FINCHES. 221 



a. Points of mandibles overlapping. 



Loxia. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe. Bill much compressed, the mandibles 

 falcate, with the points crossing like the blades of scissors. Claws very large ; lateral 

 extending beyond the base of the middle. Colors red or gray, streaked in young. 



b. Points of mandibles not overlapping. 



Acanthis. Tarsus equal to the middle toe. Bill very acutely conical; outlines and 

 commissure perfectly straight. Lateral toes reaching beyond the base of the middle 

 one. No ridge on the side of the lower mandible. Streaked; a crimson crown (except 

 in one species). 



Leucosticte. Culmen slightly decurved; commissure a little concave. Bill obtusely 

 conical; not sharp -pointed. A conspicuous ridge on the side of the lower mandible. 

 Claws large ; the lateral not reaching beyond the base of the middle one. Colors red 

 and brown. 



D. Hind claw much the largest; decidedly less curved than the middle anterior one. 

 Tarsus longer than the middle toe. Lateral toes equal; reaching about to the base of the 

 middle claw. Hind toe as long as or longer than the middle one. Bill very variable ; 

 always more or less curved and blunted. Palate somewhat tuberculate ; margins of lower 

 jaw much inflexed. Tail slightly emarginate or even. Wings one half longer than the 

 tail. First quill as long as the second. 



Plectrophenax. Angle of gonys opposite middle of culmen.the gonys greatly ascend- 

 ing. Maxilla shallower than mandible. Middle toe and claw about equal to tarsus, 

 the claw reaching beyond that of the hallux. Secondaries mostly white. 

 Calcarius. Bill much as in Plectrophenax. Middle toe and claw shorter than tarsus, 

 the claw not reaching as far as to the tip of the hind claw. No white on secondaries. 

 Bhynchophanes. Bill very stout, conical, the angle of the gonys decidedly posterior to 

 the middle of the bill, the maxilla equal in depth to the mandible. 



GENUS COCCOTHRAUSTES ERISSON. 



Coccothraustes BRISS. Orn. iii,1760,218. Type.Zozia coccothraustes LINN. 



Subgenus Hesperiphona BONAPARTE. 



ffesperiphona BONAP. Comptes Rendus, xxxi, Sept. I860, 424. Type, Fringilla vesper- 

 Una COOP. 



"GEN. CHAB. Bill largest and stoutest of all the United States fringilline birds. Upper 

 mandible much vaulted; culmen nearly straight, but arched toward the tip; commissure 

 concave. Lower jaw very large, but not broader than the upper, nor extending back, as 

 in Guiraca; considerably lower than the upper jaw. Gonys unusually long. Feet short; 

 tarsus less than the middle toe; lateral toes nearly equal, and reaching to the base of the 

 middle claw. Claws much curved, stout and compressed. Wings very long and pointed, 

 reaching beyond the middle of the tail. Primaries much longer than the nearly equal 

 secondaries and tertials; outer two quills longest; the others rapidly graduated. Tail 

 slightly forked; scarcely more than two thirds the length of the wings, its coverts cover- 

 ing nearly three fourths of its extent Nest and eggs unknown." (Hist. N. Am. .) 



Coccothraustes vespertinus (Coop.) 



EVENING GBOSBEAK. 



Fringilla vespertina COOPEB, Ann. Lye. N. Y. i, 1825,220. NUTT. Man. i, 1832, 594. AUD. 

 Orn. Biog. iv, 1839.515; v, 1839,235, pis. 373,425. 



