104 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus PIPILO, Vieillot. 



Fipilo, Vieillot, Analyse, 1816 (Agassiz). (Type, Fringilla erythrophthalma, Linn.) 



Gen. Char. Bill rather stout ; the culmen gently curved, the gonys nearly straight ; 

 the commissure gently concave, with a decided notch near the end ; the lower jaw not so 



Pipilo fuscus. 



deep as the upper; not as wide as the gonys is long, but wider than the base of the 

 upper mandible. Feet large, the tarsus as long as or a little longer than the middle toe ; 

 the outer lateral toe a little the longer, and reaching a little beyond the base of the 

 middle claw. The hind claw about equal to its toe ; the two together about equal to the 

 outer toe. " Claws all stout, compressed, and moderately curved ; in some western speci- 

 mens the claws much larger. Wings reaching 

 about to the end of the upper tail-coverts; short 

 and rounded, though the primaries are consider- 

 ably longer than the nearly equal secondaries 

 and tertials ; the outer four quills are graduated, 

 the first considerably shorter than the second, 

 and about as long as the secondaries. Tail con- 

 siderably longer than the wings, moderately 

 graduated externally ; the feathers rather broad, 

 most rounded off on the inner webs at the end. 

 The colors vary; the upper parts are generally 

 uniform black or brown, sometimes olive ; the 

 under white or brown ; no central streaks on 

 the feathers. The hood sometimes differently 

 colored. 



Pipilo erythrophthahnus 



In the large number of species or races included in this genus by authors, 

 there are certain differences of form, such as varying graduation of tail, 

 length of claw, etc., but scarcely sufficient to warrant its further subdivision. 

 In coloration, however, we find several different styles, which furnish a con- 

 venient method of arrangement into groups. 



