A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

Sylvia aurocapilla, Bonap. Syn. p. 77.

Seiurus aurocapillus, Golden-crowned accentor, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 227.

Golden-crowned Thrush or Oven Bird, Turdus aurocapillus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 355.

Golden-crowned Thrush, Turdus aurocapillus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 253; v. v. p. 447.

149. 2. Seiurus Novæboracensis, Gmel. Aquatic Wood-Wagtail

Plate XIX. Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 7.

Upper parts dull greenish-brown, wings and tail dark chocolate-brown, lower parts pale yellow; a streak of the latter from the bill over the eye; loral space, and a streak behind the eye dusky; cheeks yellowish-grey, streaked with brown; the whole fore part and sides of the neck, the breast, and sides, marked with triangular blackish-brown spots, which are more elongated on the sides; abdomen and lower tail-coverts unspotted; bill dusky; feet flesh-coloured and transparent. Individuals vary, the throat sometimes without spots, the lower parts pale or yellowish-white, the feet dusky tinged with purple.

Male, 62/12, 91/2. Female, 58/12, 87/12.

In winter resident from Texas to Florida, including Louisiana. In summer migrates as far as the Fur Countries. Not Abundant.

Water Thrush, Turdus aquaticus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 66.

Sylvia novæboracensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 77.

Seiurus aquaticus, Aquatic Accentor, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 229.

New York or Aquatic Thrush, Turdus novæboracensis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 353.

Louisiana Water Thrush, Turdus ludovicianus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 99.

Common Water Thrush, Turdus aquaticus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 284.

GENUS II. ANTHUS, Bechst. PIPIT

Bill of moderate length, straight, very slender, as broad as high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge narrow at the base, the notches slight, the tip a little deflected; lower mandible with the dorsal line straight, the edges involute, the tip acute. General form very slender. Tarsus of moderate length, much compressed; toes slender; claws arched, extremely compressed, acute, that of the hind toe much elongated. Plumage soft and blended. Wings long; the outer three quills about equal and longest; inner secondaries tapering, one of them nearly as long as the outer primaries when the wing is closed. Tail rather long, emarginate.

150. 1. Anthus Ludovicianus, Lichtenstein. American Pipit

Plate X. Male and Female. Plate LXXX. Young.

Hind claw longer than the toe, slightly arched, and very slender. Male, in winter plumage, with the bill dusky, the legs and claws deep greenish-brown; upper parts greyish-olive, tinged with green, and obscurely streaked with dusky; a whitish band over the eye, cheeks brown; lower parts brownish-white, the throat white, the sides and lower part of the neck, fore part of breast, and sides of body marked with elongated, distinct, blackish-brown spots; quills and tail-feathers dusky, margined with greenish-grey, the lateral tail-feathers half white, the next obliquely white at the end. Female similar. Male in summer with the bill black, the upper parts olive-brown, tinged with grey; a greyish-white line over the eye, cheeks greyish-brown; lower parts light yellowish-grey, the fore neck and breast often deeply tinged with red, and marked with short, slender, brownish-black spots, the sides streaked; quills and tail-feathers as in winter with the pale margins less distinct. Young more tinged with green above, the bill paler, with a great part of the lower mandible yellowish-red, the lower parts pale yellowish-grey, with an obscure lunule of brownish-black on the fore neck, the lower part of which and the sides are streaked with dark brown, and tinged with reddish-brown.

Male, 61/2, 101/2.

Throughout the Western and Southern Districts during autumn and winter. Breeds in Labrador and the Fur Countries. Abundant.

Brown Lark, Alauda rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 89.

Anthus Spinoletta, Bonap. Syn. p. 90.

Brown Titlark, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p 49. Adult.

Prairie Titlark, Anthus pipiens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 408, Young. Brown Titlark and Prairie Titlark, v. v. p. 449.

This species is nearly allied to Anthus aquaticus and A. pratensis, more especially to the latter, from which it is distinguished by having the bill much stouter, the tarsus longer, the hind claws stouter, more curved, and much shorter, the colour of the feet much darker, in being always much more rufous beneath, and in sometimes, when the summer is advanced, being almost entirely unspotted there. From A. aquaticus it is at once distinguished by the whitish band over the eye, and the white on the outer tail-feathers. It indeed seems wonderful that any ornithologist should have mistaken it for that species.

