INTRODUCTION. XVll 



Pyrrhula, Brisson. — Bill hard, short, broad and thick at the base, bulging at 

 the sides ; culmen rounded ; upper mandible considerably longer than the 

 lower, and overhanging its point. Nostrils basal, round, hidden by plume- 

 lets. Gape slightly arched. Wings rather sliort ; the first primary 

 obsolete, the third or fifth the longest in the wing. Tail moderate, square 

 or forked. Tarsus scutellate in front, covered at the sides by a single plate, 

 stout ; claws moderately curved, rather short (p. 187). 



LoxiA, Linnctits. — Bill hard, strong, thick at the base, much compressed towards 

 the tip, the lower mandible curving upwards and its point crossing that of 

 the upper mandible. Nostrils round, basal, hidden by thick projecting 

 bristly plumes. Wings long, pointed ; the first primary very small but 

 visible, the second generally the longest. Tail short, forked. Tarsus short 

 and stout, scutellate in front ; toes short ; claws moderately curved (p. 193). 



Subfamily Emberizin.-e. 



Emberiza, Linnccus. — Bill hard, conical and short; the upper mandible not 

 wider than the lower, the edges of both inflected and those of the latter 

 gradually cut away (sinuated) ; the palate generally furnished with a project- 

 ing bony knob. Nostrils oval, basal and placed somewhat near the culmen, 

 partly hidden by small feathers. Gape angular. Wings moderate ; first 

 primary obsolete, second, third and fourth nearly equal. Tail rather long 

 and slightly forked. Tarsus scutellate in front, covered at the sides with an 

 undivided plate forming a sharp ridge behind, almost as long as the middle 

 toe : claws considerably curved, that of the hind toe of moderate length 

 (p. 197). 



Calcarius, Bcchstein. — Bill with considerably inflected cutting edges (tomia) ; 

 claws of the front toes short and slightly curved ; hind claw nearly straight 

 and elongated ; other characters much as in the next genus (p. 213). 



PlectrOPHENAX, Stijncger* — Bill hard, conical and short; the upper mandi- 

 ble narrower than the lower, the edges of both inflected and those of the 

 latter sinuated ; the palate furnished with a projecting bony knob. Nostrils 

 oval, basal, and placed somewhat near the culmen, nearly hidden by small 

 feathers. Gape angular. Wings long and pointed ; the first primary obso- 

 lete, second and third nearly equal and the longest in the wing, but the 

 fourth considerably longer than the fifth. Tail moderate and slightly 

 forked. Tarsus scutellate in front, covered at the sides with an undivided 

 plate forming a sharp ridge behind about as long as the middle toe. Front 

 claws rather long and curved ; hind claw considerably curved and elongated 

 (p. 215). 



Family STURNID.E. 



Sturnus, Linnceiis. — Bill as long as the head, almost straight, blunt at the tip, 

 depressed so as to be wider than high ; edges of the ujjper mandible extend- 

 ing over those of the lower, and both quite smooth. Nostrils basal and partly 

 overlaitl by an operculum. Gape angular and free from bristles. Feathers 



* Dr. Stejneger has shown that the genus ricctrophanes was instituted by B. Meyer for the 

 Lapland Bunting, and that, consequently, as a mere equivalent of Calcarius, it cannot be cor- 

 rectly employed for the Snow-Bunting. 



