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FAMILY FRINGILLIN^ 



FINCHES. 



GENUS PLECTROPHANES — MYER. 



LARK BUNTING. 

 [Bill very short, robust, tapering, somewhat compressed — upper mandible 

 considerably narrower than the lower ; head of moderate size, ovate ; neck 

 short ; body compact ; tarsi shorter than the middle toe and claw ; claws long — 

 that of the hind toe, produced ; wings long, pointed; tail rather long, emargi- 

 nate.] 



PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS— LINN. 



SNOW LARK BUNTING. 



Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Emberiza nivalis, Bonap. Syn. 



Emberiza (Plectrophanes) nivalis, Snow Bunting, Sw. & Rich. 



Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, Nutt. Man. 



Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific. Character — Bill brownish-yellow, the point dusky ; hind 

 claw three-eighths of an inch long, arched ; tail emarginate, larger 

 portion of outer three feathers white. Adult with the upper parts 

 grayish-brown, streaked on the fore part of the back with black, 

 with a reddish tinge on the wing coverts and rump ; a spot of dark 

 brown on the upper part of the head, and a similar spot on the sides 

 of the breast ; the inner secondaries are white, as are the outer two 

 tail feathers, excepting a small spot on the ends ; the third feather 

 has a patch of white occupying the larger part of the inner web ; 

 the rest of the tail feathers and their primaries are broAvn ; lower 

 parts are dull white, with a reddish tinge on the sides of the body. 

 The specimen now before me was shot in the winter. In summer 

 the back scapulars, inner secondaries, terminal portion of the pri- 

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