300 ZOOLOGY— HI KDS. 



CYANOSPIZA AMOENA (Say). 



Lazuli Finch. 



Emhiriza amocna, SAY, Long's Expcd. Rocky Mts., i, 1823, 47. 



hipiza amcena, WooDii., Sitgreave's Exp. Zuui & Col. Kiv., 1854, 87. — IJeeijm., P. 11. 

 K. Hep., X, pt. iv, 1859, 40. 



Cyanospiza amana, Bd., Birds N. A., 1858, 504. — Xantus, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila . 

 1S51), l!tli (Fort TojoD, Cal.).— Henry, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila., l.«5!), 

 107 (New Mexico).— Coop. & Suckl., P, E. I{. Rep., xii, pt. ii, ISCO, 205.— 

 IJayd., TraTis. Am. Phil. Soc, xii, 1802, 1G8. — COUES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 PLila., 18(J(i, 89 (Fort ^YhippIe, Ariz.).— COOPEK, IMids Cal., i, 1871, 2:J3.— 

 CouEs, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 149.— Snow, Birds Kan., 1872, 11.— Hold., 

 Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 1872, 201.— Merriam, U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 

 1872,683.— P.D., Brew., &RIDG., N. A. Birds, ii, 1874, pi. xxx, figs. 11, 12.— 

 Yarrow, Rep. Orii. Specs., 1871, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 35. — Yarrow & 

 Henshaw, Rei). Orn. Specs., 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 15. — Henshaw, 

 An. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., xi, 1874, G.—Id., An. List Birds Utah, 1872, 

 Wheelei's Exped., 1874, 45.— W., Rep. Orn. Si)ecs., 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 

 1874, ()3, 81, 120.— Allen, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., June, 1874, 15, 29.— 

 CouES, Birds Northwest, 1874, 170. 



Very common throughout the Territory of Utah, inhabiting' the dense 

 thickets near water courses. A number of nests were foimd at Prove in 

 the hitter part of July, containing either young, or eggs just ready to hatch. 

 The bird was seen also in Nevada. These nests, were all built upon low 

 thorny bushes, and both nests and eggs resemble those of C. cyanca. 



Not seen at all about Fort Garland ; the elevation perhaps being too 

 great for it. Common on the Huerfano River, sixty miles northeast of Fort 

 Garland, and also near Pueblo, where it was taken by Mr. Aiken. It inhabits 

 the lowlands generally, and, like the Indigo Bird, is fond of neighborhoods 

 sparsely covered with low bushes. Its habits generally are nuich like those 

 of the Indigo Bird ; a resemblance borne out by the similarity of songs, 

 though that of t^iis finch is weaker and not so well sustained, while those 

 strains are less melodious. Its diffusion in Arizona and New Mexico is 

 equally general. 



In a male taken in October, the blue is clouded and almost obscured 

 Iiy nitniis, which overspreads the whole plumage. 



