the erroneous impression that a large* b il was. characteristic of
that genus. This mistake however is excusable, when-we consider
that almost all-the -Nieufth American birds which he found placed
in it, through the negligence or dgnnra^pe of; his predecessors,
are in fact distinguished .by* large bills.
The transfer oh .this species; to the genus. Fringilla, render«*«
ehange necessary in the name, of Loxia cyança of -< Linné, an
African bird, now a • Fringilla of the. sufrgenus Coccothraustes.
The American bird belongs to Spiza, and together i with the
Fringilla oins, and the beautiful Fringilla amoena, it^may form a
peculiar .group,' allied to Fringilla, Emberfah- axxà Tanagra, hut
manifestly nearest the former,
. The adult Male in full plumage having been described'by
Wilson,- may be omitted here. Th^Female measures f«pr inches
and threerquarters in,* length, and nearly-seven in extent -The
bill is- Small, compressed# and less than half an inch long,-- is
blackish above and pale horn colour beneath j the irjdQf. are
dark brown; above she is uniformly t of a, somewhat- glossy
drab; between the bill and eyes, and on the cheek8, throaty-and
all the inferior parts, of a reddish clay colour, much paler on
the belly, dingy on the breast, and strqngly inclining to drab
on the flanks, blending into the- colour of the back, the shafts
of the feathers being darker, giving somewhat of %stfpafced
appearance : the whole bage of the plumage is lead eplour ; the
wings and tail are of, a darker and less glossy brown, each feather
being judged with lighter, more extended on the secondaries, and
especially the wing-coverts.; the wings are two inches and a half
long, not reaching when folded bç,yon-d;the tail-coverts; the first,
primary is subequal to the fourth, the second and third being
lqngest ; the three outer besides .the first, are greatly attenuated
on the outer web half an inch from the point, where it is extremely
narrow ; the tail, is two inches in length, and hut slightly emarr
ginated;J.thcffccl are/cfitsji^.felie'tarsus..measuring three-quarters
of an;
* £1 he male tfalli autumnal moult-^JC-vbpretty^li^&Lthe
,san)t tdi( s*v^^OiptjjphH^j»i^c4for less^tqtgcrl,nllh bluish. We
t'd’utM ew^hM-icRt^l h at the individual kept
b y W jlvuy^i-n a^tM^l^roni'glri.lhi tyihter&^whlcth the gay^ptefnage
, d t h a n twofcmonthsf;formed an.exceptji@J»to
jjbttfi lgoru dsWo$h(*Jh<ivc no3d<$Alkt that tM‘s
g iSififri^tum,-e i^diaiaeteristu ojjdthe sp£(<4b,s4in rts»jwildfstB’dfee^f|
# tj$p®e yOung strengly ife^ em l^theitfem al'^^p^drab colour fa
h o w e v e r , s / o m e w h E t t snternpxed-
with owing to the centre of the feathers being off'
the la ^ 4 # ^ r a Consequently*afermig* the pa?®,gK^. from,y%ifeh to
iasfdescen^e,!, and ^evenifevd^riug? the ’,two ^periodical! changes; the
this b ir(k^|more d®ldessdnjtqrhdDte<§! with *drah^h|4c,
and w-hit^f4nc%dhjig? t0,< t h d A ^ ^ ^ f the-mQultitig-.,^M^tes5»some
being beautifully «and regularly -Spotted with large W ^ e s v of these
colours, symnf§lrfealiy disposed. .In pf tetbese „males, but
little advanced in its changd^; we- readily- recognise the Embgfciza
ccerulea of authdrs,is£a?wawi%©f■ Buffo®, &<&-;- and-jn'another, which
has made farther progress.tWards-the perfect-s-tate*:the sh©nMpr&
only retaining the ferruginous tinge# we cart ^trakefA b, Emberiza
cyanella o f Sparmann.
EXIT OF VOL. II.