FEINGILLIDiE, FINCHES, ETC. GEN. 55, 56. 127 



aware that a rigid definition lias been succcssfiill^r attempted. Ornitliologists are 

 nearly agreed what birds to call fringilline, without being very well prepared to say 

 what "fringilline" means. The division of the family into minor groups, as might 

 be expected, is a conventional matter at present — the subfamilies vary with every 

 leading writer. Our species might be thrown into several groups, but the distinc- 

 tions would be more or less arbitrary, not readily i)erceived, and doubtless negatived 

 upon consideration of exotic material. It becomes necessary, therefore, to waive 

 this matter, and simpljr collocate the genera in orderly sequence. 



The FringilUdw are popularly known Jjy several different names. Here belong 

 all the sparrows, with the allied birds called finches, Ijuntings, linnets, grosbeaks 

 and crossbills. In the following pages I describe seventj^-onc species, well deter- 

 mined, and ascertained to occur within our limits, referring them to thirty-four 

 genera, as the custom is, although I think this number of genera altogether too large. 

 Species occur throughout our countrj', in every situation, and manj' of them are among 

 our most abundant and familiar birds. They are all granivorous — seed-eaters, but 

 manj' feed extensivelj' on buds, fruits and other soft vegetable substances, as well 

 as on insects. They are not so perfectly migratory as the exclusively insectivorous 

 birds, the nature of whose food requires prompt removal at the approach of cold 

 weather ; but, with some exceptions, they withdraw from their breeding places in 

 the fall to spend the winter further south, aud to return in the spring. AVith a few 

 signal exceptions they are not truly gregarious birds, though the)' often associate 

 in large companies, assembled in couimunity of interest. The modes of nesting are 

 too various to be here summarized. Nearlj' all the fmches sing, with varying 

 ability and effect ; some of them are among our most delightful vocalists. As a 

 rule, they are plainly clad — even meanlj', in comparison with some of our sjdvan 

 beauties ; but among them are birds of elegant and striking colors. Among the 

 highljf-colored ones, the sexes are more or less unlike, and other changes, with age 

 and season, are stronglj^ marked ; the reverse is the case with the rest. 



55. Genus HESPEEIPHONA Bonaparte. 



r\, .\^ Evening GrosheaJc. Dusky olivaceous, brighter behind, forehead, line 

 over eye and under tail coverts yellow ; crown, wings, tail and tibiffi black, 

 the secondary quills mostly white ; bill greenish-yellowy of immense size, 

 about f of ail inch long and nearly as deep ; 7J-8 J ; wing 4-4J ; tail 2 J. 

 The 9 and young differ somewhat, but cannot be mistaken. Plains to the 

 Pacific, U. S., and somewhat northward; occasional eastward to Ohio and 

 Illinois, and even straying to Canada {Mcllivraith) and New York {Law- 

 rence). Aud., ill, 217, pi. 207 ; Bd., 409 ; Coop., 174. . vespertina. 



56. Genus PINICOLA Vieillot. 



'' Pine Grosheah. $ carmine red, paler or whitish on the belly, darker 

 and streaked with dusk}' on the back ; wings and tail dusky, much edged 

 with wdiite, former with two white bars; 9 ashj'-gray, paler below, marked 

 with brownish-yellow on the head and rump. 8-9 long ; wing 4J ; tail 4, 

 emarginate ; bill short, stout, convex in all directions. Northern North 

 America, ajipcaring in the United States in -winter, generally in flocks, in 

 pine woods ; resident in the Sierra Nevada of California {Cooper). Wils., i, 

 80, pi. 5; Aud., iii, 179, pi. 199; Bd., 410: Coop., 152. . enucleator. 



