Synopsis of the Birds 
106 
leathers : tongue thick, cylindrical, acute, compressed and 
bifid at tip. Feet moderate; tarsus shorter than the mid- 
dle toe ; toes free; lateral toes subequal ; hind toe hardly 
shorter than the inner; hind nail largest. Wings rather 
short ; first and second primaries but little shorter than the 
third or fourth, which is longest. 
Female differ from the male principally in the breeding 
dress. Young, after the first season, resemble the adult. Eu- 
ropean and North American species chiefly moult once a 
year. 
Live in woods, bushes, and orchards; alighting generally 
on the branches of trees, sometimes on the ground ; travel in 
flocks. Breed in trees and thickets ; have several broods 
annually. Many excel in song : easily tamed and kept in 
cages. Flesh good. 
Spread all over the earth. 
I divide them into four subgenera, which, however, pass 
insensibly into each other. 
§ 1. Palate rather prominent , sometimes with the rudiment of 
a tubercle . 
SUBGENUS. 1. SPIZA. 
Spiza , JYob. Obs. Nom. Wils. Orn. 
Genera Passerina, Fringilla, Emberiza, Vieill. 
Edges of the lower mandible narrowed in. 
Connects Fringilla with Emberiza, especiallyPlectrophanes, 
by the greater part of the species, and with Tanagra by a few, 
which might perhaps constitute a subgenus by themselves, 
f Species forming the passage to Tanagra. Bill subincurved. 
163. Fringilla am<ena, Nob. Verdigris-blue; beneath white ; 
breast pale ferruginous ; wings bifasciate with white ; bill 
notched. 
Lazuli Finch , Fringilla amcena , JYob. Am. Orn. i. p. 61. 
pi. 6. fig. 4. Emberiza amcena , Say. 
