FKIXUILLIDvE — THE FrXCIIES. 529 



The species arc usually small, and of dull color, though Iraiuently liaiul- 

 sonioly marked. Nearly all are streaked ou the hack and crown, often on 

 the belly. None of the Tnited States spwies liave any red, hhie, or orani,'c, 

 and tiie yellow, when jm.'sent, is as a .superciliary .streak, or on the elhow 

 edge of tiu! winj;'. 



In the arrangement of this sidifaniily, as of the others belonging to the 

 Friiiijillidiv, we do not profess to give anything like a natural system, but 

 merely an attempt at a convenient artilicial .scheme by which the determina- 

 tion of tiie genera may be facilitated. 



\t Tail small and .'iliorl ; consiiliM'iilily m- ilociclcilly .sliortcr lliaii tlio wiiijrs, 

 owing e'itlii'r to tin- elongation ol' tin' wing or tlie .^lioitLMiinjr of tlio tail. Lateral 

 toe.< slioitcr than tlic niiddli^ without its claw. Spci'ics .streaked above and 

 below. (Passerculeae.) 



«. TliieUly .•streaked overvwiieic almve. on llir sides, and across tiie breast. 

 Wing iiointed ; longest jii-iniaries eonsiderably longer than the .secondaiies. 

 Tail forked. 



Ceiitronyx. Hind i^law very laige; rather longer than its digit. The 

 hiiul toe and elaw, together, as long as or longi'r than the middle toe 

 and elaw. (Jther toes as in Passerciiliis, Claws gently enrved. Terlials 

 sliorler than the secondaries. Tail I'oiked, l)nt the lateral feathers 

 shortei'. 



Fasserculus. Hind elaw as long as its digit: the toe ei|ual to the 

 middle one williout i,-; claw ; lateral toes falling eonsiderably short of 

 the middle elaw. AViiigs very long; lirsl primary longest. Tertials as 

 long as the primaries. T.ail linked; leathers aeule. 



Fooceetes. Hind elaw shortei' than its digit; the whole toe less tlian 

 the middle too without its elaw. Lateral toi's nearly e(iual to th(? 

 middle one, without its elaw. Tertials Imt little longer than seeou- 

 daries. Tail stitl'ened, forked; feathers acute, outer ones white. 

 /'. Moderately streaked above, on the si<les, and on the breast, the latter 

 sometime.'? nnstreaked ; the dorsal streaks broader, the others fainter than in 

 the la.st. Wings short, reaching a little beyond the base of the tail. N'ot 

 nnu'h difVerenoe between the prinuuies and seeondai'ies. Tail short, grad- 

 uated, and the feathei-s lanceolate, acute. 



CoturniculuB. Dill shoit; thick. Tertials almost ecpial to the pri- 

 maries; truncate at the end. Claws sn\all, weak ; hinder one shoitei' 

 than its digit. ( )nt.stretelie(l feet not |-eaehing the U[> of the tail. Tail- 

 leathers not slill'eiied. (bi one species tail nearly eipud to the wing.) 

 AmmodromuB. Hill .slender, .small at base, and elongated. 'I'l'rtials 

 not longi'r than the secondaries; rounded at the tip. Claws large, 

 hinder one equal to its digit. Outstretched toes reacliHig considerably 

 beyond the end of the stilVened, almost sransorial tail. 

 B. Tail longer ami liroader : nearly or quite as long as, .sometimes a very little 

 longer than, the wings, which are rather lengthened. The primaiies c<insiderably 

 longer tlian the .secondaries. Xoiie of the species streaked beneath, and the 

 back alone streakeil above. (Spizelleae.) 

 a. Tail romided or .slightly giadiiatcd. 



Chondestes. Tail <'onsideralily griiduated, not emtirginatecl. Lateral 

 toes considerably shorter than the middle toe. without its claw. Wings 

 very long, decidedly longer than the tail, reaching llu" middle of the 

 li7 



