502 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



feathers narrowly skirted with whitish sulphur-yellow. A dusky loral spot, and a rather 

 distinct lighter superciliary stripe. Wing, 3.00 ; tail, 2.50 ; tarsus, .50 ; middle toe, .30. 

 Wing-formula, 1, 2, 3, etc. 

 Hab. Massachusetts. 



As tlie present article on ^r/iothus is going to press, we have received, 

 through the kindness of Dr. Brewer, a specimen of what appears to be a 

 third species of J^giothus, allied to the u.'E. Jiavirostris of Europe, obtained 

 in Waltham, Mass., by Mr. William Brewster, of Cambridge. This bird 

 was killed in a flock of JE. linarius, of which five were also shot at the 

 same discharge. None of the others, nor indeed of any of ninety specimens 

 prepared by Mr. Brewster during the winter, were at all like the present one, 

 which is entirely different from anything we have ever seen from North 

 America. 



The relationship of this bird appears to be nearest to the jE. Jiavirostris of 

 Europe, with the 9 of which it agrees in many respects, as distinguished 

 from linarius and canescens. The European bird, however, lacks the sul- 

 phur-yellow tinge (which gives it somewhat the appearance of Chrysomitris 

 pimis), has the throat and jugulum strongly recklish-buff, instead of dingy 

 yellowish- white, and is much browner above ; besides wdiich the tail is longer 

 and less deeply forked, with narrower feathers. 



Habits. Nothing distinctive was observed by Mr. Brewster in regard to 

 the habits of the specimen killed by him. 



Genus LEUCOSTICTE, Swainson. 

 Leucostide, Swainson, Fauna Bor. Am. II, 1831, 265. (Type, Linaria tephrocotis, Sw.) 



Gen. Char. Bill conical, rounded, rather blunt at the tip ; the culmen slightly convex ; 

 the commissure slightly concave ; the nostrils and base of commissure concealed by 



Leucoslkte tephrocotis. 



depressed bristly feathers ; a depressed ridge extending about parallel with the culmen 

 above the middle of the bill. Another more conspicuously angulated one extending 



