BIRDS—FRINGILLIDAE—AMMODROMUS SAMUELIS—CHONDESTES. 
455 
AMMODROMUS SAMUELIS, Baird. 
Ammodromus samuelis, Baird, Pr. Boston Soc. N. H. for June, 1858- 
Sp. Ch. —Somewhat like Melospisa melodia, but considerably smaller and darker. Bill slender, attenuated, and acute. 
Tarsus not longer than middle toe and claw. Above streaked on the head, back, and rump with dark brown, the borders of 
the feathers paler, but without any rufous. Beneath bluish white ; the middle of the breast, with sides of throat and body, 
spotted and streaked with blackish brown. Wings above nearly uniform dark brownish rufous. Under tail coverts yellowish 
brown, conspicuously blotched with blackish. An ashy superciliary stripe, becoming nearly white to the bill, and a whitish 
maxillary one ; the crown with faint grayish median line. Length, 5 inches ; wing, 2.20 ; tail, 2.35. 
This species is somewhat similar in pattern of coloration to the Melospiza melodia , hut is 
readily distinguished on comparison. It is much smaller, the hill longer and much more 
slender, attenuated and acute. The wing is more rounded ; the first primary is shortest of all, 
and less than the secondaries. The middle toe appears unusually long. The colors throughout 
are much darker than in Melospiza melodia, the streaks blacker, more abrupt and numerous, 
and without the light reddish brown margins. The rump, and upper and under tail coverts 
are strongly streaked with blackish, instead of being nearly immaculate. The wings appear 
more conspicuously and darkly rufous. 
The abrupt blackish spots and streaks will readily distinguish this species from the Cali¬ 
fornian spotted Melospizas, except hermannii , but it is smaller, with much shorter wings and 
slenderer bill. 
There is a considerable difference in the proportions of the feet compared with M. melodia. 
Thus the middle toe is so much elongated that, with its claw, it is as long or even longer than 
the tarsus, instead of shorter. 
The precise position of this species in the series is a matter of uncertainty. It appears to 
connect Ammodromus and Melospiza. The bill and wings are those of the former, while in 
general coloration it is most like the Melospiza melodia. It is not unlikely, in fact, that it may 
be quite properly placed in the latter genus, and be called M. samuelis. 
The spots on the breast appear farther back than in other spotted species, leaving a greater 
extent of throat without marking. The pectoral spots exhibit a tendency to aggregation in 
the middle of the breast. 
List of specimens. • 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
5523 
s 
Petaluma, Cal_ 
May 9, 1856 . 
E. Samuels _ 
7098 
s 
5. 50 
6.75 
2.50 
CHONDESTES, Swain son. 
Chondestes, Swainson, Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 435.— Ib. Fauna Bor. Amer. II, 1831. Typo Chondestes strigatus, Sw., 
equal to Fringilla grammaca, Say. 
Ch. —Bill swollen; both outlines gently curved ; tho lower mandible as high as the lower ; the commissure angulated at 
the base, and then slightly sinuated. Lower mandible rather narrower at tho baso than the length of tho gonys ; broader than 
the upper. Tarsi moderate, about equal to tho middlo toe ; lateral toes equal and very short, reaching but little beyond the 
