474 GRASS FINCH. 



sents was shot while walking among little groups of the plant there vul- 

 garly called the Prickly Pear, I have represented it also. It shoots up 

 its fleshy stems from among the driest sand, and there flourishes in the 

 greatest perfection and abundance. The flower is destitute of scent, but 

 the fruit is agreeably acid, and is often eaten by children. I have ob- 

 served a plant of the same genus about the sterile cliff's of the Kentucky 

 River, and in particular near the town of Frankfort, as well as in Loui- 

 siana on Alexander's Creek, at which place it grows to a great size. This 

 is probably a distinct species. I have not observed Cactuses growing in 

 a wild state in any other part of the Union. 



Fringilla ghaminea, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 922 Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. 



p. 445— CA. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 108. 

 Gbass Finch, Lath. Synops. voL iii. p. 273. 

 Emberiza graminea, Bay-winged Bunting, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iv. p. 51. 



PI. 31. fig. 5. 



Adult Male. Plate XCIV. 



Bill shortish, robust, conical, acute ; upper mandible broader than 

 the lower, slightly decUnate at the tip, the edges of both mandibles straight 

 to near the base, where they are a little deflected. Nostrils basal, roundish, 

 open, partially concealed by the feathers. Head rather large. Neck 

 short. Body robust. Legs of moderate length, slender ; tarsus of the 

 same length as the^ middle toe, covered anteriorly with a longitudinal 

 plate above, and a few transverse scuta below ; toes scutate above, free, 

 the lateral ones nearly equal ; claws slender, arched, compressed, acute, 

 that of the hind toe largest. 



Plumage ordinary, compact. Wings of ordinary length, third and 

 fourth quills longest, first and second little shorter. Tail longish, nearly 

 equal, or slightly forked. 



BiU dark brown on the back of the upper mandible, pale on the sides 

 and below. Iris hazel. Tarsi, toes, and claws, flesh-colour. The general 

 colour of the upper parts is light brown, streaked and mottled with 

 darker. Lesser wing-coverts bright reddish-brown or bay, the larger 

 deep brown, edged with pale brown ; quiUs also deep brown, the first 

 margined externally with white. Tail-feathers dark brown, the outer 

 marked with an oblique band of white, including the outer web and part 

 of the inner towards the tip, the next three margined externally with 

 white, changing into pale brown on the other. A narrow circle of white 



