FINCnES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



277 



A. Biisc of the tall yellow n.lS. Tine Siskin. 



Ji. Outer tail-t'eutliers with white putchca. 



a. Hind toe-nail shorter than the hill from the nostril. 



a>. Les.ser wiug-eovert.'s rufoua; breast streak etl with hlaok. 



540. Vkhi'eii Si'aukow. 

 a*. Sides of crown and car-coverts ehestnut; a black spot on the cen- 

 ter of the breast !J')± Lakk Spaijuow. 



b. Hind toe-nail loUj,'er than bill from nostril. 



6*. Under parts cream -buff ; two outer tail-feathers mostly white. 



i>o7. Smith's LoNiispun. 

 b*. Under parts whitish ; breast streaked or spotted with black or 

 entirely black ; .second outer tail-feather w ith but little white. 



r)3t). Lai'lanu Lonospl'r. 



A Field Key to the 



Adult Male Finches and Sparrows of the Middle States 



(Virginia to Massachusetts; in Breeding Plumage. 



I. Breast with more or less yellow. 

 II. Breast blue. 



III. Breast or throat red. 



IV. Breast without either yellow, blue, or red. 



I. Breast ^^ith more or less yellow. 



A. Chin wliite, throat black; haunts f,'rassy fields; sonj; an unmusical 

 etfort of .six or seven notes delivered with great earnestness from a 

 low perch (rare cast of the Alleghanies) G04. Diokoisskl. 



7)'. Under parts atul breast pure yellow, crown and wings black; song a 

 sweet canarylike warble; Higlit undulating, frequently accompanied 



by the notes chic-o-rcc, j>er-<'hlc-o-r^e i>-2[). (Joldkinch. 



n. Breast blue. 



A. Length over G-OO ; plumage deep blue, a chestnut bar across the wings 

 (not found north of Virginia) 507. Bi.ik (Iuoshkak. 



£. Length under tJ'OO; plumage indigo-bhic ; luuints wootly fields, scrub 

 or second growth; song clear and musical, generally delivered from a 

 tree-top 5',lt>. Indioo BiNTiNii. 



III. Breast or throat red. 



A. Length H-dO; tiiroat and region about the base of the bill black, rest 

 of the plumage bright vcrmi lion-red ; hi'ail with a conspicuous crest; 

 song a rich, musical whistle; call-note an insignificant cfnep , haunts 

 thickets and bushy wood! »nd (rare north of New York city). 



r)!i;5. Caudimal. 



B. Length T'.W; breast rose-red; belly, tip of tlie tail, rump, and a band 

 in the wings white ; rest of the plumage black : haunts wooded growths ; 

 song loud, clear, and highly musical ; call-note a nietallie /jcc/-. 



595. KoSK-IlliEASTKI) (tItoSltEAK. 



C. Length under 6*30; plumage more or less heavily washed with dull 