FAMILY XIV. ALAUDINÆ. LARKS

Bill rather short, or of moderate length, somewhat conical, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line sloping and slightly convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, the notches generally obsolete; the tip narrow and a little deflected; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight, the edges slightly inflected, the tip acute; gape-line straight. Nostrils elliptical or oblong, basal. Head oblong, of moderate size; neck rather short; body ovate. Feet of moderate length, or rather long; tarsus compressed, with eight anterior scutella; toes slender, compressed; the hind toe elongated, second and fourth about equal, third much longer. Claws rather long, arched, slender, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute, that of the hind toe very long, straightish, tapering. Plumage generally soft and blended. Wings rather long, broad, the inner secondaries tapering, and one so elongated as nearly to equal the longest primary, when the wing is closed. Tail of twelve feathers, generally emarginate. Roof of the upper mandible concave, generally with three prominent lines; tongue slender, thin, flat, tapering to a slit and bristly tip; œsophagus of uniform width; stomach a very strong muscular gizzard of a roundish form and compressed, its lateral muscles very large, its epithelium dense and rugous; intestines short, of moderate width; cœca very small, cylindrical. Nest on the ground. Eggs five or six, oval, spotted.

GENUS I. ALAUDA, Linn. LARK

Bill rather short, stout, somewhat conical, compressed, straightish, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched, the edges without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending, slightly convex, the edges a little inflected, the tip acute. Head rather large; neck short; body ovate. Legs of ordinary length, anteriorly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal, hind toe of moderate size, with a very long, tapering, acute, and nearly straight claw. Plumage rather dense and compact. Wings of moderate length, the second and third quills longest; inner secondaries much elongated. Tail of moderate length, emarginate.

151. 1. Alauda alpestris, Linn. Shore Lark. – Horned Lark

Male with two erectile pointed tufts of feathers on the anterior lateral parts of the head. In winter the upper parts dusky brown, the feathers paler on the edges; on the forehead a recurved crescentic band of brownish-black; another curved downwards, proceeding on each side from the base of the upper mandible; a band of yellowish-white over the eye and forehead; throat pale-yellow, with a broad dusky patch on the lower neck, the rest of the lower parts brownish-white; quills dusky, tail-feathers blackish, excepting the two middle, which are reddish-brown, like the upper tail-coverts. In summer, the brownish-black bands on the head and neck become deep black, the throat and frontal band white, and the upper parts light brownish-red. Female dusky brown above, dull white beneath; the wings and tail as in the male, but the black bands on the head and neck wanting. Young from the nest with the upper parts deep brown, mottled with pale reddish-brown, lower parts pale yellowish-grey.

Male, 71/2, 14.

Breeds in Labrador and northwards. Migrates in autumn southward, as far as the Texas. Not uncommon in the Western Country at that season.

Shore Lark, Alauda cornuta, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 85.

Alauda alpestris, Bonap. Syn. p. 102.

Horned or Shore Lark, Alauda cornuta. Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 245.

Shore Lark, Nutt. Man. v. i. p.

Shore Lark, Alauda alpestris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 570; v. v. p. 488.

FAMILY XV. FRINGILLINÆ. FINCHES

Bill short, stout, conical, acute; upper mandible generally with its dorsal line more or less convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected or direct, the tip acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges involute. Gape-line ascending for more than a fourth of its length, then direct. Nostrils basal, roundish, partly concealed by the feathers. Head of moderate size, or rather large, ovate or roundish; neck short; body compact; tarsus generally shorter than the middle toe with its claw, compressed, with seven or eight anterior scutella; hind toe stout; outer toe adherent at the base, lateral about equal. Claws long or moderate, compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage soft and blended, but firm. Wings various, acute, or rounded. Tail of twelve feathers. Roof of upper mandible concave, with three prominent lines, of which the middle is sometimes elevated into an oblong hard prominence. Tongue much compressed, pointed; œsophagus rather wide, with a dilatation or crop on the right side; stomach roundish or oblong, muscular, with the epithelium thin, dense, and longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide; cœca very small, cylindrical. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. The Fringillinæ pass into the Icterinæ on the one hand, and the Alaudinæ on the other. The Buntings scarcely differ from the Finches in any other character than the knob on the palate, which is common to them with the Icterinæ.

