374 
FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC 
A Field Key to the 
Adult Male Finches and Sparrows of the Middle States 
(Virginia to Massachusetts) in Breeding Plumage 
I. Breast with more or less yellow. 
II. Breast blue. 
III. Breast or throat red. 
IV. Breast without either yellow, blue, or red. 
I. Breast with more or less yellow. 
A. Chin white, throat black; haunts grassy fields; song an unmusical 
effort of six or seven notes delivered with great earnestness from a 
low perch (rare east of the Alleghanies) . . . . 604. Dickcissel. 
B. Underparts and breast pure yellow, crown and wings black; song a 
sweet canarylike warble; flight undulating, frequently accompanied 
by the notes chlc-o-ree, per-ch\c-o-ree .... 529. Goldfinch. 
II. Breast blue. 
A Length over 6*00; plumage deep blue, a chestnut bar across the wings 
(not found north of Virginia) .... 597. Blue Grosbeak. 
B. Length under 6*00; plumage indigo-blue; haunts woody fields, scrub 
or second growth; song clear and musical, generally delivered from a 
tree-top 598. Indigo Bunting. 
III. Breast or throat red. 
1. Length over 7*00. 
A. Length 8*00; throat and region about the base of the bill black, rest 
of the plumage bright vermilion-red; head with a conspicuous 
crest; song a rich, musical whistle; call-note an insignificant cheep; 
haunts thickets and bushy woodland (rare north of New York 
City) 593. Cardinal. 
B. Length 7*50; breast rose-red; belly, tip of the tail, rump, and a band 
in the wings white; rest of the plumage black; haunts wooded 
growths; song loud, clear, and highly musical; call-note a metallic 
peek 595. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 
2. Length under 7*00. 
A. Length under 6*50; plumage more or less heavily washed with dull 
reddish; haunts orchards and wooded growths; song a liquid warble; 
call-note a metallic chink, frequently uttered while on the wing. 
517. Purple Finch. 
B. Length about 6*00; plumage dull blood-red; mandibles crossed at 
the tips; generally found in small flocks in coniferous woods; utters 
a clicking or whistled note when on the wing (rarely found south of 
New England after May 1) 521. Am. Crossbill. 
C. Breast white, tinged with brown; region about the bill red, a yellow 
band in the wings (vicinity of New York City). 
European Goldfinch. 
IV. Breast without either yellow, blue, or red. 
1. Underparts distinctly streaked or spotted. 
A. Outer tail-feathers white, showing conspicuously when the bird 
flies; haunts dry fields and roadsides; song loud and musical. 
540. Vesper Sparrow. 
B. Outer tail-feathers not white. 
a. Song loud and musical; an abundant and familiar bird of gen- 
eral distribution; spots on the breast tending to form one larger 
spot in the center; crown umber, a whitish line over the eye. 
581. Song Sparrow. 
b. Song not loud and musical; short and generally unattractive r 
haunts wet meadows or marshes; passes most of the time on the 
ground, rarely perching far from it, and when flushed generally 
returning to it. 
