334 CHAPTERS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY 



is the fact that he placed all the grosbeaks known to him in the 

 genus Loxia; these were the Blue grosbeak, the Cardinal, the 

 Pine, and the Kose-breasted. At the present time an Evening 

 grosbeak is known to us, with its subspecies (Coceothraustes) ; 

 the Pine grosbeak still remains unique (Pinicola) ; three sub- 

 species of the Cardinal grosbeak have been discovered (Curdi- 

 nalis), and an entire new related genus (Pyrrhuloxia), contain- 

 ing the Texas cardinal with its two subspecies; the Rose-breast- 

 ed grosbeak is now associated in the genus Habia with the beau- 

 tiful western form, the Black-headed grosbeak, the existence of 

 which Wilson never even had a suspicion. The Blue-headed 

 grosbeak is also in a separate genus (Guiraca) with its western 

 subspecies. He knew only of one Redpoll, our well-known little 

 type of the north (Acanthis linaria), and to this genus has been 

 added another species and four subspecies. 



When we come to the Sparrows, we find that our modern list 

 has been enormously increased since the early part of this cen- 

 tury, for Wilson mentions but eight Sparrows, every one of 

 which he retains in the genus Fringilla, along, as has been point- 

 ed out above, with some of his finches. The genus Spizella con- 

 tains seven species and three subspecies, and it is in this that 

 we find the Chipping sparrow, the Tree sparrow, and the Field 

 sparrow, the only ones known to Wilson. He knew, also, the 

 Fox sparrow (Passerella), calling it the Fox-colored sparrow, 

 and we have found since his day three subspecies of this beauti- 

 ful bird. 



It is curious to note here that Wilson called the male of our 

 Savanna sparrow (Ammodramus s. savanna) a finch, while the 

 female of the same bird he called a sparrow; he, however, recog- 

 nized the fact that it was one and the same species. 



Everyone knows the Song sparrow (Melospiza fasciata), and it 

 alone was known to Wilson. In these days, however, this genus 

 contains no less than four additional species, together with ten 

 subspecies. Of these, Wilson only knew, besides the Song spar- 

 row (already mentioned), the Swamp sparrow (M. georgiana 

 Fringilla palustris). He was familiar with the White-throated 

 sparrow of the genus Zouotrichia, already referred to above; as 

 he was with the Yellow-winged sparrow, now called by many 

 the Grasshopper sparrow of the genus Ammodramus, also men- 

 tioned in a former paragraph. 



Finally, Wilson knew of but one Snowbird, his Fringilla hud- 