GENUS I. PLECTROPHANES, Meyer. LARK-BUNTING

Bill very short, robust, tapering, somewhat compressed; upper mandible considerably narrower than the lower, its dorsal outline very slightly convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the marginal outline slightly angulate; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges involute. Nostrils basal, roundish, partly concealed by the feathers. Head of moderate size, ovate; neck short; body compact, tarsus shorter than the middle toe with its claw, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; hind toe stout; claws long, rather stout, little arched, acute, that of the hind toe much elongated. Plumage soft and blended. Wings long, pointed; the first quill longest. Tail rather long, emarginate.

152. 1. Plectrophanes Lapponica, Linn. Lapland Lark-Bunting

Plate CCCLXV. Male and Female.

Male, in summer, with the head and fore part of the neck black; a white band over the eye, passing along the neck, and margining the black; a brownish-red crescent on the hind neck; the feathers on the rest of the upper parts black, broadly margined with yellowish-red; first row of small coverts tipped with white; lower parts white, the sides streaked with black. Male, in winter, with the upper part of the head black, the feathers edged with brownish-red, cheeks and band over the eye greyish-yellow; feathers of the fore neck black, broadly tipped with white; dark streaks on the sides not apparent. Female with the upper parts reddish-grey, spotted with black; a greyish-white band over the eye; the cheeks greyish-brown; lower parts greyish-white, the sides streaked with dusky.

Male, 69/8; wing, 310/12.

Fur Countries in summer. In winter, as far westward as Kentucky. Abundant. Migratory.

Lapland Longspur, Emberiza lapponica, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 53.

Emberiza lapponica, Bonap. Syn. p. 440.

Emberiza (Plectrophanes) lapponica, Lapland Buntling, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 248.

Lapland Longspur, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 463.

Lapland Longspur, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 473.

153. 2. Plectrophanes pictus, Swains. Painted Lark-Bunting

Plate CCCC. Fig. 5. Male.

Male with the upper part and sides of the head deep black, with three bands of white on each side, one from the base of the upper mandible over the eye and along the neck, another under the eye and over the ear, the third bordering the throat; upper parts brownish-yellow spotted with black; a band of white on the smaller wing-coverts; lower parts, and a band across the fore part of the back, buffy orange.

Male, 62/12; wing, 31/4.

Fur Countries. Accidental, in winter, on the banks of the Mississippi. Migratory.

Emberiza (Plectrophanes) picta, Painted Bunting, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 250.

Painted Bunting, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 589.

Painted Bunting, Emberiza picta, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 91.

154. 3. Plectrophanes ornatus, Towns. Chestnut-collared Lark-Bunting

Plate CCCXCIV. Fig. 1. Male.

Male, in summer, with the upper part of the head, a streak, and some spots behind the ear, and the breast black; a broad band over the eye, the throat and sides of the neck, the abdomen, lower tail-coverts, and three lateral tail-feathers, white; a transverse belt of yellowish-red on the hind neck; upper parts yellowish-grey, spotted with dusky.

Male, 51/4; wing, 32/12.

Rocky Mountains.

Plectrophanes ornata, Chestnut-collared Lark-Finch, Towns. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia, v. vii. p. 189.

Chestnut-collared Lark-Bunting, Emberiza ornata, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 44.

155. 4. Plectrophanes nivalis, Linn. Snow Lark-Bunting

Plate CLXXXIX. Male and Female in winter.

Male, in winter, with the head, neck, lower parts, a great portion of the wings, including the smaller coverts, secondary coverts, several secondary quills, the bases of the primaries and their coverts, and the greater part of the outer tail-feathers on each side, white; the head and hind neck more or less tinged with brownish-red, the upper parts reddish-grey or yellowish-red, mottled with black, the concealed part of the plumage being of the latter colour, the bill brownish-yellow. Female, in winter, with the white less extended. Young, at this season, like the female, but more brown. Male, in summer, with the back, scapulars, inner secondaries, terminal portion of primaries, and four middle tail-feathers, deep black, all the other parts pure white, the bill black. Female with the black parts tinged with brown, and more or less reddish-brown on the head and rump.

