446 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family FRINGILLID^. — The Finches. 



Char. Primaries nine. Bill very short, abruptly conical, and robust. Commissure 

 strongly angulated at base of bill. Tarsi scutellate anteriorly, but the sides with two un- 

 divided plates meeting behind along the median line, as a sharp posterior ridge. Eyes 

 hazel or brown, except in Pipilo, where they are reddish or yellowish. Nest and eggs 

 very variable as to character and situation. 



I still labor under the inability expressed in Birds of North America 

 (p. 40 G), in 1858, to satisfactorily define and limit the subfamilies and genera 

 of the FringiUidce. of North America, and can only hope that by the aid of 

 the figures of the present work no material difficulty will be experienced in 

 determining the species. The distinctions from the allied families are also 

 difficult to draw with precision. This is especially the case with the 

 Tanagrida:, where we have much the same external anatomy, including the 

 bill, nearly all the varying peculiarities of this member in the one being 

 repeated in the other. — S. F. B. 



All the United States species may be provisionally divided into four sub- 

 families (the European House-Sparrow forming a fifth), briefly characterizable 

 as follows : — 



Coccothraustinae. Bill variable, from enormously large to quite small; the' base 

 of tlie upper mandible almost always provided with a close-pressed fringe of bristly 

 feathers (more or less conspicuous) concealing the nostrils. Wings very long and pointed, 

 usually one half to one third longer than the forked or emarginate tail. Tarsi short. 



Pyrgitinae. Bill robust, swollen, arched above without distinct ridge. Lower mandi- 

 ble at base narrower than upper. Nostrils covered ; side of maxilla with stiff appressed 

 bristles. Tarsi short, not longer than middle toe. Tail shorter than the somewhat 

 pointed wings. Back streaked ; luider parts not streaked. 



Spizellinae. Embracing all the plain-colored sparrow-like species marked with longi- 

 tudinal stripes. Bill conical, always rather small ; both mandibles about equal. Tarsi 

 lengthened. Wings and tail variable. Lateral claws never reaching beyond the base of 

 the middle claw. 



Passerellinae. Sparrow-like species, with triangular spots beneath. Legs, toes, and 

 claws very stout ; the lateral claws reaching nearly to the end of the middle ones. 



Spizinae. Brightly colored species, usually Avithout streaks. Bill usually very large 

 and much curved ; lower mandible wider than the upper. Wings moderately long. Tail 

 variable. 



Subfamily COCCOTHRAUSTINiE. — The tkue Finches. 



Char. Wings very long and much pointed ; generally one third longer than the more 

 or less forked tail ; first quill usually nearly as long as or longer than the second. Ter- 

 tiaries but little longer, or equal to the secondaries, and always much exceeded by the 

 primaries. Bill very variable in shape and size, the upper mandible, however, as broad as 

 the lower ; nostrils rather more lateral than usual ; and always more or less concealed by 

 a series of small bristly feathers applied along the base of the upper mandible ; no bristles 



