FRINaiLLID^ — THE FINCHES. 



95 



Genus PYRRHULOXIA, Bonap. 



Pyrrhuloxia, Bonaparte, Conspectus^ 1850, 500. (Type, Cardinalis sinuatus, Bon.) 



Gen. Char. The bill is very short and much curved, the culmen forming an arc of a 

 circle of 60 degrees or more, and ending at a right angle with the straight gonys ; the 

 commissure abruptly much angulated anterior to the nostrils in its middle point; the 



Pyrrhuloxia simiata. 



lower jaw very much wider than the upper, and wider than the gonys is long ; anterior 

 portion of commissure straight. Tarsus longer than middle toe ; outer lateral toes longer, 

 not reaching the base of the middle ; wing considerably rounded, first quill longer than 

 secondaries. Tail much longer than the wing, graduated ; the feathers broad, truncate. 

 Head crested. 



Color. Gray, with red feathers and patches. 



The essential character of this genus lies in the greatly curved, very short, 

 and broad bill, something like that of Fyrrhula. In other respects like 

 Cardinalis, but with less graduated wing, and longer and broader tail. 



Pyrrhuloxia sinuata, Bonap. 



TEXAS CARDINAL. 



Cardinalis sinuatus, Bp. Pr. Zool. Soc. Lond. V, 1837, 111 (Mexico). — Lawrence, Ann. 

 N. Y. Lye. V, 1851, 116. — Cassin, lllust. I, vir, 1854, 204, pi. xxxiii. Pyrrhuloxia 

 sinuata, Bon. Consp. 1850, 500. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 508. — Heerm. X, 

 c. 16. —Cooper, Om. Cal. I, 236. 



Sp. Char. Head with an elongated, pointed crest, springing from the crown. Upper 

 parts generally pale ashy-brown , hood, sides of neck, and under parts of body, rather 

 paler. Long crest-feathers, bill all round including lores and encircling the eye, wing 

 and tail, dark crimson. Chin and. upper part of throat, breast, and median line of the 

 belly, under tail-coverts, tibia, edge and inner coverts of the wings, bright carmine- 

 red. Bill yellowish. Length, about 8.50 ; Aving, 3.75 ; tail, 4.50. 



