FEINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 131 



is, like all its congeners, a retiring species, and keeps perseveringly in the 

 almost impenetrable undergrowth. It is .said to be more decidedly gregari- 

 ous than most of the genus, often collecting in Hocks of a dozen or more, 

 wandering restlessly, yet in a cautious manner, tiirough the thickets. 



A nest with eggs, procured at Fort Mohave by Dr. Cooper, is in the Smith- 

 sonian Collection (Xo. 7,276). The egg measures .9o by .70 of an inch, is 

 obovate in shape, being much rounded at the smaller end. Its ground-color 

 is a dull white, without any perceptible tinge of blue, — though possibly 

 bluish when fresh, — with heavy dots and occasional delicate, hair-like, 

 zigzag markings of black. These markings are wholly confined to tlie 

 larger end. One of the eggs has tlie.se markings much finer, consisting of 

 minute dots, more dense, and ujjon the apex of the larger end. The nest is 

 loosely built and very bulky. Its external diameter is about six inches, and 

 its depth three. The cavity is three inches wide and two deep. It is con- 

 structed almost entirely of stri2)s of inner bark, the coarser, ribbon-like 

 pieces being used on the outer portion, and the finer shreds composing the 

 lining. Externally are also a few sticks about one quarter of an inch in 

 diameter. 



SECTION IV. 



Crown rufous ; both/ above, olive-green. 



Pipilo chlorurus, Baird. 



OBEEK-TAILED BUNTING; BLANSING'S FINCH. 



FringiUa cMorurn, (Towxsf.XD,) Aud. Om. Biog. V, 1830, 336 (Young). Zonotrichia 

 chlorurn, Ga.mbkl, J. A. N. Sc. Ph. 2d Series, I, 1847, 51. Embcriuirira cltlonira, 

 BoNAP. Conspectus, 18.')0, 483. Frimjillii bl(iitdi)i!ji(infi,(i\ilBKl., Vr. A. N. Se. Pli. I, 

 Ajiril, 1843, 260. Xmbcniiifjm Mninliiitiiiiun, Cassi.n, lUus. I, III, 18r)3, "0, jil. xii. 

 Pipilit rufijnhiis, Lafrksxave, Rev. Zoiil. XI, .Tune, 1848, 176. — Mr. Conspectus, 

 18riO, 487. Kieneriarufipili'us, BoN. Comptes Rendns, XL, 1855, 356. Pi/ii/ochlonini, 

 Baiiu), liiiils N^. Am., 1858, 519. — lIr.i;it.M. X, c, 15. - Cooi'Eii, Oin. Cul. I, 248. 



Sp. Char. Alcove dull grayish olivc-grooii. Crown unifonn ehcstiuit. Forehead with 

 superciliary .stripo, and sides of the head and neck, the upper part of the breast and sides 

 of the l)ody, bluish-ash. Chin and upper part of throat abruptly defined white, the former 

 margined by dusky, above Avhich is a short white maxillary stripe. Under tail-coverts 

 and sides of body behind brownish-yellow. Tail-feathers generally, and exterior of wings, 

 bright olive-green, the edge and inider surface of the wings bright greeni.sh-yellow ; edge 

 of lirst primary white. First quill longer than eighth, fourth longest. Length, about 7 

 inches; wing, 3.20; tail, 3.0"). 



Had. AVhole of the Middh- Province, including the Rocky Mountains and eastern 

 slope of the Sierra Nevada ; north to beyond the 40tli parallel ; south to Mexico. 



In this species tlie wing i.s considerably rounded, the tertials considerably 

 shorter than the primaries, and not exceeding the secondaries ; the fourth 

 quill longest, the first shorter than the sixth, the second and fifth quiLs 



