I knew the towhee was of the family Emberizidae; however, the species name tested my pathetic birding skills.

Parker's opinion, to be easily distinguished therefrom—the Emberizidae possessing what none of the Fringillidae do, an additional pair of palatal bones, "palato-maxillaries."

I owe the following facts to Mr. Weir, who has long kept confined birds of many kinds, including all the British Fringillidae and Emberizidae.