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AMMODRAMUS CAUDACUTUS— LATH, 



BUFF-BREASTED SHORE FINCH. 



Sharp-tailed Finch, Fringilla caudacuta, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Fringilla caudacuta, Bonap. Syn. 

 Shore Finch, Fringilla littoralis, Nutt. Man. 

 Sharp-tailed Finch, Fringilla caudacuta, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — A band on the sides of the head and sides of 

 the neck light yellowish-red ; tail graduated, the feathers more ab- 

 ruptly pointed than the preceding. Adult with the upper part of the 

 head dusky brown, with a central bluish-gray band ; a broad band of 

 light yellowish-red from the nostril over the eye, continuing beyond 

 the head; a similar band from the base of the lower mandible, curving 

 down the sides of the neck, meeting the upper band at its termination ; 

 cheeks bluish-gray ; hind neck of the same color, and having a 

 Central spot of olivaceOUs brown ; back brown, tinged with gray, 

 with a few dusky spots ; some of the feathers on the fore part of 

 the back edged with white ; quills dark brown, the inner seconda- 

 ries and their coverts broadly margined with reddish-brown, and 

 tipped with dull yellowish-white; tail brown, the feathers pointed and 

 margined with grayish-olive ; throat white, its sides streaked with 

 dusky, as are the breast and sides of the body, which are tinged with 

 pale yellowish-red, lower tail coverts of the same color ; rest of the 

 lower parts white. Length five inches, wing two and one quarter. 



This species— -less plentiful than the former— inhabits the same 

 localities, and in their general habits are closely allied. According 

 to Mr. Audubon, both species winter among the salt marshes in 

 South Carolina 

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