176 
GREY-CROWNED PURPLE-FINCH. 
plates meeting so as to form a very sharp edge ; toes scutellate above, free, 
the lateral nearly equal. Claws slender, arched, much compressed, acute. 
Plumage soft and blended, the wing-coverts compact. Wings of moderate 
length, the third primary longest, the fourth scarcely shorter, the second 
less than one-twelfth shorter than the third, and exceeding the first by one- 
twelftli. Tail long, broad, emarginate and divaricate, the middle feathers 
only a twelfth and a half shorter than the longest, which is the third from 
the lateral, the latter being of the same length as the middle. 
Bill brown above, paler beneath. Iris brown. Feet and claws light 
brown. Forehead and a band over the eye, proceeding down the neck 
crimson ; throat, fore part of breast and sides, with the rump, rich carmine, 
the latter paler. The upper parts greyish brown, the head, hind neck, and 
fore part of the back slightly tinged with red ; quills, coverts, and tail-fea- 
thers dusky and edged with pale brownish-grey, the first row of small 
coverts rather conspicuously tipped with a lighter tint of the same. Short 
bristly feathers at the base of the bill greyish-yellow ; loral space and ear- 
coverts, light grey ; the hind part of the breast, abdomen, and lower tail- 
coverts yellowish-white, streaked with dusky. 
Length to end of tail 61 inches ; bill along the ridge f|, along the edge 
of lower mandible fl, wing from flexure 31 ; tail 31 ; tarsus T |- ; hind toe 
fL its claw ; middle toe its claw yV 
GREY-CROWNED PURPLE-FINCH. 
Erythrospiza tephrocotis, Swains. 
PLATE CXCYIIL— Hale. 
This species, which in form and proportion is allied to Erythrospiza 
purpurea on the one hand, and to E. cannabina on the other, is of ex- 
tremely rare occurrence, a single specimen only being mentioned as having 
been obtained by Dr. Richardson on the Saskatchewan, in May 1827, from 
which my figure was taken. 
Male, 6 ; wing, 4. 
Saskatchewan river. Very rare. Migratory. 
