NONPAREIL. 407 



FAMILY ]. FRINGILLIDAE. THE FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Bill more or less cone-shapsl an 1 vmnotchi 1. CoracoiJ bones, shorter than the top of the keel, or equal 

 to it in length, bnt never lon:^er. Mari^inal indentations equalling the height of keel. 



This family is represented larj^ely in the United States, where all of the members may be recognized by 

 the conical bill, combined with the sternal characters given ahove, but in other countries specimens may be 

 found which grade into the Tanagers on the one hand, ani into the Icteridae on the other. The arrangments 

 of genera a^ given by previous authors not being in accor.lance with the sternal characters, 1 have, after care- 

 fully studying the sterna of many of our species, attempted what appears to me a more natural grouping. 



GENUS I. CYANOSPIZA. THE BLUE SPARROWS. 



Ge.v. Ch. Coracoid bones, a little shorter than the top of keel, which is considerably higher than one- 

 half the width of the sternum. Plumage of adult males conspicuously marked with blue or other bright 

 colors. 



The bright colors and sternal characters of this genus show that it is cl'sely allied to the succeeding 

 family, while the habits of at least some of the species resemble those of some of the true sparrows. I have 

 therefore placed these beautiful birds at the hea 1 of the Fringillidae. 



CYANOSPIZA CiRIS. 

 ^'o^p3reil. 



Cyanospiza ciris Baird, Birds N. A. ; 18j8, oO'.i. 



DESCRIPTION. 



St'. Ch. Size, small. Form, somewhat robust. Upper mandible, considerably arched. Wings, not 

 short. Tail, moderately long and somewhat rounded. Sternum, stoutly built. Tongue, fleshy and trian- 

 gular, with the tip bifid au-I furnished with short, coarse cilia. 



Color. Adult mile, top andsiiles of heal and ne^k, rich purplish-blue. Middle of back and greater 

 wing coverts, bright yellowish-green. Remaining upper parts, ring around eye ani entire under portions, 

 including under tail coverts, carmine. Wings and tail, purplish with the inner webs of the former brown. 

 Under wing coverts rosy. Adult female, dark green throughout, but with a yellowish tinge beneath. Inner 

 webs of Aving feathers, brown. Young of both se.xes, similar to the adult female, but more dusky above, and 

 yellowish beneath. Iride?, bill and feet brown in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Easily known in the adult stage by the bright colors as given above, while the young male and female are 

 greener than the same se.x in closely allied species, found within our limits. Although the adult females 

 are normally as described, j'et I have a specimen in my c lUection which is as brightly colored as any male I 

 ever saw, and I have heard of at least one similar specimen. Distributed throughout the extreme Southern 

 States in summer ; winters in Southern Florida and Me-xico. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of thirteen specimens. Length, r).20; stretch, 8.20; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.25 ; 

 bill, .40; tarsus, .67. Longest specimen, 5.50 ; greatest extent of wings, 8.50 ; longest wing, 2.85; tail, 

 2.45; bill, .45; tarsus, 75. Shortest specimen, 5.00 ; smallest extent of wings, S.OO; shortest wing, 2.00; 

 tail, 2.00; bill, .40: tarsus, .GL 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



The following descriptions were taken from specimens in the collection of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History, for an examination of which lam indebted to Mr. Emerton. 



