CANADA BUNTING (TREE SPARROW.) 87 



Adult Female. 



The female resembles the male, but is paler in its tints, and rather smaller. 



The Canadian Barberry. 



Berberis canadensis, Willd., Sp. PL, vol. ii. p. 227. Pursch, Fl. Amer. Sept., vol. i. p. 

 219. — Hexandria Monogynia, Linn. — Berberides, Juss. 



This species of barberry is very abundant in Maine and Massachusetts, 

 as well as in the British provinces. It is an erect shrub, from five to eight 

 feet in height, with triple prickles, simple obovate remotely serrated leaves, 

 short corymbose racemes; yellow flowers, and pendulous oblong red berries, 

 having: an agreeable acid taste. 



Genus III.— NIPH^A, Ami. SNOW-BIRD. 



Bill short, rather small, conical, acute; upper mandible a little broader 

 than the lower, its dorsal line straight, slightly declinate at the tip, the sides 

 convex, the edges nearly straight, slightly inflected, but overlapping; lower 

 mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line straight, the 

 sides convex, the edges a little inflected, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, 

 roundish, concealed by the feathers. Head broadly ovate; neck short; body 

 full. Feet of moderate length; tarsus rather short, stout, with seven scutella; 

 toes rather strong, the first stout, the lateral equal. Claws rather long, 

 arched, compressed, laterally grooved, tapering to a fine point. Plumage 

 very soft and blended. Wings rather short, curved, rounded; second, third, 

 and fourth quills longest, first longer than fifth. Tail rather long, slightly 

 emarginate. Roof of upper mandible concave, with thin ridges, and a small 

 knob at the base; tongue narrow, deep, grooved above, tapering to a horny 

 point; oesophagus dilated about the middle; stomach rather small, roundish, 

 muscular; intestine rather short; cceca very small. Name from n*j>o?, snow. 



