A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

Male, 5, 83/4.

From Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Maine, in winter; inland, to Kentucky. Breeds in Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, and the Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.

Lesser Redpoll, Fringilla linaria, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 42.

Fringilla linaria, Bonap. Syn. p. 112.

Linaria minor, Lesser Redpoll, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. i. p. 267.

Lesser Redpoll, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 512.

Lesser Redpoll, Fringilla Linaria, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 533.

180. 3. Linaria pinus, Wils. Pine Linnet

Plate CLXXX. Male and Female.

Upper parts yellowish-grey, streaked with dark brown; feathers of the wings dusky, the primaries margined with yellow, of which there is a patch formed by the bases of all the quills, except the outer three, and a few of the inner; tips of first row of small coverts, secondary coverts and outer edges of secondary quills dull white; tail-feathers dusky, their bases and outer edges yellow; lower parts greyish-white, streaked with brown, the fore neck tinged with reddish.

Male, 49/12, 81/2.

Wanders during winter to South Carolina, Louisiana, and Kentucky. Breeds north of the United States, in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Labrador. Columbia River. Plentiful.

Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 133.

Fringilla pinus, Bonap. Syn. p. 111.

Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, Nutt. Man. v.i. p. 511.

Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 455; v. v. p. 509.

GENUS VIII. CARDUELIS, Cuv. GOLDFINCH

Bill short, or of moderate length, conical, very stout at the base, compressed toward the end, and tapering to a fine point; upper mandible a little broader, with the nasal sinus very broad, the dorsal outline very slightly convex, the ridge narrowed toward the end, the sides convex, the edges a little inflected and overlapping, the edges slightly ascending at the base, the notches obsolete, the tip very acute; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, the tip very acute. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the feathers. Head roundish-ovate; neck short; body rather full. Legs rather short; tarsus short, compressed, slender, with seven scutella; toes moderate, the first large, the lateral nearly equal. Claws long, compressed, moderately curved, very acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings rather long, pointed, the first, second, and third quills about equal and longest. Tail rather short, deeply emarginate. Roof of upper mandible deeply concave; tongue grooved above, pointed; œsophagus dilated about the middle; stomach small, broadly elliptical, moderately muscular; intestine short; cœca very small.

181. 1. Carduelis tristis, Linn. American Goldfinch

Plate XXXIII. Male and Female.

Bill rather slender, second and third quills longest. Male rich lemon-yellow, fading behind into yellowish-white; upper part of head, wings, and tail black; smaller coverts yellow, quills margined, and secondary coverts tipped with yellowish-white; inner webs of tail-feathers in their terminal half white. Female brownish-olive above, without black on the head; fore neck and breast greyish-yellow, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white. Young like the female, as is the male in winter.

Male, 41/2, 8.

Abundant in the Middle and Western Districts, during summer. Accidental in the Southern States during winter. Columbia River and Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.

American Goldfinch, Fringilla tristis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 20.

Fringilla tristis, Bonap. Syn. p. 111.

Carduelis Americana (Edwards), American Goldfinch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 268.

Yellow Bird or American Goldfinch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 507.

American Goldfinch, Fringilla tristis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 172; v. v. p. 510.

182. 2. Carduelis magellanicus, Vieill. Black-headed Goldfinch

Plate CCCXCIV. Fig. 2. Male.

Bill moderately stout; first and second quills equal and longest. Male with the head and throat black, back yellowish-green, rump and lower parts greenish-yellow; wings black, with two bands of yellowish-green, terminating the first row of small coverts, and the secondary coverts; a conspicuous band of yellow on the basal portion of all the quills, most of which are margined with the same toward the end; tail yellow, with the terminal half black.

Male, 43/4, wing 210/12.

Five seen in winter at Henderson in Kentucky, of which I procured two.

Black-headed Siskin, Fringilla magellanica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 46.

183. 3. Carduelis psaltria, Say. Arkansaw Goldfinch

Plate CCCC. Fig. 1. Male.

Bill moderately stout; second quill longest, third scarcely shorter. Male with the upper part of the head black; hind neck, back, and scapulars yellowish-green, spotted with greenish-brown; rump greenish-yellow; upper tail-coverts dusky, margined with yellow, as on the smaller wing-coverts; the other coverts and quills black; secondary coverts broadly tipped with pale yellow, forming a conspicuous band; quills margined with yellowish-white, all except the outer three and the inner secondaries, white toward the base; tail-feathers brownish-black, narrowly edged with whitish, and all, except the middle and lateral with a whitish space at the base, running out along the outer margin so as to form a conspicuous patch. Female similar, but without the black on the head.

