FKINfilLLlD.K — THE ^I^'CI1K8. 



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The ivrt'CtMiin;,' (lia;,'iiosis is iiittMitled to (Mubnuo the hri^^litly c«)l(jretl 

 jmsseriiiu l»inls of North Amnic a, dilli ivut in •^'riicnil uiUMnirunce fnnu the 

 coiiiinon Sparrows. It is dillitult to (h-aw the line with |»ertect strictness, so 

 us to separate tlie speeies from tliost* of tlie preceding,' group, but the hill is 

 always more curNetl, as well as lar;j:er, and the eoh»rs are hri«,diter. They re- 

 seinlde ijuite closely, at a sujierticial ;^dance, the Carrot hniustina, but may 

 be readilv distinguished by absence of tlie projecting tufts surrounding the 

 base of the upi»er mandible, shorter, more rounded wings, and longer tarsi. 



The genera may be most conveniently arranged as follows: — 



A. Winjrs decidiMlly linger than tlu* tail. Ejrjr« plain l>liie or white, unspotted. 



a. Feet very .*<tout, reuL-hiii;^' nearly to tlie enil of the tail. Species terres- 

 trial. 



Calamospiza. Bill moderate, the coniiiiissure with a deep anjj^le 

 ptKstericdly an<l proiiiiiieiit lolie l>ehiiid it; aiiferioily nearly striii^dit; 

 oojuniissure of lower niandil)le with a prominent an<:le. Outer toe lonp'r 

 than the inner, l>oth nearly {i.«i long as the posterior. Outer four primaries 

 ahout (M|ual, and ahruptly longer than the rest. Tertials nearly equal 

 to primaries. Tail-feathers hro.id at tips. Color: hlack with white spot 

 on wing in ^, brownish streaks in 9- Nest on or near ground j eggs 

 plain pale blue. 



Euapiza. Bill weaker, the commiss\ire with a more shallow angle, 

 and much less prominent sinuation behind it ; anteriorly distinctly 

 sinuated. Outer toe shorter than inner, both much shorter than the 

 posterior one. First j>rimary longest, the rest successively shorter. 

 Tertials but little longer than secondaries. Tail-leathers atN-miated at 

 tip<. Color: back brown streaked with black ; throat white ; jugulum 

 yellow or ashy ; with or with()ut black spot on fore neck. A yellow 

 or white superciliary stripe. Xest on or near ground ; v^igs. plain pale 

 blue. 



b. Feet weaker, scarcely reachmg beyond lower tail-coverts ; species arbo- 

 real. 



a. Size large (iring more than 3.50 inches). 



Hedymeles. I'pper mandible much swollen laterally. Colors : no 

 blue; uj)pcr parts conspicuously dinenrnt from the lower. Wings and 

 tail with white patches ; axillars and lining of wing yellow or red. 

 FVmale streaked. Nest in a tree or bush ; eggs greenish, thickly spotted. 

 Giiiraca. T'pper mandible flat laterally. Colors: ^ deep blue, with 

 two rufous ])ands on wings ; no white patches on wings or tail ; axillars 

 and lining of wing blue; 9 olive-brown without streaks. Nest in a 

 bush; eggs plain bhiish-white. - 



b. Size very siuuU (iring kss than 3.00 inches). 



C> "^iiospiza. Similar in form to Guiraca. but culmen more curved, 

 mandible more shallow, the angle and sinuations of the commissure 

 less conspicuous. Color: ^ more or less blue, without any bands on 

 wing (except in C. amcena in which they are whit*-) ; 9 olive-brown. 

 Nert in a bush ; eggs plain bluish-white (except in C. ciris, in which 

 they have reddish spots). 



B. Wing and tail about equal. The smallest of American Conirostres. Nest in 

 bushes. Eggs white, spotted. j 



