OF NEW ENGLAND. 167 



They (or at least our species) are characterized as follows. 

 Bill, for the most part, not twice as long as high, but stout, 

 more or less conical, with the mandibles generally meeting at 

 their tips ; commissure usually with a more or less evident 

 angle ; bristles often wanting ; tarsi scutellate ; primaries nine. 

 They may be divided into three groups : (Gen. I- VI and 

 VII ?) Wings long ; feet not strong ; sexes generally unlike ; 

 males brightly colored. Birds of rather boreal distribution, 

 of comparatively strong flight, and largely arboreal (except 

 in genus VII). (Gen. VII?-XVIII.) Birds chiefly terrestrial ; 

 also plainly colored, and sexes generally alike ; commissure 

 frequently with the angle feebly marked. (Gen. XVIII?- 

 XXIII.) Birds chiefly arboreal, and handsomely or bril- 

 liantly colored ; sexes unlike. Distribution rather southern. 

 Bill stout, somewhat curved above ; angle well marked. (Gen. 

 XXIV, XXV, are placed at the end, because not properly 

 parts of our fauna.) (Figs. 8, 9, 10.) Possibly the starlings 

 should be united with the finches, and ranked as a subfamily. 

 (See 17.) 



The following genera require special notice : 



Curvirostra. Bill, with the mandibles crossed (pi. 1, fig. 16). 



Pinicola. Bill stout, hooked, and with curved outlines. 



Chrysomitris and jEgiothus. Bill conical, and pointed. Up- 

 per mandible often growing beyond the lower, as sometimes 

 seen in other finches and blackbirds (pi. 1, fig. 12). 



Plectroplianes. Hind-claw very long (pi. 1, fig. 17). In sub- 

 genus Centrophanes (including Lapponicus but not nivalis) 

 hind-claw straightish ; bill unruffed. 



Ammodromus. Bill comparatively slender. Tail-feathers 

 narrow and pointed. (PI. 1, figs. 14, 15.) 



Cotwniculus closely related. 



Passerella. Birds partially rasorial, as also in certain allied 

 species. 



Hydemeles. Bill deep, stout, and bristled ; upper outline 

 much curved, commissure strongly angulated (pi. 1, fig. 13). 

 The details of structure vary with every group or genus, but 

 the finches in general are easily recognized by their coloring. 



