TOWNSEND’S FINCH. 
143 
almost straight in its dorsal outline, as is the lower, both being rounded on 
the sides, and the lower with inflected acute edges ; the gap-line nearly 
straight, a little deflected at the base, and not extending to beneath the eye. 
Nostrils basal, roundish, open, partially concealed by the feathers. Head 
rather large, neck shortish ; body robust. Legs of moderate length, rather 
strong ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe ; covered anteriorly with a few 
longisli scutella ; toes scutellate above, free, the lateral ones nearly equal ; 
claws slender, arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe rather large. 
Plumage compact above, soft and blended beneath ; wings short, curved, 
rounded, the second, third, and fourth quills longest, and nearly equal; the 
first and fifth equal ; tail longish, even, or slightly rounded. 
TOWNSEND’S FINCH. 
Fringilla Townsendi. 
PLATE CLXXXVH.— Female. 
This species was discovered on the shores of the Columbia river, by Mr. 
Townsend, who sent me a perfect specimen, ticketed “ Female, February 
loth, 1836,” together with the following notice. “ I found this species 
numerous on the plains of the Colorado of the west, in the Rocky Moun- 
tains. It is a very active and rather shy bird, keeping constantly in the 
loW bushes of wormwood, and on the ground, in the vicinity. It appears to 
be partially gregarious, six or eight being mostly seen together. Its voice is 
a sharp quick chirp, and occasionally a low weak warble.” It bears a con- 
siderable resemblance to Fringilla iliaca of our Eastern Districts, but is 
darker, and wants the light-coloured bands with which the wings of that 
species are marked. Other differences will be found on comparing the 
description with that of the bird above mentioned, to which, however, it is 
so nearly allied that it evidently belongs to the same subordinate group. 
Female, 7, 105 . 
Colorado of the West. Rocky Mountains. 
Townsend’s Finch, Fringilla Townsendii, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 236. 
Female. 
Bill short, rather robust, conical, acute ; upper mandible rather broader 
