Kl!IN(ill-Lll>a<: — THE KINCHK8. 5g 



Tho jnociMliiii,' diaj^'iiosis is iiitoiuled to enilinuo the hriglitly colored 

 piisst'iiiio liinls of Noi'tli Aincrini, ditVoiiMit in jiciicral iippuiinuice from tlie 

 coiiiniou Siiiurow.s, It is ditlii'idt to dniw tlit^ lino witli porfect striotness, so 

 lis to soiuirato tliu .s|)ec'iL'.s from tlio.-so of the iirecediii},' yroup, liut the bill is 

 always more ciirx ed, as well as larmier, and the colors are l)rijj;hter. They re- 

 semlile ijuite closely, at a siiperticial j,dance, the Oonvthmnntina', Imt may 

 lie readily di^tinjiuishod liy absence of the projecting tufts surronndiny the 

 base of the upper mandilile, siiorter, more rounded winj,'s, and lonyer tarsi. 



The genera may Ije most conveniently arranj^ed as follows : — 



A. Wings ileuiik'dly longer timii tlic tuil. Eggs iiliiin l)luo or white, unspotted. 



a. Feet very stout, reiicliiii;; iieiuly to the end of the tail. Species tenes- 

 ti-iid. 



Calamospiza. nill niodei'iite, the eoniinissure with a d(!ep angle 

 posteiioiiy and pioiniiieiit lobe lieliind it ; anteriorly neaiiy straight; 

 coinniissure ol' lower inandil)le with a iiromiiient angle. (Juter toe longi^r 

 than the inner, i)oth nearly as long as the ])c)sterior. Outer lour jjriinariea 

 al)out I'cpial, and al>niptly longer than the rest. Tertials neaiiy eqiail 

 to iiriinaries. Tail-featliers broad at tips. Color : Ijlaek with white spot 

 on wing in ^, brownish streaks in 9- ^'^I'^t on or near grouii'I ; egga 

 plain pale lilue, 



Euspiza. Bill weaker, tho commissure with a more shallow angle, 

 and much less prominent sinuation l)ehind it ; anteriorly distinctly 

 sinuated. Outer toe shorter tiian inner, lioth much shorter than the 

 posterior one. First ])rimarj' longest, the rest successively shorttT. 

 Tertials but little longer than secondaries. Tuil-teathers atteiuiated at 

 tips. Color: back brown streaked with black ; throat white ; juguhun 

 yellow or ashy ; with or without Mack spot on fore lu'ck. A yellow 

 or white superciliary strijie. Nest on or near ground ; eggs plain jiale 

 blue. 



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

 real. 



a. Size lai-f/e (n-ivg more than 3.50 inr/ics). 



Hedymeles. Ujtper mandible much swollen laterally. Colors : no 

 bine; upper parts ronspienou.sly dilVerent from the lower. Wings and 

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

 Female streaked. Nest in a tree or bnsh ; eggs greenish, thickly spott(!d. 

 Ouiraca. Uppin- niandil)le flat laterally. Colors: ^ deep blue, with 

 two rufous bands on wings; no white patches on wings or tail; axillars 

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

 bush ; eggs plain bluish-white. 



b. Size verij muull (iriiif/ fesn than 3.00 inches). 



CyauoBpiza. Similar in form to Guiraca, but eulnien more curved, 

 rnandibl(! more shallow, the angle and sinuations of the commissure 

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

 wing (except in C. amirnn in which they are white) ; 9 olive-brown. 

 Nest in a bush ; eggs ])lain blni.sh-white (except in ('. cin\ in which 

 they have reddish spot.'*). 



B. W'ing and tail about equal. The smallest of American rv»i(ms7rc.?. Nest in 

 bushes. Eggs white, spotted. 



