible to define the dividing line between them. 