Male, 41/2, 8.

Eastern bases of Rocky Mountains, and Western Plains. Accidental in Lower Louisiana. Common. Migratory.

Arkansaw Siskin, Fringilla psaltria, Say, Long's Exped. v. ii. p. 40.

Fringilla psaltria, Bonap. Syn. p. 111.

Arkansas Siskin, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 510.

Arkansaw Siskin, Fringilla psaltria, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 85.

184. 4. Carduelis Yarrellii, Aud. Yarrell's Goldfinch

Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 4. Male. Fig. 5. Female.

Bill very thick; second quill longest, third slightly longer than first. Male with the upper part of the head black, the back and scapulars yellowish-green, the hind neck and rump yellow; the wings and tail brownish-black; the former, when extended, crossed by two bands, one greenish-yellow, tipping the first row of small coverts, the other bright yellow and broad, on the base of the primary and secondary quills; tail also yellow in its basal half; lower parts bright yellow. Female with the upper parts yellowish-green, the lower dull greenish-yellow. This species, which has the bill thicker than any other here described, although it is otherwise inferior in size, not having been found by me any where noticed, I propose to honour with the name of my excellent friend Mr Yarrell. In my ornithological biography it is described as the Mexican Goldfinch, but that species has the back black, and the bases of the quills and tail-feathers white.

Male, 4, wing, 21/2.

Upper California.

Mexican Goldfinch, Fringilla Mexicana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 282.

185. 5. Carduelis Stanleyi, Aud. Stanley Goldfinch

Not figured.

Bill thick; second and third quills equal, first little shorter. Male with the upper part of the head black, the back and scapulars yellowish-green, faintly streaked with dusky, the rump inclining to greenish-yellow; the wings and tail black; the former, when extended, crossed by two bands, one greenish-yellow, tipping the first row of small coverts, the other bright yellow and broad at the base of the primary and secondary quills; tail also yellow in its basal third, except on the middle feather; lower parts greenish-yellow, feeding into white on the abdomen; feathers on the throat black at the base; lower tail-coverts yellow, tipped with white, and having a central dusky streak. Female dull yellowish-green above, faintly streaked with dusky, paler beneath.

In this species, which I have named in honour of the illustrious Earl of Derby, the bill is so thick and short as to approach in form to that of the European Greenfinch.

Male, 49/12, wing, 210/12.

Upper California.

GENUS IX. FRINGILLA, Linn. FINCH

Bill short, stout, conical, somewhat compressed, pointed; upper mandible of the same breadth as the lower, with its dorsal line straight, the ridge indistinct, the sides rounded, the edges ascending at the base, the notches obsolete, the tip scarcely deflected; lower mandible with the angle very short and rounded, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, the edges inflected, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the feathers. Head rather large, ovate; neck short; body compact. Legs of moderate length; tarsus rather short, compressed, with seven scutella; toes moderate; hind toe stout, lateral equal. Claws rather long, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage rather compact, but blended. Wings of moderate length, with the second, third, and fourth quills longest. Tail of moderate length, slightly emarginate. Roof of upper mandible moderately concave, with three longitudinal ridges; tongue compressed, channelled above, horny, rather obtuse and concave at the end; œsophagus dilated about the middle; stomach roundish, muscular; intestine rather short; cœca small.

* Wings rather short, claws long, little arched.

186. 1. Fringilla iliaca, Merrem. Fox-coloured Finch

Plate CVIII. Male and Female.

Upper parts light red, claws long, hind toe and its claws of equal length, tail lighter, the head and neck intermixed with light bluish-grey; inner webs of quills brown, secondary coverts slightly tipped with whitish; lower parts white, and, except the abdomen, spotted with light red, the spots on the breast smaller and inclining to black; a patch of dusky on its fore part, produced by the inner webs of several of the feathers.

Male, 71/2, 101/2. Female, 71/2.

Dispersed in winter throughout the Southern and Western Districts. Breeds from Nova Scotia to Labrador and the Fur Countries. Rather common.

Fox-coloured Sparrow, Fringilla rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 53.

