172 ' LAND-BIRDS. 



They (or at least our species) are characterized as follows. 

 Bill, for the most part, not twice as loDg as high, but stout, 

 more or less conical, with the mandibles generally meeting at 

 their tips; commissure usually with a more or less evident 

 angle ; bristles often wanting ; tarsi scutellate ; primaries nine. 

 They may be divided into three groups: (Gen. I- VI and 

 VII?) Wings long; feet not strong ; sexes generally unlike ; 

 males brightly colored. Birds of rather boreal distribution, 

 of comparatively strong flight, and largely arboreal (except 

 in genus VH). (Gen. VlI?-XVin.) Birds chiefly terres- 

 trial ; also plainly colored, and sexes generally alike ; com- 

 missure frequently with the angle feebly marked. (Gen. 

 XV 111 ?-XXIII.) Birds chiefly arboreal, and handsomely 

 or brilliantly colored ; sexes unlike. Distribution rather 

 southern. Bill stout, somewhat curved above; angle well 

 marked. (Gen. XXIV, XXV, are placed at the end, be- 

 cause not properly parts of our fauna.) (Figs. 8, 9, 10.) 

 Possibly the Starlings should be united with the Finches, and 

 ranked as a subfamily. (See § 17.) 



The following genera require special notice : — 



Loxia. BiU with the mandibles crossed (pi. 1, fig. 16). 



finicola. BiU stout, Tioohed, and with curved outlines. 



Spinus and AcantMs. Bill conical, and pointed. Upper 

 mandible often growing beyond the lower, as sometimes seen 

 in other Finches and Blackbirds (pi. 1, fig. 12). 



Plectrophenax. Hind claw very long (pi. 1, fig. 17). In 

 subgenus Centrophanes (including lapponimis, but not nivalis) 

 hind claw straightish ; bill unruffed. 



Ammodramus. BiU comparatively slender. Tail-feathers 

 narrow and pointed. (PI. 1, figs. 14, 15.) 



Cotumiculus,* closely related. 



Passerella. Birds partiaUy rasorial, as also in certain aUied 

 species. 



Hahia. BiU deep, stout, and bristled ; upper outHne much 

 curved, commissure strongly angulated (pi. 1, fig. 13). The 

 details of structure vary with every group or genus, but the 

 Finches in general are easily recognized by their coloring. I 



• Now considered a subgenus of Ammodramus. — W. B. 



