76 



XORTII AMEIUrAX BFRDS. 



Dr. Heermann spoaTvi? of the ^cm^ of tliis hird as clear and musical, and as 

 very closely reseniMing tliat of our Ttorhta miffrKtorivji. He tlescribes its 

 nests as formed with verv little care, of twii^s lo<>selv thrown toLi'etlier, and 

 lined with roots, ])hiced in tlie hiiuiches «)f hushes. Tlie e^gs, four in num- 

 ber, lie describes as of a greenish-l)lue «iround, marked witli irregular spots 

 (»f umlxT-hrown, varvin-^ in intensity of shade. 



The soivj:, of the western species is described by ^Ii'. Xuttall as fully equal, 

 if not sujxM'ior, to that of the Hose-breasted. He met with it on tlie central 

 table-lands of the Ivocky Mountains, alonj^- the up])er 1 tranches of the Colo- 

 rado Kiver, wliere he found it frequenting the thick groves of the streams, 

 and where, tlirougliout its dense forests, the powerful song and the inimitable 

 voice of tliis "most delightful Finch" cheered that naturalist amidst the 

 wildest desohilion of that " forest lU'imeval," where this superb vocalist made 

 the woods eclio antl re-echo to its untiring song. The.se notes, greatly resem- 

 bling those of its eastern relative, may be heard from early dawn almost 

 even to the close of the following night. These are described as loud, varied, 

 liigh-toned, and melodious, rising and falling with the sweetest cadence, fas- 

 cinating tlie listener most jtowerfuUy witli sen.sations of a pleasing sadness, 

 its closing note seeming like a shrill cry of ajtpealing distress, and then sink- 

 ing faintly on the ear. It is described as very sliy and retiring in its lial»its, 

 and can be but very rarely observed closely while thus engaged in song. 

 On these occasions the bird is said to sit up conspicuously on a lofty bough, 

 near the summit of the tree, his throat swelling with the excitement, and 

 seeming to take a great delight in the .sound of his own nuisic. 



Mr. Sumichrast found this bird on the Plateau of Mexico, and also in the 

 alpine regions of Vera Crux. It was found to the height of 8,.S(I0 feet, and 

 never lower than 4,(i(Hl. 



The eggs of this species are of an oblong-oval shape, one end but slightly 

 more rounded than the other, and measure 1.10 of an inch in length bv .Go 

 in breadth. They have a bluish-green ground, blotched and splashed with 

 niaikings of a rusty-brown, for the most part more numerous about the 



larger end. 



Genus GUIRACA, Swainson. 



flulrftcay SwAiNsoN, Zoiil. Jour. Ill, Xi»v. 1S-J7, 'J.'iO. (Type, Lox.ia carnlea, L.) 

 Cocrolxirus, SwAiNsoN, Class. I'irds, II, lSo7, 277. (S.uno type.) 



fiv.s. Char. Bill very larcro. nearly as hiu^h as lontr: the ciilinon .'^liirlitly r'urved, with a 

 rather sharp ridu*'; the eoniinis.«uro conspiciKni.sly antrulatcd just liclow the nostril, the 

 {(osterior leg of the angle neaily as long as the anterior, l)oth nearly straiirhf. Ltiwer jaw 

 dee{)er than the u)iper, ami extenditiir nnieli hehind the forehead; the width greater than 

 the ienirth of the gonys, eonsiderahly wider than the up))er jaw. A prominent knob in 

 th(^ roof of the month. Tarsi shorter than the middlt? toe; the outer toe a little longer, 

 reaching not rpiite to the liase of the middle elaw ; hind toe rather longer than to this 

 l)ase. Wings long, reaching the middle of the tail ; the secondaries and tertials nearly 



