62 
TOWNSEND’S BUNTING. 
Emberiza Townsendii, Aud. 
PLATE CLYIL— Male. 
In form this species is compact and rather robust, like the common Spar- 
row of Europe, or the Black-throated Bunting of our country. The bill is 
short, strong, conical, compressed, acute ; the upper mandible narrower, 
with its dorsal line a little convex, as is that of the lower, the edges of both 
inflected, and the gap-line declinate at the base. Nostrils roundish, basal. 
Feet of ordinary length and thickness, the tarsus with seven anterior scu- 
tella, and two lateral plates meeting behind so as to form an edge ; lateral 
toes equal, the outer united as far as the second joint, hind toe strong ; 
claws arched, compressed, acute, with a lateral groove. 
The wings are short, the first quill longest, the next scarcely shorter, the 
rest graduated, the second, third, and fourth very slightly cut out on the 
outer web towards the* end, the secondaries rounded, the outer slightly 
emarginate. Tail of moderate length, and slightly emarginate. The 
plumage is soft and rather compact. 
Bill brownish-black above, light blue beneath, with a longitudinal black 
line from the tip half way to the base. Iris light hazel. Feet and claws 
dusky brown. Head above deep bluish-grey, streaked with black ; the 
cheeks, hind-neck, sides of the neck, fore part of the breast, and the sides of 
the same colour, becoming paler backwards. Back bluish-grey, each feather 
with a narrow dark brown central streak bordered with light brown, the 
margins grey ; the rump grey, without streaks. Quills and tail wood-brown, 
slightly edged with paler, wing-coverts light brown, the central parts of 
the feathers darker. There is a narrow white line over the eye, and the 
minute feathers margining the eyelids are of the same colour. The throat 
and foreneck are white. A line of short brownish-black streaks passes on 
either side from the base of the lower mandible, separating a narrow por- 
tion of the white space, and margining the lower part of it, although there 
the streaks are scattered ; the middle part of the breast and abdomen are 
also greyish-white. 
Length 53 inches, extent of wings 9 ; bill along the ridge -g ; tarsus }|. 
Townsend’s Bunting, Emberiza Townsendii, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. ii. p. 183 ; vol. 
v. p. 90. 
