BIRDS 15 



and flanks brownish, fading to rust color on approaching the vent. Flexure of wing and under coverts bright yellow. Upper 

 parts olive brown, the wings and tail having a brighter greenish yellow tinge. Bill dark brown above, paler beneath. Legs 

 dusky brown. Length 7 inches. 



I first discovered this bird near Tucson, frequenting in numbers the thick undergrowth, and 

 seeking seeds and insects on the ground and inclined to shun observation, always keeping in the 

 most retired situations, though sociable among themselves, going about single or in pairs 

 associated with the Poospiza hilineata and two or three other species of finch. When started 

 they fly low, diving into the bushes, and soon disappearing from sight. Occasionally, until 

 reaching El Paso, Texas, birds of this species were met, mingled with the flocks of migrating 

 Fringillidae. I there found and procured a pair about entering upon the duties of incubation. 



PIPILO ABEETII, Baird.—Abert's Ground Finch. 



Pipilo abertii, Baird, Stansbury Ex. to Great Salt Lake, p. 325. — Ib. Gen. Rep. IX, 516. 



Sp. Ch.— Upper parts of a pale rusty brown, wings and tail being of a darker hue. Under parts of a brighter rusty olor, 

 the lower part of breast paler than the rest. Vent and under tail coverts bright rufous. Under margin and tips of tail feathers 

 light brown. Chin and lores smutty black, this color extending to some of the feathers down the throat. Bill and feet light 

 brown. Length 9 inches. 



On the borders of the Gila, east of Fort Yuma, this bird was quite abundant, keeping to the 

 close sheltered thickets, where, secure from intrusion, it sought among the dead leaves for 

 various seeds, insects and their larvaa, on which it feeds. Its habits much resemble those of the 

 P.fusca, or canon finch, diving into the bushes when alarmed, and repeating at intervals a short 

 chirp. After leaving the Gila river we saw them no more, as we no longer followed the course 

 of any large stream, for the borders of which these birds seem to have a decided preference. 



PIPILO MESOLEUCUS, Baird. 



Fipilo mesoleucus, Baird, Proceed. Acad. N. Sc. Phil. Vol. VII, p. 119. 



Sp. Ch — Upper parts dull brown, darker on upper surface of tail. A patch of dull chestnut on the head. Chin dirty white ; 

 throat and breast rusty gray, with brown spots starting from the base of lower mandible on each side of the neck and spreading 

 out over the breast, the central lower spot larger and darker than the others. Lower part of breast, flexure of wing and abdomen, 

 white. Vent and lower tail coverts ferruginous. Sides and flanks dusky. Tail feathers, with the exception of the two central 

 ones, tipped with rust, and in some specimens the outer edge of the two external feathers similarly colored. Length 8^ inches. 



I saw this species in the vicinity of Tucson. Its habits appeared, from the limited oppor- 

 tunity I had of observing it, to be the same as those of the preceding species. 



CALAMOSPIZA BICOLOR, B o n a p .—Prairie Lark Finch. 



Fringilla hicolor, Towns. Journ. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. vol. VII, p. 189. 

 Calamospiza hicolor, Baied, Gen. Rep. IX, 492. 



Sp. Ch. — Male. — In spring plumage, black. A largo patch of white on the wing, including some of the smaller coverts, the 

 tips of the first row and the secondary coverts. Primaries edged with white. Tail feathers blackish brown broadly tipped 

 with white with the exception of the two middle feathers. Bill light blue. Feet dusky. Length 64 inches. 



i^ema/e.— Upper parts light brown, the feathers being darker towards the quills. Primaries light brown margined with white, 

 Tertiaries with broad cream colored border. Tail light brown above, sooty brown beneath, narrowly bordered with white, each 



