. 20 



Feathers of interscapular region with heavy central spots of dull black. 

 Beneath pure delicate straw-color, lightest on the abdomen, deepest, with 

 a strong buffy tinge, on the throat, breast, and sides ; no spots or markings 

 of any hind on the under parts. Outer edging of primaries and secondaries 

 dull cinnamon ; wing-coverts buff. Lores and spot upon the auriculars 

 dusky. Bill colored like that of the adult. From two specimens in my 

 cabinet, collected at Concord, Mass., June 19, 1878. With the single ex- 

 ception of Chrysomitris tristis, this is the only species of the Fringillida, 

 so far as I am aware, in which the young in first plumage are entirely 

 immaculate beneath. 



Autvmnal plumage: young female. Bill black. Crown, cheeks, and su- 

 per6iliary line, anteriorly, reddish-buff. A narrow maxillary and infranlax- 

 illary stripe and a small spot behind the auriculars, black. Top of head 

 with two broad stripes of dark brown upon the sides. Post-orbital space, 

 neck, nape, and back anteriorly dull olive-green, the nape dotted finely with 

 dusky. Tertiaries, upper tail-coverts, and feathers of interscapular region 

 with broad, rounded, central spots of black, shading round their edges 

 into dark chestnut, and tipped narrowly with ashy-white. Outer surface 

 of wing similar to the adults, but paler. Under parts pale reddish-buff, 

 fading into soiled white upon the abdomen. A broad continuoiis band 

 of black spots across the breast, extending down the sides to the crissum. 

 Throat flecked faintly but thickly with dusky. Chin, jugulum, and 

 central abdominal and anal regions unspotted. From a specimen in 

 my cabinet, collected at Osterville, Mass., Novemlj^r 6, 1 874. In the 

 absence of sufficient material for comparison, I am unable to say whether 

 this specimen represents the typical autumnal plumage or not. The 

 black bill is, to say the least, a remarkable feature, and one not found in 

 either the adult or young in first plumage. 



62. Coturniculus passeriuus. 



First plumage: male. Upper surface, including sides of neck, dark 

 brown, each feather edged and tipped with pale fulvous, — no chestnut 

 marking. Sides of head ochraceous, spotted finely with dusky. Super- 

 ciliary line pale buff. Greater and middle wing- coverts dull white. Be- 

 neath dull white (in some specimens with a decided yellowish cast). 

 Sides with a few dusky streaks. A broad continuous band of ovate black 

 spots across the breast and jugulum, running upward in a nan-owing line 

 to the base of the lower mandible. Several specimens in my cabinet, col- 

 lected at Nantucket, Mass., in July, 1874. This species in the first plu- 

 mage may be at once separated from C. henslowi in the corresponding stage 

 by the conspicuous band of spots upon the breast, and by the darker 

 and more uniform coloring of the upper parts. 