Fringilla iliaca, Bonap. Syn. p. 112.

Fringilla (Zonotrichia) iliaca, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 257.

Ferruginous Finch, Fringilla iliaca, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 514.

Fox-coloured Sparrow, Fringilla iliaca, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 58; v. v. p. 512.

187. 2. Fringilla Townsendi, Aud. Townsend's Finch

Plate CCCCXXIV. Fig. 7. Female.

Claws very long, hind toe much shorter than its claw; upper parts very dark olivaceous-brown, with a slight tinge of red, which is more conspicuous on the rump and outer webs of the tail-feathers, and margins of the wings and quills; sides of the neck and body and feathers of legs similar, the rest white with dark brown triangular spots, lower tail-coverts brown, broadly margined with pale dull yellow.

Female, 7, 101/2.

Colorado of the West. Rocky Mountains.

Townsend's Finch, Fringilla Townsendi, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 236.

188. 3. Fringilla cinerea, Gmel. Brown Finch

Plate CCCXC. Fig. 4. Male.

Hind claw and toe of equal length; upper parts brownish-grey tinged with olivaceous, streaked with dark reddish-brown; three longitudinal bands of bluish-grey on the head; secondaries and their coverts broadly margined with dull chestnut; tail-feathers with a fainter tint of the same; on the cheek a whitish line, and beneath it a dusky brown band; throat and fore part of the neck white, with longitudinal dark reddish-brown streaks; the middle of the breast yellowish-white, the sides dark yellowish-brown, streaked with dark reddish-brown; lower tail-coverts brown, broadly margined with pale yellowish-grey.

Male, 6, 8.

Platte River, North California, and Columbia River. Common. Migratory.

Fringilla cinerea, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 922.

Cinereous Finch, Arct. Zool. v. ii. N. 260.

Brown Song Sparrow, Fringilla cinerea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 22.

189. 4. Fringilla melodia, Wils. Song Finch

Plate XXV. Male and Female.

Hind toe and claw of equal length; upper parts yellowish-grey, streaked with brownish-black and brownish-red; on the head three greyish-blue longitudinal bands; quills dusky brown, margined with brownish-red, tail-feathers dull light brown, edged with lighter; sides of the head yellowish-grey, with two bands of dusky brown; throat white, with a broad band of dusky brown on each side; lower parts white, the fore neck and sides tinged with reddish, and streaked with dusky brown. Bill stouter than in the preceding species.

Male, 6, 81/2.

Breeds from Texas to Nova Scotia. Not observed in Kentucky. Winter resident in the Southern States. Very abundant.

Fringilla melodia, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 125.

Fringilla melodia, Bonap. Syn. p. 108.

Common Song Sparrow, Fringilla melodia, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 486.

Song Sparrow, Fringilla melodia, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 126; v. v. p. 507.

190. 5. Fringilla Mortoni, Aud. Morton's Finch

Not figured.

Wings of moderate length, the first quill two-twelfths of an inch shorter than the second, which is almost equal to the third; tail of moderate length, nearly even; bill dusky; feet and claws yellowish-brown; upper part of head ash-grey, with a longitudinal band of black on each side, externally of which is a greyish-white band; loral space, cheek-feathers, and auriculars dusky, the feathers under the eye tipped with white; throat white, surrounded with a black band; a light chestnut-red band surrounding the neck unless for a short space in front; fore-part of back and scapulars light dull yellowish-red, streaked with brownish-black, the hind part, rump, and upper tail-coverts yellowish-grey; the smaller wing-coverts yellowish-grey, the first row brownish-black toward the end with the tip white, the secondary coverts and inner secondary quills brownish-black, broadly margined with light yellowish-red, the former tipped with white, the rest of the quills dusky brown, edged with yellowish-red fading on the outer whitish; tail-feathers blackish-brown, narrowly edged with pale yellowish-grey, the lateral of a lighter tint; lower parts dull brownish-white, sides light greyish-brown, lower wing-coverts yellowish-white.

Male, 51/2, wing, 211/12.

North California.

Morton's Finch, Fringilla Mortoni, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 312.

* Claws shorter and more curved.

191. 6. Fringilla Pennsylvanica, Lath. White-throated Finch

Plate VIII. Male and Female.

