Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/200

 192 FINCH the flesh is tender and of good flavor. This bird employs a great variety of artifices to deceive any one who approaches her nest, imitating lameness, and attempting to draw attention to another locality. Lincoln's finch (Z. Lincolnii, 1. Lincoln's Finch (Zonotrichia Lincolnii). 2. Seaside Finch (Amrnodroinus maritimus). Aud. ; melospiza, Baird) is yellowish brown above, with streaks of brownish black ; head chestnut, streaked with brownish black, with a grayish blue band in the centre and two at the sides; quills and larger coverts deep brown with lighter margins, and the latter tipped with whitish ; tail yellowish brown ; throat white, with dusky streaks and spots ; below grayish white. It is found as far north as Labrador, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and south through Mexico to Guatemala. The song is very sweet and loud; the flight is rapid and low ; the food is insects and berries ; the males, as in most finches, are pugnacious. The genus Sharp-tailed Finch (Ammodromus caudacutus). ammodromus (Swains.) has the wings short, the tail lengthened, the lateral feathers graduated, with the end of each acuminated ; the species generally remain within the limits of tide water, and run along the shores among the weeds, like sandpipers, climb along the rushes, or swiftly dart among the tufts of grass; they eat shrimps, small mollusks and crustaceans, and other mi- nute marine animals. The sharp-tailed finch (A. caudacutus, Gmel.) is found along the whole Atlantic coast of the United States, being most abundant among the salt marshes of South Carolina. The crown of the head is bluish gray in the middle, and deep brown at the sides, with a band of yellowish red from the bill over the eye ; hind neck dull gray, tinged with brown ; fore neck pale yellowish red with dusky streaks, the throat paler and unspotted ; back brown, tinged with gray; primaries and tail wood brown ; secondaries and smaller coverts reddish brown ; sides yellowish red, with dusky streaks; breast and abdomen grayish white. They come down to the marshes when the tide is out, returning to the shores and rice fields at high tide ; the note is a single "tweet;" the nest is placed on the ground, near the water, in a slight hollow ; the eggs, four to six, are laid sometimes twice in a season ; the color is dull white, with light brown dots, most numerous at the larger end; from the quickness with which they move on the ground, they are most easily shot on the wing. The seaside finch (A. maritimus, Wils.), with similar habits to the preceding, and found in the same localities as far north as Long Island, has the crown of the head deep brown, surrounded by a line of grayish blue ; upper part of the back, wings, and tail, olive brown mixed with pale blue ; lesser wing coverts reddish brown ; a yellow streak from the bill over the eye ; throat and fore neck grayish white ; breast and sides gray- ish blue, the abdomen paler. The eggs are grayish white, with brown freckles all over : many nests are found in company. The food consists of marine insects, snails, crabs, sand beetles, and seeds. Bachman's finch, placed in the genus ammodromus by Gray, belongs to the genus peuccea (Aud.) ; this (P. cestivalis, Licht.) is reddish brown above, with the centre of the feathers black and their margins bluish gray ; the quills dark brown with lighter edges ; tail feathers brown, lighter on the outer edges; ochre-yellow streak over the eye ; throat pale yellowish gray; fore part of the breast and sides tinged with brown, lower parts yellowish gray. The length of the bird is 6 in., and the extent of the short wings only 8. The habits of this species render it difficult to observe ; it runs in the grass more like a mouse than a bird, and is much oftener heard than seen ; the notes are soft and sweet, justifying the remark that it is perhaps the finest songster of the sparrow family. The food consists of grass seeds, beetles, and berries. It is confined to the southern states. In the genus spiza (Bo- nap.), or cyanospiza (Baird), the wings and tail are moderate, and the latter even. The non- pareil or painted finch (8. ciris, Bonap.) is 5J in. long and 7 in extent of wings ; in the adult male, the head and neck are azure blue ; the back and lesser wing coverts yellowish green ; circle round the eye, lower back, and under