FBIXGILLID^: FINCHES, BUNTINGS, Sl'ABEOWS, FTC. 



3S1 



28(>. C bi'color. (L;it. lucolor, two-culort'd. Fig. 24ii.) Lark Buxtixg. Wiiite-wingeh 

 Blackmrd. (J, in summer. Bkick, with a large white patcli mi the wings: tlie (juiUs and 

 tail-feathers frequently marked with white ; bill dark horn-blue above, paler below ; feet brown. 

 Length G.OU-6. 75 ; extent 10.00-11.00 ; wing 3.l'5-3.5(I ; tail :2.50-:2.;5 ; lull 0.50-0.5.5 ; tarsus, 

 or midiUe toe and claw. 0.90-1.00. Sexes unlike : 9 more resembling a sparrow. Alxive, grav- 

 ish-bro\vn, streaked with dusky-brown, on the back the edges of the dark streaks often of a 

 purer brown than the general grouud-eolor. Below, white, shaded on tlie sides with grayish- 

 brown, thickly streaked with blaekish-brown everywhere excepting the tliroat and belly, the 

 streaks mostly sharp and distinct, but blended on the sides, tending to aggregate on tlie breast, 

 and run forward as a maxillary chain. A poorly-defined light sujierciliary stripe. Wings 

 dusky, with a large white or whitish speculum, much as in the J, but not so pure nor s.. 

 extensive ; inner secondaries edged with brown and white. Tail-fi'atliers, the middle excepted, 

 blackish tipped with white. Young <J like the ?, but colors more suffuse and brighter: 

 upper parts pure brown: under parts tinged with fulvous, the wing-markings <piite fulviMis ; 

 under surface of wing quite 



blackish. In very young 

 birds the markings more 

 motley than streaky ; the bill 

 brownish, flesh-colored be- 

 low. (J wears the black 

 plumage only during the 

 breeding season, like the 

 bobolink ; when changing, 

 the characters of the two 

 sexes are confused. In the 

 form of the bill, this interest- 

 ing species is closely allied 

 to the grosbeaks ; and this, 

 «ith the singularly enlarged 

 secondaries, as long as the 

 prhnaries in the closed win<r, 



renders it unmistakable in ~" " '^ ■>*' 



any plumage. A prairie Fro. 246. — Lark Bantinj ;)■ 9 , reduced. (Shejip,ird del. Nicbols sc.) 



bird, abundant on the central plains ; X. to i9° at le:ist, in the Missouri and Milk River reoion, 

 W. to the Eocky Mts., and southerly to the Pacific. The male has the habit of soarina and 

 singing on wing like a lark ; nest on the ground, sunken flush with the surface, of gnisses; 

 eggs 4-5, 0.90 X 0.05, pale bluish-green, normally unmarked, occasionally speckled. 

 88. SPI'ZA. (Gr. (TTTifa, S2}i-a. a kind of finch, probably F. ccchhs.) Silk Buxtkgs. BiU 

 much as in CalamospUa, but longer for its depth and not so stronglv angulated. Wings very 

 k.ng and pointed; 2d primary usuaUy longest, 1st and 3d little shorter^ 4th and rest rapidly 

 graduated ; one inner secondary a little elongated, but not nearly reaching point of wino-. Tail 

 short, nearly even, but a Uttle emarginate. Tarsus and midtUe toe and claw of about equal 

 lengths ; lateral toes of nearly equal lengths, not reaching base of middle claw ; hind toe with 



claw as long as the middle toe without claw 

 287. S. america'na. (Lat. of America. Fig. 247.) Black-thkoated Buxtixg. g ■ \bove 

 grayish-brown, the middle of the back streaked with black, the hind neck ashy, becoming oii 

 the c.ro^vn yeUowish-olive with black touches. A yellow superciliary line, and maxillary tou.-li 

 of the same; eyehd white ; ear-coverts ashy like the cervix; chin white; throat with a lar-e 

 jet-black patch. Under parts in general white, shaded with eray on the sides, extensivelv 

 tinged with yeUow on the breast and belly. Edge of wing vellow": lesser and middle covert'^ 



