398 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PASSEBES— OSCINES. 
extent, and speckled with dusky throughout; the crissum rich rusty. (It is the P. fiiscus, 
Cass., 111., 1854, pi. 17 ; Bd., 1858 ; but not the true fuscus of Sw. ; Fringilla crissalis, 
Vigors, 1839.) 
309. P. a'berti. (To Lieut. J. W. Abert.) Abert's Towhee. Gray Towhee. Somewhat 
similar to the foregoing species of this section of the genus, but entirely distinct ; a very 
large, long-tailed form, with no decided markings anywhere excepting the dark face. Above, 
grayish-brown, with a slight fulvous tinge; wings and tail darker and purer brown, the tail- 
feathers slightly rusty-tipped. Below as above, but paler, by dilution with a peculiar pale 
pinkish-brown sliade (like that on the side of an Oregon snow-bird), particularly on the throat; 
crissum more cinnamon-brown ; lores and chin blackish. Bill and feet brown ; under mandible 
paler than the upper. Young more rusty. There is much individual variation in shade, but 
this large dingy whole-colored bird with dark face is always easily recognized. Length about 
9.00; wing 3.40-3.70 ; tail 4.50-5.00 ; tarsus 1.00-1.10. New Mexico and Arizona, abundant, 
especially in the valley of the Gila and Colorado, where we find it a wild and shy inhabitant of 
thickets and chaparral ; N. to Colorado and Utah. Nest in bushes, loose and bulky; eggs 3-4, 
1.00 X 0.75, bluish-white, sparingly speckled and scrawled with blackish. 
310. P. chloru'rus. (Gr. x^wpdy, chloros, green; ovpa, oura, tail.) Green-tailed Towhee. 
Blanding's Finch. (^,9, adult: Above, grayish-green, sometimes quite olive-gray, at 
others bright olive-green, the exposed surfaces of the wings and tail with brighter greenish 
edgings. Edge of wing and under coverts and axillaries bright yellow. Crown rich chestnut ; 
forehead blackish, with a whitish loral spot on each side. Chin and throat pure white, bounded 
by dusky maxillary stripes as sharply contrasted as in the white- throated sparrow with dark 
surroundings. Whole breast and sides of head, neck and body fine clear ash, or slate-gray, 
obscured on the flanks and crissum with brownish, fading to white on the belly; completing 
the resemblance to Zonotrichia dlhicollis. Bill blackish-plumbeous ; feet brown, toes darker. 
Length about 7.00; extent 9.50; wing 2.80-3.20: tail 3.40-3.70; tarsus 0.95. Less mature 
birds have the chestnut cap veiled by gray tips of the feathers. Young : Crown like back. 
Upper parts dull brown tinged with greenish in places, streaked throughout with dusky, but 
wings and tail as in the adult ; under parts forecasting the pattern of the adults, but dusky- 
streaked throughout. This stage is brief and the birds resemble the adults after the first fall 
moult. An interesting bird, of no intimate relations with any other ; it has long been con- 
ventionally placed in Pipilo, for want of a better location ; it is not easy to see how it diflers in 
form from Zonotrichia or Embernagra. Southwestern U. S., especially S. Eocky Mts. ; N. to 
Wyoming and Idaho ; migratory ; winters over our border. A sprightly inhabitant of shrub- 
bery ; nest in bush or on the ground; eggs 0.90 X 0.68, pale greenish or grayish-white, freckled 
all over with bright reddish-brown, usually aggregating or wreathing at the larger end. 
97. EMBERNA'GRA. (A villanous compound of emberiza, a bunting, and tanagra, a tan- 
ager ; the former is only Latinized from Old German, the latter is South American.) The 
integrity of the genus is questionable. Said to contain several extralimital species not nearly 
allied to ours. It is difficult to see how the following species differs more than specifically from 
Pipilo chlorurus. It offers the following details of form : Bill not notable in any way. Tarsus 
exceeding the middle toe and claw. Lateral toes short ; outer a little longer than inner ; claw 
of neither reaching base of middle claw ; fore claws all small and weak ; hind claw about as 
long as its digit. Wings very short and much rounded ; 4th to 7th primaries about equal and 
longest ; 2d as long as 9th ; 1st equalling the 3d from the innermost secondary. Tail about as 
long as the wings, much rounded, the outer feathers half an inch shorter than the middle ones ; 
all broad to their rounded ends. Coloration oUvaceous with yellow edge of wing and incon- 
spicuous head-stripes. 
311. E. rufovirga'ta. (Lat. rufo, with rufous, virgata, striped; virga, a rod.) Green Finch. 
Texas Sparrow. ^, adult: Above, dull olive-green, brighter on wings and tail. Under 