Male with the bill dusky; the upper part of the head black, with a central white band; a bright yellow band from the nostril to the eye continued into a white band passing over and behind it, and margined beneath with black; fore part of back bright bay, streaked with dusky and reddish-yellow; rump yellowish-grey; edge of wing light yellow; quills brownish-black, primaries edged with yellowish-grey, secondaries and their coverts with light red; two narrow bands of white on the wings, formed by the tips of the secondary coverts and first row of small coverts; tail-feathers brown, edged with rufous; throat white; cheeks, sides, and fore part of neck, and a portion of breast, ash-grey, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white, the sides tinged with yellowish-grey. Female similar, but with the colours duller.

Male, 61/2, 9. Female, 61/4, 81/2.

Winter resident from Louisiana to Maryland, and inland as far as Kentucky. Breeds from Maine to the Fur Countries. Abundant.

White-throated Sparrow, Fringilla albicollis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 51.

Fringilla Pennsylvanica, Bonap. Syn. p. 108.

Fringilla (Zonotrichia) Pennsylvanica, White-throated Finch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 256.

White-throated Sparrow, Fringilla Pennsylvanica, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 481.

White-throated Sparrow, Fringilla Pennsylvanica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 42; v. v. p. 497.

192. 7. Fringilla leucophrys, Gmel. White-crowned Finch. – White-crowned Sparrow

Plate CXIV. Adult Male and Female in second plumage.

Male with the bill yellowish-red, tipped with brown; upper part of the head with four longitudinal black, and three white bands; fore part of the back streaked with reddish-brown and yellowish-grey; rump light yellowish-brown; quills dark brown, primaries edged with yellowish-grey, secondaries and their coverts with yellowish-red; edge of wing whitish; two bands of white on the wing, formed by the tips of the secondary coverts and first row of small coverts; tail-feathers brown, edged with yellowish-brown; throat greyish-white; cheeks, sides, and fore part of the neck, and a portion of the breast, ash-grey; abdomen white, sides, and lower tail-coverts yellowish-brown. Female similar to the male. Young in first plumage with the back, wings, and tail as in the adult, but duller, and the bands inconspicuous; on the head three greyish-white bands, streaked with dusky, and four dull greyish-brown bands similarly streaked; cheeks, sides, and fore part of the neck, with a portion of the breast dull greyish-white, streaked with dusky, the rest of the lower parts dull yellowish-white. At the second moult the colours approximate to those of the old bird, but the central band on the head is dull yellowish-brown, the lateral bands brownish-red; while the lower parts are of much duller tints.

Male, 71/2, 101/2.

Breeds from Newfoundland and Labrador northward. Abundant. Migratory. Passes southward in autumn beyond the Texas.

White-crowned Bunting, Emberiza leucophrys, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 49.

Fringilla leucophrys, Bonap. Syn. p. 479.

Fringilla (Zonotrichia) leucophrys, White-crowned Finch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 255.

White-crowned Bunting or Finch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 479.

White-crowned Sparrow, Fringilla leucophrys, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 88; v. v. p. 515.

193. 8. Fringilla atricapilla, Gmel. Black-and-yellow-crowned Finch

Plate CCCXCIV. Fig. 3. Male.

Bill dusky above, reddish-brown beneath; upper part of head black, with a median longitudinal band of yellow, changing behind to grey; upper parts yellowish-brown, tinged with grey; the feathers of the fore part of the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, with a central dusky spot; quills and larger coverts dark brown, bordered with reddish-brown, paler on the primaries; the tips of the secondary coverts and first row of small coverts white, forming two bands across the wing; tail-feathers brown, edged with yellowish-grey; sides of the head, throat, fore part and sides of the neck, and breast, light grey, the sides and lower tail-coverts pale yellowish-brown, the abdomen brownish-white. Young with the upper parts dull yellowish-grey, streaked with dusky; wings and tail dusky brown, the primaries and tail-feathers edged with yellowish-green; the lower parts greyish-white, streaked with dusky, the throat white, with a dusky band on each side, the sides and lower tail-coverts tinged with light yellowish-brown.

Male, 8, wing 35/12.

Rocky Mountains and Columbia River. Rare. Migratory.

Emberiza atricapilla, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 875.

Black-and-yellow-crowned Finch, Emberiza atricapilla, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 47.

