ZOOLOGY. 205 



PassereUa iawnsendii, Bon. Conspectus, 1850, 477. — Baikd, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 489. 

 Fringilla meruloides, Via. Zool. Blossom, (Monterey,) 1839, 19. 

 Bmberiza mialaschetisis, Gm. I, 875, probably has some relation to the present species. It is based on the Unalascha Bunting 

 of Pennant Arctic Zool. II, 364. 



Sp. Ch. — Above very dark olive brown, with a tinge of rufous, the color continuous and uniform throughout, without any 

 trace of blotches or spots ; the upper tail coverts and outer edges of the wing and tail feathers rather lighter and brighter. 

 The under parts white, but thickly covered with approximating triangular blotches like the back, sparsest on the middle 

 of the body and on the throat ; the spots on the belly smaller. Side almost continuously like the back ; tibiae and undej. 

 tail coverts similar, the latter edged with paler. Claws all very large and long ; the hinder longer than its toe. First and 

 sixth quills about equal. 



Length, 7 J inches ; extent, 9 to 11 inches. Iris brown ; bill black, with lower mandible yellow ; feet bron'h. 



Townsend' s sparrow seems to be the western analogue of the fox-colored species which visit 

 the northern States in winter. It is only a winter resident in this Territory, where, in com- 

 pany with the song sparrow and other species, it frequents the thickets, keeping principally on 

 the ground, and scratching among the leaves. It is most common in the interior; but in very 

 cold weather seeks the coast, together with the snow birds and "chewinks." I observed a 

 few lingering about the Straits of De Fuca until April; after which I saw no more of them 

 until their return southward in October. I never heard them sing during their winter resi- 

 dence. — C. 



Rather abundant near Fort Steilacoom, although not as common as the song sparrow, which 

 it much resembles in habits and general appearance. — 3. 



Sub-Family SPIZINAE.— Painted Sparrows. 



OYANOSPIZA AMOENA, Baird. 



Lazuli Finch. 



Emberiza amoena. Sat, Long's Expcd. II, 1823, 47. 



Fringilla (Spiza) amoena, Bonap. Am. Oru. I, 1825, 61 ; pi. vi, f. 5. 



Fringilla amoena, Aun. Om. Biog. V, 1839, 64, 230 ; pis. 398 and 424. 



Spiza amoena, Bonap. List, 1838.— Ahd. Syu. 1839, 109.— Ib. Buds Am. Ill, 1841, 100; pi. 171. 



Sp. Ch. — Male Upper parts generally, with the head and neck all round, greenish blue ; the interscapular region darker. 



Upper part of breast pale brownish chestnut, separated from the blue of the throat by a faint white crescent ; rest of under 

 parts white. A white patch on the middle wing coverts, and an obscurely indicated white band across the ends of the 

 greater coverts. Loral region black. Length, about 5.50 ; wing, 3.90 ; tail, 2.60. 



Female. — Brown above ; whitish beneath, with a trace of a buff pectoral band. 



Bab. — High central plains to the Pacific. 



Male. — Length, 5| ; extent, 8|. Iris brown ; bill black ; feet dark brown. 



The brilliant little Lazuli finch arrives at Puget Sound about May 15, and is abundant in 

 open districts of the interior during the summer. Its habits and notes closely resemble those 

 of the indigo bird, but its song is fainter. It builds a very similar nest, in a low bush, of 

 fibrous roots and strips of bark, with which it is securely fastened to the surrounding branches. 

 In this it lays four or five white eggs, faintly tinged with bluish. The plain flax brown female 

 is rarely seen; but the male is not shy, but, if watched, will retire into the thickets. — C. 



Found at the Dalles, Oregon Territory. Not seen by me west of the Cascades. The 

 specimen I obtained at the Dalles was shot out of a flock of several hundred individuals which 



