66 CLAY-COLOURED BUNTING. 



grey ; the lower part of the neck, and the fore part of the breast light 

 greyish-red, the sides, lower wing-coverts, and tibial feathers light 

 brownish-grey, the rest of the lower parts white. The wings and tail 

 are blackish-brown, the feathers slightly edged with blue ; the trans- 

 verse bar on the wing narrower than in the male, and brownish- white. 

 Length to end of tail 5/j inches ; bill along the ridge -^^ ; wing 

 from flexm-e 2^§; tail 2\; tarsus ||, hind toe and claw i% ; middle 

 toe and claw j^. 



CLAY-COLOURED BUNTING. 



Emberiza pallida, Swainson. 



PLATE CCCXCVIII. Male. 



This homely-looking little bird was discovered by Dr Richaedson, 

 who states that it " visits the Saskatchewan in considerable numbers, 

 frequents the farm-yard at Carlton House, and is as familiar and con- 

 fident as the common house-sparrow of England." My friend Mr Nut- 

 tall, in speaking of it as allied to Fringilla pusilla of Wilson, states 

 that it is distinct in its habits, it being a prairie bird, not seen in the 

 woods, and occurring only in spring, although in all other points it 

 agrees with the species just mentioned. It was not met with by him 

 far up the Platte, but is supposed to visit the prairies of the Missouri 

 down to the line of settlements. My drawing represents a male. A 

 female in my possession diflFers only in being rather smaller. 



Emberiza pallida, Clay-coloured Bunting, Richards, and Swaim. Fauna Bo- 



reali- Americana, vol. ii. p. 251. 

 Clat-coloured Bunting, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 584. 



Adult Male. Plate CCCXCVIII. Fig. 2. 



Bill short, strong, conical, compressed toward the end, acute ; upper 

 mandible rather broader than the lower at the base, but less deep be- 

 yond the nostrils, its dorsal line declinate and slightly convex, the sides 

 convex, the edges direct, the gape-line ascending to beyond the nos- 



