406 
U. S. P. R. R EXP. AND SURVEYS— ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 
Family FEIN GILLID AE . 
Primaries nine. Bill very short, abruptly conical and robust. Commissure strongly angulated at base of bill. Tarsi 
scutellate anteriorly, but the sides with two undivided plates meeting behind along the median line, as a sharp posterior ridge. 
The systematic arrangement of the fringilline birds of the United States is more difficult than 
that of any other group, owing to the large number of species closely related to each other and 
exhibiting endless though minute variations in structure and form. Nearly all authors regu- 
larly avoid committing themselves by an attempt at the definition of their different divisions, 
giving only the names of types as indicative of their meaning. I have, therefore, been able to 
derive no aid from ornithological publications in arranging the species, and have been obliged 
to work out the whole subject anew from the beginning, as far as North American species are 
concerned. 
In the system adopted I do not claim any very natural combination of species into genera, 
nor of genera into sub-families ; all I have aimed at is to present a convenient artificial scheme 
by which the determination of the species may be facilitated. The means at my command are 
manifestly insufficient for the satisfactory solution of a problem which has puzzled the best 
ornithologists of the day, with all possible resources at their command in the way of specimens 
and books. 
I divide all the United States species into four sub-families, briefly characterizable as follows : 
CoccoTmiAUSTiNAE. — Bill variable, from enormously large to quite small ; with the base of the 
upper mandible almost always provided with a close pressed fringe of bristly feathers (more or 
less conspicuous) concealing the nostrils. Wings very long and pointed, usually one-half to 
one-third longer than the forked or emarginate tail. Tarsi short. 
Spizellinae. — Embracing all the plain colored sparrow-like species marked with longitudinal 
stripes. Bill conical, always rather small ; both mandibles about equal. Tarsi lengthened. 
Wings and tail variable. Lateral claws never reaching beyond the base of the middle claw. 
Passerellinae. — Sparrow-like species with triangular spots beneath. Legs, toes, and claws 
very stout ; the lateral claws reaching nearly to the end of the middle ones. 
Spizinae.— -Brightly colored species usually without streaks. Bill usually very large and 
much curved; lower mandible wider than the upper. Wings moderately long. Tail variable. 
Sub-Family COCCOTHRAUSTIMAE. 
Wings very long and much pointed ; generally one-third longer than the more or less forked tail ; first quill usually nearly 
as long, or longer than the second. Tertiaries but little longer, or equal to the secondaries, and always much exceeded by the 
primaries. Bill very variable in shape and size, the upper mandible, however, as broad as the lower; nostrils rather more 
lateral than usual ; and always more or less concealed by a series of small bristly feathers applied along the base of the upper 
mandible ; no bristles at the base of the bill. Feet short and rather weak. Hind claw usually considerably longer than the 
middle anterior one ; sometimes nearly the same size. 
In the preceding paragraph I have combined a number of forms, all agreeing in the length 
and acuteness of the wing, the bristly feathers along the base of the bill, the absence of con- 
spicuous bristles on the sides of the mouth, and in the shortness of the feet. They are all 
strongly marked and brightly colored birds, and usually belong to the more northern regions. 
The species of the genera all vary remarkably in the shape and size of the bill, which here 
is of secondary importance to the character of the wing, tail, and feet. Indeed, I am inclined 
