548 



NORTH AMERICAN. BIRDS5. 



varied several times in a verv renuirkal»le manner. In Massachnsetts I have 

 known this species to have its complement of eggs hy the 15th of April. 



The ei^iis of this s])ecies are usuallv live, often four, and rarelv six in 

 numher. They are of an ohlong-oval shape, the smaller end but slightly 

 more pointed than the other. They vary greatly in size, ranging from .1)0 to 

 .80 of an inch in length, and averaging ahout .Of) in breadth. Their ground- 

 color is a pale green ish-wiiite, marked with spots, lines, dots, and blotches 

 of various shades of reddish and puri)lish brown. In some eggs the spots 

 are few and small, chiefly conlhient in a ring about the larger end, while the 

 ground-color is very plainly distinguishable. In others the ground is nearly 

 concealed by the abundance of the spots. 



Coturn irulus passer in us. 



Genus COTURNICULUS, Bovap. 



Cotuniiculifft, HoNAP, (Jc'o^f. List, 1838. ^Tyin*, Fringilla piisseriiia, Wils.) 



Gex. Char. Bill vory large and stont, (except in C. lecontei) ; the under mandible 



broader, but lower than the upper, which is deci- 

 (UmIIv convex at the basal portion of its upper 

 outhne. begs moderate, apparently not reaehiuj^ 

 to the end of the tail. The tarsus appreciably 

 longer than the middle toe : the lateral toes equal, 

 and with their claws falling decidedly short of the 

 middle claw; the hind toe intermediate between 

 the two. The v.ings ar:: short and rounded, 

 reaching to the base of the tail; the tertiaries 

 almost as long as the primaries; not much difler- 

 ence in length in the primaries, although the 

 outer three or four are slightly graduated. The 

 tail is short and narrow, shorter than the wing 

 (except in C. lecontei), graduated laterally, but sliglitly emarginate ; the feathers all lanceo- 

 late and acute, but not stitttined, as in Ainmodromus. 



This genus agrees with Pff.<<in'n//u.'i in the short and narrow tail. The 

 wings are much shorter and more rounded ; the feet shorter, especially the 

 middle toe, which is not as long as the tarsus. The tail-feathers are more 

 lanceolate. The bill is much larger, and more swollen at the base. 



The essential characters of this genus consist in the swollen convex bill ; 

 the short toes, compared with the tarsus ; the short and rounded wings ; and 

 the very small, narrow, sliiihtlv graduated tail, with its lanceolate acute 

 feathers (except in the South American C. mauimhe). 

 ~ In some respects there is a resemblance to AmmofIromv>i, in wiiich, how- 

 ever, the bill is very much more .slender ; the wings still shorter, and more 

 rounded ; the tail-feathers much stitTer, and even more lanceolate ; the toes 

 extending beyond the tip of the tail ; the middle toe rather longer than the 

 tarsus, instead of considerably shorter. 



C. lecontei has the same general form, but a much smaller bill. ^ 



