50 ARCTIC GROUND-FINCH. 



the Towee, thickly spotted over, but more so at the larger end, with 

 very small, round, and numerous reddish chocolate spots. As usual, 

 the pair shewed a great solicitude about their nest, the male in parti- 

 cular approaching boldly to scold and lament at the dangerous intru- 

 sion. This species extends into Upper California, and is occasionally 

 seen there with the brown species of Swainson, Pi'pilo fuscaT 



Dr Town SEND informs me, that it is called " Chlawa-thT' by the 

 Chinook Indians, and is abimdant on the banks of the Columbia where 

 it is found mostly on the ground, or on bushes near the ground, rarely 

 ascending trees. His description of the nest and eggs agrees precisely 

 with that of Mr Nuttall. 



The eggs of this bird in my possession measure an inch and an 

 eighth in length, and seven-eighths in breadth. They are broadly 

 rounded at the larger end, and fall oflF rather abruptly at the other ex- 

 tremity. The spots and markings are vermilion, intermixed with lar- 

 ger spots of neutral tint, on a pvu-e white ground. 



Pyrgita (PiPiLo) ARCTiCA, StuainsoTi, Arctic Ground-Finch, Richards, and Swains. 



Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 260. 

 Arctic Ground-Finch, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 589. 



Adult Male. Plate CCCXCIV. Fig. 4. 



Bill short, robust, narrower than the head, conical, somewhat com- 

 pressed toward the end, acute ; upper mandible almost straight in its 

 dorsal outline, being very slightly convex, the ridge narrow and well- 

 marked, the sides convex, the edges somewhat inflected, the tip a little 

 declinate ; lower mandible with the angle short and broad, the dorsal 

 line slightly convex, the sides rounded, the edges involute, the point 

 acute. The nostrils basal, roundish, open, partially concealed by the 

 feathers. The gape-line nearly straight, a little deflected at the base. 



Head rather large, ovate ; neck shortish ; body robust. Legs of 

 moderate length, rather stout ; tarsus of moderate length, compressed, 

 covered anteriorly with seven scutella ; toes rather large, scutellate 

 above, the first stronger, the lateral nearly equal, the third and fourth 

 connected at the base. Claws rather long, moderately arched, slender, 

 compressed, laterally grooved, acute. 



Pliunage full, soft, and blended. Wings of ordinary length, the 

 fourth quill the longest, the third and fifth next and nearly equal, the 



