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AMMODRAMUS CAUDACUTUS— LATH. 



BUFF-BREASTED SHORE FTNCH. 



Sharp-tailed Finch, Fringilla caudacuta, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Fririgilla caudacuta, Bonap. Syn. 

 Shore Finch, Fringilla littoralis, Nutt. Man. 

 Sharp-tailed Finch, Fringilla caudacuta, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — A band on the sides of the head and sides of 

 the neck light yellowish-red ; tail graduated, the feathers more ab- 

 ruptly pointed than the preceding. Adult with the upper part of the 

 head dusky brown, with a central bluish-gray band ; a broad band of 

 light yellowish-red from the nostril over the eye, continuing beyond 

 the head; a similar band from the base of the lower mandible, curving 

 down the sides of the neck, meeting the upper band at its termination ; 

 cheeks bluish-gray ; hind neck of the same color, and having a 

 central spot of olivaceous brown ; back brown, tinged with gray, 

 with a few dusky spots ; some of the feathers on the fore part of 

 the back edged with white ; quills dark brown, the inner seconda- 

 ries and their coverts broadly margined with reddish-brown, and 

 tipped with dull yellowish- white; tail brown, the feathers pointed and 

 margined with grayish-olive ; throat white, its sides streaked with 

 dusky, as are the breast and sides of the body, which are tinged with 

 pale yellowish-red, lower tail coverts of the same color ; rest of the 

 lower parts white. Length five inches, Aving two and one quarter. 



This species — less plentiful than the former— ^inhabits the same 

 localities, and in their general habits are closely allied. According 

 to Mr. Audubon, both species winter among the salt marshes in 

 South Carolina. 

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