BIRDS — FRINGILLIDAE COCCOTHEAUSTINAE. 407 



to think that this is the case throughout the Fringillidae. Thus, in the gen^8 Carpodacus, one 

 species, G. frontalis, has the bill so short and much curved as to resemhle Pinicola or Pyrrhula, 

 ■while the C. cassinii has a hill which, in its elongation, size, and general shape, is nearer to 

 that of Hesperiphona than any other of our birds, except, perhaps, Oardinalis. The same is 

 true of Plectrophanes, Ohrysomitris, &c. 



None of the species of Plectrophanes, excepting P. nivalis, exhibit the peculiar series of 

 feathers along the base of the upper mandible, or else in very limited extent ; but, as the other 

 characters are as described, I have thought it best to continue them in their present association, 

 notwithstanding this deviation in one character. As already stated, I do not pretend to any 

 thing more than a convenient artificial arrangement by which the species may be found, and at 

 present see no more eligible place for the species without dividing P. nivalis from all the rest, 

 which I am not willing to do. 



At the head of the series I place Hesperiphona, as combining the most typical features of the 

 insessorial conirostres, in the enormous bill, long wings, and perching feet, &c. The other 

 genera may be arranged in groups, as follows : 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



A. — Bill enormously large and stout ; the lateral outline as long as- that of the skull. 

 Culmen gently curved, 



Hesperiphona. — First quill equal to the second. Wings one-half longer than the 



tail. Lateral claws equal, reaching to the base of the middle claw. Claws 



much curved, obtuse ; hinder one hut little longer than the middle. Colors 



green, yellow and black. 



B. — Bill smaller, with the culmen more or less curved ; the lateral outline not so long as the 



skull. "VVings about one-third longer than the tail or a little more ; first quill shorter than the 



second. Claws considerably curved and thickened ; hinder most so, and almost inappreciably 



longer or even shorter than the middle anterior one. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe. 



Lateral toes unequal. 



a. Colors red. 



Pinicola. — Bill short, much curved above. Tail nearly even. Middle fore claw 

 much straighter, and decidedly longer than the hinder. Outer lateral toe, with 

 its claw, reaching beyond the base of the middle claw ; a little longer than the 

 hind toe. 



Carpodacus. — Bill variable, more or less curved above. Tail forked. Middle fore 

 claw scarcely longer than hinder one. Outer lateral toe with its claw, falling 

 short of the base of the middle claw ; equal to the hinder toe. 



b. Colors black and yellow. 



Ohrysomitris. — Bill nearly straight. Hind claw stouter and more curved, but 



scarcely longer than the middle anterior one. Outer lateral toe reaching a 



little beyond the base of the middle claw ; shorter than the hind toe. Wings 



longer and more pointed. Tail quite deeply forked. 



C. — Hind claw considerably longer than the middle anterior one, with about the same curva- 



