Tanagra, as Spiza, the other hand, shows its transition to Embe-
riza.
The Lazuli Finch is five 'inches and three quarters long. ' The
bill is formed like that of the Iridigo-birdf ^Fringilla cyanea, Wils®
but is emarginated near the tip, being horn colour, as-well as the
feet; the irides are dark brown. -The whole head and neck are
brilliant verdigrise-blue; the back is brownish-black, intermixed with
blue, and a little ferruginous-brown; |tb|; rump is pure verdigrise-
blue : the superior portion of the breast is pâle ferruginous ; the
lower part of the breast; the belly, and inferior tail Q©|efc, are white.
The smaller wing coverts are=hïïïê;ï the middling coverts are blackish
at basé; and broadly tipped xtóh white, forming a wide bSH^aeépss
the wing; the greater wing coverts are blackish';f obscurely margined
with Blte/and slightly tipped with white on the exterior1 web/consik
tuting a second band across the wings parallel to the fifstç but much
narrower ; the primaries and secondaries are blackish, obscurely
margined with blue onifbhe outer web; the under wingicoverts.âré
whitish; a!li#le ihterfnixed with blue. : The tail is :slightlyemargi*
hated; the feathers being blackish; edged with b^tejon the outer web;
and with white ÖfFtEè inner-web at tip.
The above description of this handsome bird is taken from a male
in summér pluma’gè; the only specimen'brought by Long’s exploring
party; hence we are unable to give any positive information relative
tó the female and young, though from analogy wé must believe"theSh
in gréât part destitute of the blue colour, and otherwise less brilv
liantly adorned.
• This specie's appears to be rather rare ; it is found along thé
Arkansaw river; hear the base-of the Rocky Mountains, during thé
summer months ; they frequent the bushy valleys, keeping much in
the grass; and seldom alight on shrubs or ‘trees* In this respect-,
also, they resemble the Indigo-bird, and probably their habits are
the same, although the note is entirely dissimilar.