KKINGILIJD.E — THK FINCHES. 



5G-J 



brush aloii«x inoniitain rivulets, aiul .similar situations, wliere the seeds of 

 various ]»laiits an- jancuntlth' ; its i^^cnrral hahits rescuihle those of the sj)ecies 

 of ZiniiitrirJiiny 



The nests were found l»y Mr. Riilgwjiv in various situations; the lander 

 nunilter were upon the j^round, hut several were in trees varying' in heii^ht 

 from six to twenty feet from the j^aound. They were found from the latter 

 ])art of May throujih June. A nest obtained in Southern AViseonsin hy Mr. 

 Thure Kundien is very homogeneous in strueture, consi.stinijj entirely of 

 loosely intertwined stems of dry j^n*asses, sedges, and cariees. Ft was built 

 on the ground, is nearly tlat, and has only a very shallow cavity. Its entire 

 height is less than two inches, and the depth of its depression not half an 

 inch. The diameter of the nest is three and a half inches, and that of the 

 cavity at the rim three inches. 



The maxinaim number of their eggs is five. Their average measurement 

 is .«S5 by .65 of an inch. The ground-color is usually a gmyisli-white, 

 rarely a light brown, marbled and streaked with waving lines, and a few dots 

 of black or a blackish-brown. 



»S.'< 



Genus ZONOTRICHIA, Swainson. 



Zonofrichut, Swainson, Fauna Bor.-Am. II, 1831. (Type, Emheriza hwnphrys.) 



Gen. Char. Body rather stout. Bill conical, .<li,2:litly notched, .'jotnewhat conij»rcs.>^e(l, 

 e.xcavated inside ; the lower mandible rather lower than the upper ; iron y.-< .^Hirhtly 

 convex ; commissure nearly straight. Feet stout ; tar.<us rather lonfrer than middle toe ; 

 the lateral toes very nearly equal. Hind toe Ioniser than the lateral ones ; their claws 

 just reaching to liase of" middle one. Inner claw contained twice in its toe proper; 

 claw.s all slender and considerably curved. Wing.-< moderate, not reaching to the middle 

 of the tail, but beyond the rump ; secondaries and tertials e([ual and considerably k 

 than longest primaries ; second and 

 thinl (piills longest ; first about equal 

 to the fifth, nuich long«'r than tertials. 

 Tail rather long, moderately rounded: 

 the leathers not verv broad. 



Back streaked. Rump and under 

 parts inunaculate. except in young. 

 Head black, or with white streaks, 

 entirely diflerent from tlie back. 



This genus emViraces some of 

 the most beautiful of American 

 Sparrows, all of the largest 

 size in their subfamily. zonntriMa i.ucophrys. 



All the species properly Ixdonging to this genus are Xorth American ; 

 several South American species, have, however, been assigned to it ; but 

 they are none of thoui strictly congeneric with those given below. 



