FRINGILLID.E THE FINCHES. 259 



clawa falling far short of the middle one. Hind toe much longer than the lateral ones, 

 reaching as far as the middle of the middle claw; its claws moderately curved. Wings 

 unusually long, reaching to the middle of the tail, and almost to the end of the upper cov- 

 verts. The tertials nearly or quite as long as the primaries; the first primary longest 

 Tbe tail is quite short, considerably shorter than the wings; as long as from the carpal 

 joint to the end of the secondaries. It is emarginate, and slightly rounded; the feathers 

 pointed and narrow." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



The essential characters of this genus lie in the elongated wings 

 (longer than the tail), the tertials equal to the primaries, the first 

 quill almost longest. The legs are long, the outstretched toes reach- 

 ing to the end of the tail ; the lateral toes considerable shorter than 

 the middle, which is not much longer than the hinder. The tail is 

 short, narrow, and emarginate; the feathers acute. 



Ammodramus sandwichensis savanna (Wils.) 



SAVANNA SPABBOW. 



Popular synonyms. Grass Bird; Ground Bird. 



fringilla savanna WILS. Am. Orn. iii, 1811. 55, pi. 22, fig. 2; iv, 1811, 72, pi. 34, fig. 4. NUTT. 



Man. i, 1832, 489. AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 63; v, 1839, 516. pi. 109. 



Emberiza savanna BP. 1838. BAIKD.B. N. Am. 1858, 442; Cat N. Am. B. 1859. No. 332. 

 COUES, Key,1872, 135; Check List 1873, No. 159; B. N. W. 1874, 127. B. B. & B. Hist N. 

 Am. B. i, 1874, 534, pi. 24, fig. 8. 

 Passerculus sandwichensis savanna EIDGW. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 193 o. COUKS, 



2d Check List, 1882. No. 227. 



HAB. Eastern North America, breeding chiefly north of, and wintering south of, the 

 parallel of 40; Cuba. (The typical race of this species inhabits the north Pacific coast, 

 from Vancouver Island to Unlashka. It is similar in colors to savanna, but is decidedly 

 larger. In other parts of western North America, including Alaska, with the exception 

 of the coast district, the smaller, paler, and more slender-billed P. sandwichensis alau- 

 dinus replaces both the other forms.) 



"Sp. CHAB. Feathers of the upper parts generally with a central streak of blackish 

 brown; the feathers of the back with a slight rufous suffusion laterally; the feathers 

 edged with gray, which is lightest on the scapulars, and forms there two gray stripes. 

 Crown with a broad median stripe of yellowish gray. A superciliary stripe from the bill 

 to the back of the head, eyelids and edge of the elbow, yellow, paler behind, A yellowish 

 white mandibular stripe curving behind the ear-coverts, and margined above and below 

 by brown. The lower margin is a series of thickly crowded spots on the sides of the 

 throat, which are also found on the sides of the neck, across the upper part of the breast 

 and on the sides of the body; a dusky line back of the eye, making three on the side of 

 tto head (including the two mandibular). A few faint spots on the throat and chin. Best 



