290 



BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



pronounce it a very fine performance. Snatches of this song may 

 be occasionally heard in the spring before the northward exodus, 

 and his notes at this season certainly are remarkable for their 

 richness. In History of North American Birds (Vol. II., p. 52), 

 Dr. Brewer thus describes the full song : "In the spring the male 

 becomes quite musical, and is one of our sweetest and most re- 

 markable singers. His voice is loud, clear, and melodious ; his notes 

 full, rich, and varied ; and his song is unequaled by any of this 

 family that I have ever heard. 



SUBFAMILY SPIZIN-ZE 



CHAB. Bill variable, always large, much arched, and with the culmen considerably 

 ourved; sometimes of enormous size, and with a greater development backward of the 

 lower jaw, which is always appreciably, sometimes considerably, broader behind than 

 the upper jaw at its base; nostrils exposed. Tail rather variable. Bill generally black, 

 light blue, or red. Wings shorter than in the first group. Gape almost always much 

 more strongly bristled. Few of the species sparrow-like or plain in their appearance; 

 usually blue, red, or black and white; except in one or two instances the sexes very dif- 

 ferent in color. 



"The preceding diagnosis is intended to embrace the brightly col- 

 ored passerine birds of North America, different in general appear- 

 ance from the common Sparrows. It is difficult to draw the line 

 with perfect strictness, so as to separate the species from those of 

 the preceding group, but the bill is always more curved, as well as 

 larger, and the colors are brighter. They resemble quite closely, at 

 a superficial glance, the Coccothraustintz, but may be readily distin- 

 guished by the absence of the projecting tufts surrounding the base of 

 the upper mandible, shorter, more rounded wings, and longer tarsi. 



"The genera may be most conveniently arranged as follows : 

 (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



A. Wings decidedly longer than the tail. Eggs plain blue or white, unspotted. 

 a. Feet very stout, reaching nearly to the end of the tail. Species terrestrial 



Calamospiza. Bill moderate, the commissure with a deep angle posteriorly and 

 prominent lobe behind it; anteriorly nearly straight; commissure of lower man- 

 dible with a prominent angle. Outer toe longer than the inner, both nearly as 

 long as the posterior. Outerfourprimaries about equal, and abruptly longer than 

 the rest Tertials nearly equal to primaries. Tail-feathers broad at tips. Color 

 black with white spot on wing in male, brownish streaks in female. Nest on or 

 near ground; eggs plain pale blue. 



Spiza. Bill weaker, the commissure with a more shallow angle, and much less 

 prominent sinuation behind it; anteriorly distinctly sinuated. Outer toe shorter 

 than inner, both much shorter than the posterior one. First primary longest, the 

 rest successively shorter. Tertials but little longer than secondaries. Tail- 

 feathers attenuated at tips. Color: back brown streaked with black; throat 

 white; jugulum yellow or ashy; with or without black spot on fore neck. A yel- 

 low or white superciliary stripe. Nest on or near ground; eggs plain pale blue. 

 6. Feet weaker, scarcely reaching beyond lower tail-coverts; species arboreal 



