FKlNlill.MD.K — Tin; KlNlllKS. 



27 



Till* abovt; description is of a sjuM-iinen in wom smnnier ijlunuii^c, wlion 

 tlu' Mi;iikin;4S have n«»t the sharp tU'tiiiition seen in tiie autu»«uial phinia^e. 

 The autumnal phinia«,'e is as toll(.\v»: (ln)un(l-('<»h>r alM)ve ^Mayish-nlive, 

 outer snrfaee of win.i^'s, with tlie crown, more rufous; crown with narrow, 

 and dorsal region with hroad, stripes of hlack, the hitter with scarcely a 

 perceptil>U' rufous sutVusion; crown with a distinct median stripi? of ashy. 

 Streaks on ju^^duni, etc., broader than in the ty])e, and with a slight rufous 

 suiVusiini. \Vin«i, --<> ; tail, 2.00; hill from nostril .31, its depth .22 ; 

 tarsus .74 ; niitldle toe without claw, .♦)(>. 



The typo of Milospizo f/ou/di resemldes the last, and differs only in liavinj^ 

 a more distinct rufous suffusion to tlie hlack markings; the measurements 

 are as follows : Wing, '2.20; tail, 2.0.'); hiU, .33 by .2)5 ; tarsus, .73; middle 

 toe without claw, .r>!>. 



This is j»rol>ably a dwarfed race of the common species, the very small 

 size being its chief distinctive character. The colors are moet nearly like 

 tho.se of hrrmanni, l>nt are considerably darker, caused by an expansion of 

 the black and contraction of the rufous markings. The pattern of colora- 

 tion is precisely the same as in the other races. The present bird ajipears 

 to be ])eculiar to the coast region of California, the only specimens iu the 

 collection being from the neigh Imrhood of San Fmncisco. 



IlAiiiTs. Of the history, distribution, and general habits of this species, 

 nothing is known. It was found at retalunia, Cal., by Emanuel Samuels, 

 and described in the Proceedings of the Iioston Society of Natural History in 

 1858. The following description of the nest and eggs of this bird, in the 

 Smithsonian collection, has been kindly furnished me by Mr. llidgway. 



Nests elaborate and symmetrical, cup-shaj)ed, composed of thin grass- 

 stems, but externally cliieHy of grass-blades and strii>s of thin inner bark. 

 Diameter about 3.5(1 inches; internal diameter 2.00, and internal dejith 1.50; 

 external, 2.00. Egg measures .78 by .62 ; regularly ovate in shape ; ground- 

 color, greenish-white ; this is thickly sprinkled with i)urplish and livid ashy- 

 brown, the s])ecks larger, and somewhat coalescent, around the larger circum- 

 ference. (3553, San Francisco, Cal., J. Hepburn.) 



Melospiza melodia, var. guttata, Baird. 



OBEOOK SOKG 8PABB0W. 



Fringilla cincrca, (Om.) Aud. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 22, pi. cccxc. — Ib. Syn. 1839, 119.— 

 Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 145, pi. tlxxxvii. Passn-clla cincrca, Br. List, 1839. — Ib. 

 Conspt'ctus, IS.'iO, 477. FrinfjiJIa (Passrrcna) guttata, Nuttall, Man. I, (2ded.,> 1840, 

 581. Zo7wtrichia guttata, Gambel, J. A. N. Sc. I, Dec. 1847, 50. Melonpiza rujiiui, 

 Bairi), Birds N. Am. 1858, 480. — Coopefi & Suckley, 204. — Dall& Bannister, 

 Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1859, 285. — C(k.i'eu, Oni. Cal. I, 214. 



Sp. Char. Bill slender. Similar in jreneral appearance to 3f. meJodin, but darker and 

 much more rufous, and without any blackish-brown streaks, or grayish edges of the 



