FBINGILLID.K THE FINCHES. 288 



"This genus differs from Zonotrichia in the shorter, more gradu- 

 ated tail, rather longer hind toe, much more rounded wing, which 

 is shorter; the tertiaries longer; the first quill almost the shortest, 

 and not longer than the tertials. The under parts are spotted ; the 

 crown streaked, and like the back." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



The three species which occur in eastern North America (one of 

 them peculiar to the Atlantic side) may be distinguished by the 

 following characters: 



A. Breast and sides distinctly streaked, at all ages. 



a. Maxillary stripe and jugulum white, like other lower parts, the streaks on breast 

 broad, cuneate. 



1. M. fasciata. Above rusty grayish, streaked with brown and black. Wing about 

 2.70; tail nearly 3. 00. 



b. Maxillary stripe and jugulum buff, the other lower parts chiefly white; streaks 

 on jugulum linear. 



2. M. lincolni. Above olive-brown, streaked with black. Wing 2.60, or less; tail 

 2.50, or less.* 



B. Breast and sides without streaks, except in young (first plumage;. 



3. M. georgiana. Breast and sides of head ashy; wings chestnut-rufous; back 

 olive-brown, broadly streaked or spotted with black. In breeding plumage, 

 crown (of both sexes) bright chestnut. 



Melospiza fasciata (Gmel.) 



Fringilla fasciata GMEL. S. N. i, 1788, 922. 

 Melospiza fasciata SCOTT, Am. Nat. x, 1876, 18.-Rn>GW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 231. 



COUES, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 244. 

 Fringilla melodia WILS. Am. Orn. ii, 1810,125, pi. 16, fig. 4. AUD. Orn. Biog. i, 1831, 126; 



v, 507, pi. 25; Synop. 1839, 120; B. Am. iii, 1841, 147, pi. 189. NUTT. Man. i, 1832, 486. 

 Melospiza melodia BAIED, B. N. Am. 1858,477; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 227. COUES, 

 Key, 1872, 139; Check List, 1873. No. 146; B. N. W. 1874.138.-B. B. & B. Hist. N. Am. B. 

 ii, 1874, 19, pi. 27, fig. 6. 



HAB. Eastern United States and British Provinces, west to, and including, the Great 

 Plains; wintering from about 50 to the Gulf coast, breeding in northern States and 

 along the Atlantic sea-board. (In western portions of the continent, represented by 

 numerous local or geographical races.) 



"Sp. CHAB. General tint of upper parts rufous and distinctly streaked with rufous- 

 brown, dark brown and ashy-gray. The crown is rufous, with a superciliary and median 

 stripe of dull gray, the former lighter; nearly white anteriorly, where it sometimes has 

 a faint shade of yellow, principally in autumn; each feather of the crown with a narrow 

 streak of black, forming about six narrow lines. Interscapulars black in the center, then 

 rufous, then pale grayish on the margin, these three colors on each feather very sharply 

 contrasted. Bump grayer than upper tail-coverts, both with obsolete dark streaks. 

 There is a whitish maxillary stripe, bordered above and below by one of dark rufous 

 brown, and with another from behind the eye. The under parts are white; the jugulura 

 and sides of body streaked with clear dark brown, sometimes with a rufous suffusion. 

 On the middle of the breast these marks are rather aggregated so as to form a spot. No 

 distinct white on tail or wings. Length of male, 6.50; wing, 2.58; tail, 3. 00. Billpa)< 

 brown above; yellowish at base beneath. Legs yellowish. 



In western specimens the tail is sometimes half an inch longer. 