Male, 7, 13.

In winter, from Nova Scotia to Kentucky. Abundant. Much rarer along the Atlantic coast. Some breed in Vermont and Massachusetts. Fur Countries in summer.

Snow-Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 86.

Emberiza nivalis, Bonap. Syn. p. 103.

Emberiza (Plectrophanes) nivalis, Snow Buntling, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 247.

Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 458.

Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 515; v. v. p. 496.

GENUS II. EMBERIZA, Linn. BUNTING

Bill short, robust, tapering, somewhat compressed; upper mandible with its dorsal line declinate and slightly convex, the ridge indistinct, the sides convex, the edges a little inflected, ascending to beneath the nostrils, then descending or direct, with a slight notch close to the narrow tip; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the dorsal line ascending, and very slightly convex, the ridge broad at the base, the sides convex, the edges inclinate, their outline ascending for a third or more of its length, then direct, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, roundish. Head large, ovate; neck very short; body rather stout. Feet of moderate length, rather strong; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes rather large; the hind toe strong, and longer than the lateral, which are equal, the third much longer, and united to the fourth at the base. Claws long, arched, much compressed, acute. Plumage soft and blended, but firm. Bristles feeble. Wings of moderate length, rather acute; the first three quills longest. Tail of moderate length, emarginate.

* Wings rather long, with the second and third quills longest.

156. 1. Emberiza Americana, Gmel. Black-throated Bunting

Plate CCCLXXXIV. Male and Female.

Bill very stout; tail-feathers acute. Male with the upper part of the head, the cheeks, and the hind neck dark ash-grey, faintly streaked with dusky; loral space whitish, a band over the eye, and a patch below the cheek, yellow; the fore part of the back greyish-brown, with longitudinal streaks of brownish-black, the hind part brownish-grey; the smaller wing-coverts bright chestnut; chin white, throat black; the lower neck and part of the breast, yellow, the rest of the breast and abdomen, white. Female similar to the male, but paler, and without the black patch on the throat.

Male, 61/2, 103/8.

Breeds abundantly in Texas and all the Western Prairies; less so from Virginia to Massachusetts. Rare in Ohio and Kentucky. Migratory.

Black-throated Bunting, Emberiza Americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 411.

Fringilla Americana, Bonap. Syn. p. 107.

Black-throated Bunting, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 461.

Black-throated Bunting, Emberiza Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 599.

157. 2. Emberiza Townsendii, Aud. Townsend's Bunting

Plate CCCC. Fig. 4. Male.

Bill very stout, with the upper outline considerably convex. Head, cheeks, hind neck, sides of the neck, fore part of the breast, and sides of the body, deep bluish-grey, the head streaked with black; back yellowish-brown, streaked with dusky, the feathers edged with grey, rump yellowish-grey; quills and tail-feathers wood-brown, slightly edged with paler; a narrow white line over the eye; throat white, with a narrow band of black on each side; abdomen and middle part of breast greyish-white.

Male, 53/4, 9.

One specimen (in my possession) procured in Pennsylvania.

Townsend's Bunting, Emberiza Townsendii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 183; v. v. p. 90.

158. 3. Emberiza Grammaca, Say. Lark Bunting

Plate CCCXC. Fig. 1. Male.

Second and third quills longest, first and fourth about equal; tail rather long, rounded. Male with three longitudinal bands of white on the head, separated by two bands of bright chestnut-red, the anterior part of which is black; upper parts light greyish-brown, longitudinally streaked with dusky, the central part of each feather being of the latter colour, the hind part of the back and the rump without streaks; two faint bands of yellowish-white on the wings, formed by the tips of the first row of small coverts, and those of the secondary coverts, and a patch of the same formed by the bases of the outer primaries; quills dusky brown, primaries margined with whitish, secondaries more broadly with light red; tail darker, all the feathers except the middle, terminated by white, which, on the outer, occupies more than a third of its length, and extends nearly to the base of the outer web; below the eye a white streak, cheeks bright chestnut, with an anterior black spot, under them a broad white band from the lower mandible, curving upwards, separated from the throat, which is white, by a short line of black on each side; lower parts white, the lower part of the neck greyish, the sides tinged with greyish-white. Female similar to the male, but with the head simply coloured like the back, and the sides streaked with brown.

