214 VERTEBRATES: BIRDS. 



The Genus Embernagra comprises the Texas Finch, 

 E. nifivirgata, Lawr. 



The third group comprises those which have the legs, 

 toes, and claws very stout, and the lateral claws reaching 

 nearly to the end of the middle one. They are sparrow- 

 like species with triangular spots beneath. 



The Genus Passerella has the body stout ; wings long 

 and pointed, reaching to the middle of the nearly even tail. 



The Fox-colored Sparrow, P. iliaca, Sw., of the United 

 States east of the Mississippi, is seven and a half inches 

 long, the wing three and a half inches ; the back dull 

 ash, each feather with a blotch of brownish red ; the top 

 of the head and neck similar, but with smaller and less 

 distinct blotches ; the exposed surfaces of the wings, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tail, bright rufous ; the under 

 parts white ; the upper parts of the breast, sides of the 

 body, and throat, with triangular spots of rufous ; and on 

 the middle of the breast a few smaller ones of blackish. 

 This Sparrow lingers in clumps of bushes near the water, 

 and patches of briers along the fences. Its flight is low, 

 rapid, undulatory, and its notes sweet. The nest is made 

 upon the ground in a tuft of grass, or under a low bush ; 

 eggs four or five, rather sharp at the smaller end, dull 

 greenish sprinkled with blotches of brown. 



P. obscura, Verrill, of Anticosti, is somewhat smaller 

 than the preceding species. 



Townsend's Sparrow, P. Townsendii, Nutt, of the Pa- 

 cific coast of North America, is about seven inches long, 

 the wing about three inches ; the color above uniform 

 dark olive-brown, with a tinge of rufous ; the under parts 

 are white, thickly covered with triangular blotches of the 

 same color as the back. 



The Slate-colored Sparrow, P. schistacea, Baird, of West- 

 ern North America, is six and four fifths inches long, 

 the wing over three inches ; the color above uniform 



