170 



— much like those of an Indigo-bird. I have never seen one with any 

 markings whatever. The variations in size, even in the few specimens 

 before me, are very great. Thus, one measures a full inch long by only 

 0.60 broad, and is as pointedly p.vriform as a Sandpiper's ; another is 

 only 0.78 by 0.65, and is almost globular, aild equally rounded at each 

 end. ' 



CYAXOSPIZA AWCENA, (Say) Bd. 



lazuli Finch. 



Emberiza amccna, Say, Long's Exp. Rooky Mts. ii, 1823, 47. 



Frmgilla {Spisa) amcena, Bp., Am. Orn; i, 18.2.^, Gl, pi. 6, f. 5. 



Fringilla amosna, Bp., Syn. 1828, 106.— Norr., Man. i, 1832, 473; 2d ed. i, 1840,546.— 



AuD., Orn. Biog. v. 1839, 64, 230, pis. 398. 424. 

 Sjiiza amana, Bp., List, 1838, 35.— AuD., Syn. 1839, 109.— AuD., B. Am. iii, 1841, 100, pi. 



171. — WooDH., Sitgr. Eep. 1853, 87. — Heekm., P. K. E. Eep. x, 1859, part vi, 



46.— Maxim., J. f. O. 1858, 283. 

 Ci/anos2}i:a amosna, Bd., B. X. A. 18.58, 504.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 



205.— Ha YD., Eep. 1862, 168.— CoUES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 89.— Coop., B. Cal. 



i, 1871, 233. -Allen-, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178.— SIekr., U. S. Geol. Surv. 



Ter. 1872, 683 (ITtab).— Hold., Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 201 (Wyoming).— Cooes, 



Key, 1872, 149.— Snow, B. Ivans. 1873, 8.— B. B. & K., N. A. B. ii, 1674, pi. 30, 



f. 11, 12. 

 Passerina amoena, Gray, Hand-list, 1870, ii, 97, No. 7436. 



Hal). — United States, from the Plains to the Pacific ; southward into Mexico. No 

 Central American record. 



List of Specimens. 



Lieutenant Warren's Expeditions. — 5395-98, Fort Lookout; 5399, Fort Pierre; 8948, 

 Laramie Peak. 

 Latei- Expeditions.— 61691 to 61712, Ogden, Ut.ah ; 62324, Idaho. 



The prettily-colored and delicate little Lazuli Finch is found to be 

 common in most suitable places within its range, where it entirely 

 replaces its Eastern ally, the Indigo-bird. It breeds at large, appar- 

 ently, in the portions of the United States just indicated, but its winter 

 resorts are not so clear; at least I do not find among the works at hand 

 any such satisfactory indications as I could desire. 



I do not agree with some who say that the song of the Lazuli Finch 

 is entirely different from that of the Indigo-bird; on the contrary, to 

 my ear at least, it has sounded very similar. It is a simple and even 

 feeble strain, rather monotonous, and given in a tripping, desultory 

 waj', as if the little performer were tired or indifferent. At such a 

 time he is usually observed on some prominent outpost, near a grove, 

 or in an open place overgrown with shrubbery; and if we see him 

 frequently resorting to the same perch, meanwhile flying into the low 

 cover at intervals, we may be sure his home and mate are there con- 

 cealed. The first batch of eggs are laid early in May, in a gras.sy, hair- 

 lined nest of considerable buik, let down in the crotch of a low bush, 

 much like that of the Black-throated Finch {Poozpiza biUneata); the 

 eggs are three to five in number. An excellent description has been 

 given by Dr. Cooper: "A nest found May 7, in a low bush close to a 

 public road, about three feet from the ground, was built very strongly 

 supported by a triple fork of the branch, composed of grass-blade's 

 firmly interwoven, the inside lined with much horse-hair and cobweb. 

 The outside measured three inches in height, three and three fourths in 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