Male, 61/2, 81/4.

Upper Missouri, and eastern declivities of the Rocky Mountains. Common. Migratory.

Fringilla grammaca, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 47.

Lark Finch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 480.

Lark Finch, Fringilla grammaca, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 17.

159. 4. Emberiza graminea, Gmel. Grass or Bay-winged Bunting

Plate XC. Male.

Second, third, and fourth quills longest, first and fourth nearly equal; tail rather long, slightly emarginate. Upper parts light greyish-brown, streaked with dusky; smaller wing coverts yellowish-red or bay; quills and larger coverts dusky brown, margined with greyish-white; two whitish bands on the wing, formed by the tips of the first row of small coverts, and the secondary coverts; tail dusky brown, the greater part of the outer feather, and the terminal portion of the outer web of the next white; a narrow circle of white round the eye; lower parts dull white, the throat, fore part of neck, and sides streaked with dark brown.

Male, 53/4, 10.

From Texas to the Columbia River and Fur Countries. Breeds from Maryland eastward and northward. Resident in winter from Carolina southward and westward. Extremely abundant.

Bay-winged Bunting, Emberiza graminea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 51.

Fringilla graminea, Bonap. Syn. p. 108.

Fringilla (Zonotrichia) graminea, Bay-winged Finch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 254.

Bay-winged or Grass Finch, Fringilla graminea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p 482.

Grass Finch or Bay-winged Bunting, Fringilla graminea, Aud. Orn Biog. v. i. p. 473; v. v. p. 502.

160. 5. Emberiza Savanna, Bon. Savannah Bunting

Plate CIX. Male and Female.

Outer four quills almost equal; tail emarginate, with the feathers pointed. Upper parts light greyish-brown, streaked with dusky; smaller wing-coverts like the back; a faint yellow band over the eye, and a faint whitish band in the middle of the crown; two whitish bands on the wing, formed by the tips of the first row of small coverts and the secondary coverts, the latter very inconspicuous, quills and tail-feathers dusky brown, edged with paler, the lateral tail-feathers merely of a lighter tint; cheeks dull yellow, streaked with brown; lower part white, the throat and sides streaked with dusky.

Male, 51/2, 81/2.

From Texas to the Columbia River, and along the whole Atlantic coast to Nova Scotia. Extremely abundant during winter in all the Southern States. Breeds from Maryland eastward.

Savannah Finch, Fringilla savanna, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 72.

Fringilla savanna, Bonap. Syn. p. 109.

Savannah Sparrow, Fringilla savanna, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 489.

Savannah Finch, Fringilla savanna, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 63; v. v. p. 516.

161. 6. Emberiza pallida, Swains. Clay-coloured Bunting

Plate CCCXCVIII. Fig. 2. Male.

Bill more slender and pointed than in the preceding species; wings more rounded, the second, third, and fourth quills being about equal, the first and fifth equal; tail long, emarginate, and a little rounded, upper parts light yellowish-brown, streaked with brownish-black, the streaks on the rump fainter; quills and tail-feathers greyish-brown, margined with brownish-white; over the eye a band of brownish-white; cheeks pale brown; sides of neck very light buff; the rest of the lower parts greyish-white, the sides tinged with greyish-brown. Female similar to the male, but with less yellow on the sides of the neck.

Male, 52/12, wing 27/12.

Platte River, Missouri Plains, and Fur Countries. Common. Migratory.

Emberiza pallida, Clay-coloured Bunting, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 251.

Clay-coloured Bunting, Emberiza pallida, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 66.

162. 7. Emberiza passerina, Wils. Yellow-winged Bunting

Plate CXXX. Male.

Bill very short and stout; tail-feathers acute. Upper parts light greyish-brown, mixed on the neck with ash-grey, the central parts of all the feathers brownish-black, the margins of those of the back bright chestnut; upper part of the head brownish-black, with a longitudinal central line of yellowish-white, and a yellow line over each eye; secondary coverts dusky, margined with greyish-white; the edge of the wing at the flexure bright yellow; quills and tail-feathers dusky brown, margined with whitish; lower parts pale yellowish-grey, the fore neck and lower tail-coverts of a richer tint; the sides inclining to grey, and faintly streaked with dusky.