BIEDS. 
15 
and flanks brownish, fading to rust color on approaching the vent. Flexure of wing and under coverts bright yellow. Upper 
parts olive brown, the wings and tail having a brighter greenish yellow tinge. Bill dark brown above, paler beneath. Legs 
dusky brown. Length 7 inches. 
I first discovered this bird near Tucson, frequenting in numbers the thick undergrowth, and 
seeking seeds and insects on the ground and inclined to shun observation, always keeping in the 
most retired situations, though sociable among themselves, going about single or in pairs 
associated with the Poospiza bilineata and two or three other species of finch. When started 
they fly low, diving into the hushes, and soon disappearing from sight. Occasionally, until 
reaching El Paso, Texas, birds of this species were met, mingled with the flocks of migrating 
FringiUidae. I there found and procured a pair about entering upon the duties of incubation. 
PIPILO ABERTII, Baird.—Abert’s Ground Finch. 
Pipilo abcrtii, Baird, Stansbury Ex. to Great Salt Lake, p. 325.— Ib. Gen. Eep. IX, 516. 
Sp. Ch. —Upper parts of a pale rusty brown, wings and tail being of a darker hue. Under parts of a brighter rusty cilor, 
the lower part of breast paler than the rest. Vent and under tail coverts bright rufous. Under margin and tips of tail feathers 
light brown. Chin and lores smutty black, this color extending to some of the feathers down the throat. Bill and feet light 
brown. Length 9 inches. 
On the borders of the Gila, east of Fort Yuma, this bird was quite abundant, keeping to the 
close sheltered thickets, where, secure from intrusion, it sought among the dead leaves for 
various seeds, insects and their larval, on which it feeds. Its habits much resemble those of the 
P.fusca, or canon finch, diving into the hushes when alarmed, and repeating at intervals a short 
chirp. After leaving the Gila river we saw them no more, as we no longer followed the course 
of any large stream, for the borders of which these birds seem to have a decided preference. 
PIPILO MESOLEUCUS, Baird. 
Pipilo mesoleucus, Baird, Proceed. Acad. N. Sc. Phil. Vol. VII, p. 119. 
Sp. Ch —Upper parts dull brown, darker on upper surface of tail. A patch of dull chestnut on the head. Chin dirty white; 
throat and breast rusty gray, with brown spots starting from the base of lower mandible on each side of the neck and spreading 
out over the breast, the central lower spot larger and darker than the others. Lower part of breast, flexure of wing and abdomen, 
white. Vent and lower tail coverts ferruginous. Sides and flanks dusky. Tail feathers, with the exception of the two central 
ones, tipped with rust, and in some specimens the outer edge of the two external feathers similarly colored. Length 8^ inches. 
I saw this species in the vicinity of Tucson. Its habits appeared, from the limited oppor¬ 
tunity I had of observing it, to be the same as those of the preceding species. 
CALAMOSPIZA BICOLOR, Bonap.—Prairie Lark Finch. 
Fringilla bicolor, Towns. Journ. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. vol. VII, p. 189. 
Calamospiza bicolor, Baird, Gen. Eep. IX, 492. 
Sp. Ch. — Male. —In spring plumage, black. A largo patch of white on the wing, including some of the smaller coverts, the 
tips of the first row and the secondary coverts. Primaries edged with white. Tail feathers blackish brown broadly tipped 
with white with the exception of the two middle feathers. Bill light blue. Feet dusky. Length G£ inches. 
Female. —Upper parts light brown, the feathers being darker towards the quills. Primaries light brown margined with white, 
Tertiaries with broad cream colored border. Tail light brown above, sooty brown beneath, narrowly bordered with white, each 
