92 OREGON SNOW-BIRD. 



Fringilla oregona, Oregon Snow-Finch, Towns., Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia, 



vol. vii. p. 188. 

 Oregon Snow-Finch, Fringilla Oregona, Aud. Orn. Biog\, vol. v. p. 68. 



Adult Male. 



Bill short, rather small, conical, considerably compressed, acute; upper 

 mandible a little broader than the lower, its dorsal line straight, slightly 

 declinate at the tip, the sides convex, the edges slightly inflected, but over- 

 lapping; the gap-line straight; 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 rather large, broadly ovate; neck short; body full. Feet of mode- 

 rate length; tarsus rather short, stout, with seven anterior scutella, of which 

 the upper are blended, sharp-edged behind; toes rather strong, the first stout, 

 the middle one considerably longer than the lateral, which are equal; claws 

 rather long, arched, compressed, laterally grooved, tapering to a fine point. 



Plumage very soft and blended. Wings shortish, curved, rounded, the 

 first quill three and a half twelfths of an inch shorter than the second, which, 

 is half a twelfth shorter than the third, and about the same length as the 

 fourth; the secondaries rounded. Tail rather long, slightly emarginate. 



Bill reddish-white, the tip dusky. Iris hazel. Feet and claws flesh- 

 coloured. The head, neck all round, and a portion of the breast black, the 

 feathers faintly margined with grey; the rest of the lower parts white, 

 excepting the sides, which are tinged with brown. The fore part of the 

 back is dark reddish-brown, the hind parts dull grey. The smaller coverts, 

 secondary coverts and inner secondaries are dusky, with broad light-brown 

 margins; the primary coverts and the rest of the quills brownish-black, 

 narrowly edged with brownish-white. The tail is of the same dark colour 

 as the wings, excepting the two outer feathers on each side, which are white; 

 the second, however, having a part of the outer web dusky, and the third 

 having a white streak on the inner web toward the end. 



Length to end of tail Q\ inches; bill along the ridge y|; wing from 

 flexure 3 T X 2 ; tail 2ff ; tarsus -ff; hind toe j S j '^ s c l aw ft? middle toe -f|, its 

 claw yf . 



Adult Female. 



The female has the bill and feet coloured like those of the male. The 

 head and neck are blackish-grey, the feathers edged with paler; the back and 

 wing-coverts dull reddish-brown; the wings and tail as in the male; the 

 breast and abdomen white, the sides pale reddish-brown. 



Length to end of tail 5| inches; bill along the ridge f^; wing from flexure 

 3; tail SJ-&; tarsus f|; hind toe and claw y|; middle toe and claw yf. 