GENUS X. PIPILO, Vieill. GROUND-FINCH

Bill short, stout, narrower than the head, conical, somewhat compressed, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly convex, the ridge narrow and distinct, the sides convex, the edges somewhat inflected, ascending for more than a third, then direct, with a slight festoon; notches very slight, tip declinate, narrow; lower mandible with the angle very short and broad, the dorsal line slightly convex, the sides rounded, the edges involute, the point acute. Nostrils basal, roundish, partially concealed by the feathers. Tarsus of moderate length, compressed, with seven scutella; toes rather large, scutellate above, the first stronger, the lateral nearly equal. Claws rather long, moderately arched, slender, compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Small bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Plumage full, soft, and blended. Wings of ordinary length, much rounded, the fourth quill longest; tail long, rounded. Roof of upper mandible rather flat, with a narrow median and two broad lateral flattened ridges, tongue compressed, convex above, with a median groove, horny at the end, and pointed; œsophagus slightly dilated about the middle; stomach a strong muscular gizzard; intestine short; cœca small.

194. 1. Pipilo arcticus, Swains. Arctic Ground-Finch

Plate CCCXCIV. Fig. 4. Male. Fig. 5. Female.

Head, neck all round, a part of the breast, and upper parts in general, black; sides and lower tail-coverts orange-red, the latter paler; central part of the breast and abdomen white; feathers of the tibia dusky, margined with whitish; an elongated patch on the outer web of all the scapulars, a small terminal spot on the first row of small coverts, and on the secondary coverts, and a large patch at the end of the inner web of the outer three tail-feathers on each side, white. Female smaller, differing only in having the parts which are black in the male dull brownish-black.

Male, 81/2; wing, 31/2. Female, 8; wing, 31/4.

Columbia River, and northward to the Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.

Pyrgita (Pipilo) arctica, Arctic Ground-Finch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 260.

Arctic Ground-Finch, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 589.

Arctic Ground-Finch, Fringilla arctica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 49.

195. 2. Pipilo erythrophthalmus, Linn. Towhe Ground-Finch. – Towhe Bunting. Ground Robin. Swamp Robin

Plate XXIX. Male and Female.

Head, neck all round, a portion of the breast, and upper parts in general, black; sides and lower tail-coverts orange-red, the latter paler; central part of the breast and abdomen white; feathers of the tibia dusky, margined with whitish (no white spots on the scapulars or wing-coverts); a white patch on the wing, formed by the bases of the outer webs of six or seven of the primaries; outer three tail-feathers with a white patch toward the end on their inner webs chiefly (much more extended than in the last species). Female smaller, differing from the male only in having the parts which in him are deep black, dusky reddish-brown. Young in first plumage with the upper parts dull reddish-brown, streaked with brownish-black; the wings and tail as in the adult, the lower parts pale yellowish-grey, marked with short longitudinal streaks of dusky.

Male, 81/2, 12.

Breeds from Texas along the Atlantic districts, as well as in the interior, northward to Labrador. Abundant. Migratory.

Towhe Bunting, Emberiza erythrophthalma, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 35.

Fringilla erythrophthalma, Bonap. Syn. p. 112.

Ground Robin or Towhe Finch, Fringilla erythrophthalma, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 515.

Towhe Bunting, Fringilla erythrophthalma, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 151; v. v. p. 511.

GENUS XI. ERYTHROSPIZA, Bonap. PURPLE-FINCH

Bill rather short, robust, bulging, conical, pointed; upper mandible a little broader, with the nasal sinus very short and broad, the dorsal line a little convex, the ridge indistinct, the sides rounded, the edges a little inflected, ascending at the base, afterwards direct, the notches faint, the tip slightly deflected, rather acute; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line ascending, straight, the back and sides rounded, the edges involute, the tip acute. Nostrils roundish, partially concealed by the short reflexed bristly feathers. Head large, roundish-ovate; neck short, body moderate. Tarsus short, slender, compressed, with seven scutella; toes rather small, first stout, lateral nearly equal. Claws slender, much compressed, well arched, acute. Plumage soft and rather blended; feathers of the hind head somewhat elongated and pointed. Wings of moderate length, rather pointed, the outer four quills longest. Tail of moderate length, deeply emarginate. Upper mandible concave beneath, with two prominent lines, of which the lateral are much larger; tongue higher than broad, channelled above, the tip somewhat rounded and concave; œsophagus dilated about the middle; stomach roundish, muscular; intestine short; cœca very small.