FRING-ILLIDHf! — THE FINCHES. 
51 
Subfamily SPIZELLIM^. — The Sparrows. ' (Page 43.) 
A. Tail small and short; considerably or decidedly shorter than the wings, 
owing either to the elongation of the wing or the shortening of the tail. Lateral 
toes shorter than the middle without its claw. Species streaked above and 
below. (Passerculeae.) 
a. Thickly streaked everywhere above, on the sides, and across the breast. 
Wing pointed ; longest primaries considerably longer than the secondaries. 
Tail forked. Jp 
Centronyx. Hind claw very large ; rather longer than its digit. The 
hind toe and claw, together, as long as or longer than the middle toe 
and claw. Other toes as in Passerculus. Claws gently curved. Tertials 
shorter than the secondaries. Tail forked, but the lateral feathers 
shorter. (Page 52.) 
Passerculus. Hind claw as long as its digit; the toe equal to the 
middle one without its claw ; lateral toes falling considerably short of 
the middle claw. Wings very long; first primary longest. Tertials as 
—’y long as the primaries. Tail forked ; feathers acute. (Page 52.) 
Poocaetes. Hind claw shorter than its digit; the whole toe less than 
r the middle toe without its claw. Lateral' toes nearly equal to the 
. [ middle one, without its claw- Tertials but little longer than secon- 
daries. Tail stiffened, forked ; feathers acute, outer ones white. (Page 
53.) 
b. Moderately streaked above, on the sides, and on the breast, the latter 
sometimes unstreaked ; the dorsal streaks broader, the others fainter than in 
the last. Wings short, reaching a little beyond the base of the tail. Not 
much difference between the primaries and secondaries. Tail short, grad- 
uated, and the feathers lanceolate, acute. 
Coturniculus. Bill short; thick. Tertials almost equal to the pri- 
maries ; truncate at the end. Claws small, weak ; hinder one shorter 
? j than its digit. Outstretched feet not reaching the tip of the tail. Tail- 
feathers not stiffened. (In one species tail nearly equal to the wing.) 
(Page 54.) 
■ Ammodromus. Bill slender, small at base, and elongated. Tertials 
not longer than the secondaries ; rounded at the tip. Claws large, 
hinder one equal to its digit. Outstretched toes reaching considerably 
beyond the end of the stiffened, almost scansorial tail. (Page 54.) 
B. Tail longer and broader ; nearly or quite as long as, sometimes a very little 
longer than, the wings, which are rather lengthened. The primaries considerably 
longer than the secondaries. None of the species streaked beneath, and the 
back alone streaked above. (Spizelleae.) 
a. Tail rounded or slightly graduated. 
Chondestes. Tail considerably graduated, not emarginated. Lateral 
toes considerably shorter than, the middle toe, without its claw. Wings 
very long, decidedly longer than the tail, reaching the middle of the 
tail. First quill longest. Head striped. Back streaked. White 
beneath. A white blotch on the end of the tail-feathers. (Page 55.) 
Zonotrichia. Tail moderately graduated. Wings moderate, about as 
v long as the tail, reaching about over the basal fourth of the tail ; first 
quill less than the second to fourth. Feet large. Head striped with 
black and white, or with brown and ochraceous. Back streaked. 
(Page 55.) 
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