48 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



racks, in Texas, l)y Mr. J. H. Clark. Tlie season wlien these birds were met 



with is not indicated by liini. 



It is stated by Mr. Suniichrast 

 that this species is found throughout 

 botli the temperate and the hot dis- 

 tricts of the State of Vera Cruz, 

 Me.xico. He also mentions that he 

 has found this bird in localities quite 

 remote from each other, and belong- 

 ing both to the hot and to the tem- 

 perate regions. In the latter it is 

 found to the height of at least four 

 thousand feet. 



w^. V ,,y/^ Boucard, during the winter months, 



at IMaza \icente, m the not low- 

 lands of the State of Oaxaca, ^lexico. 



Subfamily FASSERELLIN^. 



Char. Toes and claws very stout ; the lateral claws reaching beyond the middle of the 

 middle one; all very slightly mrved. 



Bill conical, the outlines straight ; ])otli mandibles equal ; wings long, 

 longer than the even tail or 

 slightly rounded, reaching 

 nearly to the middle of its 

 exposed portion. Hind claw 

 longer than its digit ; the toe 

 nearly as long as the middle 

 toe ; tarsus longer than the 

 middle toe. Brown above, 

 either uniformly so or faintly 

 streaked ; triangular spots be- 

 low. 



This section embraces a Passereiia uiaca. 



single Xorth American genus, chiefly characterized ]»y the remarkable elon- 

 gation of the lateral claws, as well as by the j)eculiar sha])e and large size 

 of all the claws ; the lateral, especiidly, are so much lengthened as to extend 

 nearly as far as the middle. The only a])proach to this, as far as I recollect, 

 among Ignited States Conirostrcs, is in Fipilo mcgalonijx, and Xanthoce})lmlus 

 icterocepkalus. 



