THE SHARP-TAILED FINCH. 307 
AMMODROMUS, Swatrnson. 
Ammodromus, Swatxson, Zool. Jour., III. 1827. (Type Oriolus caudacutus, 
Gmelin.) 
Bill very long, slender, and attenuated, considerably curved towards the tip above; 
the gonys straight; the legs and toes are very long, and reach considerably beyond 
the tip of the short tail; the tarsus is about equal to the elongated middle toe; the 
lateral toes equal, their claws falling considerably short of the base of the middle 
one; the hind claw equal to the lateral one; wings short, reaching only to the base 
of the tail; much rounded; the secondaries and tertials equal, and not much shorter 
than the primaries; the tail is short, and graduated laterally, each feather stiffened, 
lanceolate, and acute. 
Color. — Streaked above and across the breast; very faintly on the sides. 
AMMODROMUS CAUDACUTUS. — Swainson. 
The Sharp-tailed Finch. 
Oriolus caudacutus. Gm., I. (1788) 394. 
Fringilla caudacuta, Wilson. Am. Orn., IV. (1811) 70. Aud. Orn. Biog., II. 
(1884) 281; V. 499. 
Ammodromus caudacutus, Swainson. Birds, II. (1837) 289. 
Fringilla littoralis, Nuttall. Man., I. (1882) 504 (2d ed., 1840, 590). 
DESCRIPTION. 
Upper parts brownish-olivaceous; head brownish, streaked with black on the 
sides, and a broad central stripe of ashy; back blotched with darker; a broad 
superciliary and maxillary stripe, and a band across the upper breast buff-yellow; 
the sides of the throat with a brown stripe; the upper part of the breast and the 
sides of the body streaked with black; rest of under parts white; edge of wing 
yellowish-white. 
The young is of a more yellowish tinge above and below; the streaks on the 
back more conspicuous; the scapular feathers without the whitish edging. 
Length, five inches; wing, two and thirty one-hundredths inches. 
Hab. — Atlantic Coast of the United States. 
Massachusetts seems to be the northern limit of this spe- 
cies. In this State and those south, it is not uncommon ; 
but it is confined to the districts in the neighborhood of the 
coast, and is never found more than a mile or two from 
those localities in the breeding season. About the last 
week in May, the nest is built: this is placed in a tussock 
of grass above the tide-marks, and is constructed of coarse 
grasses, which are woven into a strong fabric, and lined with 
finer grasses and seaweed. The eggs are generally five in 
