A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 3

Centronyx bairdi (I, 531). The past year has been a remarkably fortunate one for our knowledge of this species, and, owing to the investigations of Mr. C. E. Aiken, Dr. Coues, and Mr. H. W. Henshaw, it cannot now be classed among the rare birds of our country; the total number of specimens collected by these gentlemen amounting to more than one hundred. The first example—the second one then known—was collected by Mr. Aiken in El Paso County, Colorado, October 9, 1872, and, being in the soft autumnal plumage, appeared to be so distinct from the type that, after a careful comparison of the two specimens, Mr. Ridgway wrote Mr. Aiken that it was in his opinion different, and accompanied his letter by a comparative diagnosis of the two supposed species. The Colorado specimen was then described in the American Naturalist (Vol. VII, April, 1873, p. 236) as Centronyx ochrocephalus, Aiken. On the 6th of May, 1873, Mr. Aiken obtained another specimen at the same locality; and this one, being forwarded to Mr. Ridgway for comparison, proved to be so decidedly intermediate between the types of C. bairdi and C. “ochrocephalus” that they immediately suggested the probability of their being seasonal stages of one species,—C. bairdi representing the very faded and much abraded midsummer dress; C. ochrocephalus being the autumnal dress, probably of a young bird, with the pattern of coloration distinct, and the colors soft and deep; and the May specimen the spring plumage, just intermediate between the two others.

During the past summer (1873) Dr. Coues collected about seventy specimens along the northern border of Dakota, from just west of the Pembina Mountains to the second crossing of the Mouse River. They frequented the open prairie exclusively, associating in vast numbers with Neocorys spraguei and Plectrophanes ornatus, these three being the most abundant and characteristic birds of the prairie. By the middle of July young birds were already observed; and, equally young ones being taken in the middle of August, it is presumed that two broods were raised. The splendid suite of specimens brought in by Dr. Coues comprises both adult and young birds. Of the former, many examples exactly match Audubon’s type, while others approach very closely Mr. Aiken’s specimen in the spring plumage. The young, however, are in a plumage entirely new. We give below descriptions of the several stages of plumage:—

Adult male in spring (No. 2,141, Mus. R. R., El Paso County, Colorado, May 6, 1873; C. E. Aiken). Ground-color of the head deep buff, growing paler toward the throat, which is white; crown sharply streaked with deep black, the streaks aggregated laterally so as to form two broken stripes; a cuneate speck of black at the post-superior corner of the auriculars; maxillary stripe deep buff, bounded above and below by continuous stripes of black,—one from the rictus along lower edge of cheeks, the other from side of chin down side of throat. Above pale hair-brown, the feathers paler, or brownish-white, externally, and brownish-black centrally. Beneath white, tinged with buff across the jugulum, where thickly marked with cuneate streaks of deep black; sides sparsely streaked, the streaks more brown. “Legs and lower mandible flesh-color; upper mandible horn-color; toes and claws dusky. Length, 5.62; extent, 9.04.” Wing, 2.80; tail, 2.15; culmen, .45; tarsus, .80; middle toe, .60.

Adult female in summer, exactly similar, but rather smaller, and the colors duller and paler.

Young, in first plumage. Similar in general appearance to the adult in fall plumage, but the markings more suffused. All the contour feathers of the dorsal surface sharply bordered terminally and laterally with white; streaks on the breast heavier and shorter.

Adult male in autumn (No. 1,113, Mus. C. E. A., El Paso County, Colorado, October 9, 1872).118 Ground-color of the head deep ochraceous, deepest on the middle of the crown, and gradually fading to buffy-white on the throat; feathers of the crown with broad, deep black medial streaks, these narrower toward the middle, forming two lateral broadly black-streaked areas, with an intervening, badly defined, deep-ochraceous, narrowly streaked stripe. A distinct black spot behind the upper posterior corner of the auriculars; a smaller one at the middle of their posterior edge, and two black streaks bordering the light-ochraceous maxillary stripe,—a narrow one from the rictus along the lower edge of the deeply ochraceous ear-coverts and suborbital region, and a heavy “bridle” on each side of the throat. Lower parts buffy-white, fading into nearly pure white posteriorly; jugulum crossed by a series of heavy cuneate deep-black streaks, these continuing backward along the sides, but becoming reddish on the flanks; tibiæ brownish-gray. Neck, laterally and posteriorly, light ochraceous-yellow, each feather with a sharply defined medial streak of black. Dorsal feathers deep black centrally, then hair-brown (not reddish), and broadly bordered with white, both laterally and terminally. Rump and upper tail-coverts reddish hair-brown, each feather broadly bordered with buffy-white and with a black shaft-streak. General aspect of the wings grayish-pinkish ochraceous, the feathers all blackish centrally; outer web of outer primary pure white. Tail-feathers black, skirted with whitish ashy-ochraceous, this becoming pure white on the lateral pair of feathers, the exterior of which is pale gray centrally. Lining of wing immaculate pure white.

Wing, 3.00; tail, 2.40; culmen, .45; depth of bill, .23; tarsus, .85; middle toe, .63; lateral toes, .20 shorter; hind toe, .35. End of the wing formed by the four outer quills, of which the second and third are equal and longest, the first and fourth equal and just appreciably shorter; tertials considerably longer than the secondaries, and only .20 shorter than the longest primaries. Tail deeply emarginated (fork .20 deep), the lateral feathers longest.

The following measurements of about thirty fresh specimens, kindly furnished us by Dr. Coues, indicate the normal variation in size: “The males range from 5.10 to 5.85 in length, by 9.10 to 9.85 in extent, averaging about 5.65 by 9.50. The shortest-winged specimen was a female, expanding 8.85, though measuring 5.50 in length; the wing ordinarily ranged from 2.75 to 3.00.”

Dr. Coues also furnishes the following account of the habits of this species, which we print verbatim:—

“Out of thirty-one specimens collected July 14 and 15, twenty-nine were males, one female, and one young. This remarkable preponderance of males collected was owing to the fact that these attracted my attention as they sat singing on the tops of the weeds and low bushes; the females being probably down in the grass, incubating, or attending to their young,—at any rate not singing. In general appearance and manners they were so similar to Savanna Sparrows (Passerculus savanna) with which they were here associated, that they could only be distinguished at gunshot range after several days’ close observation. The song resembles that of the Savanna Sparrow, but may soon be learned; it consists of two or three chirps and an indefinite trill—zip, zip, zip, zurrrrrrr—in a mellow tinkling tone. The birds rise from the grass with a quick flickering flight, seldom going far before re-alighting. They remain in this portion of the country at least until October. Though scattered over the prairie, they tend to gather in little colonies; that is to say, one might ride a mile or so without seeing any, and then find numbers in the same spot. After leaving the prairie included in the bend of the Souris River, none were seen on the Coteau de Missouri; though this may have been owing to the lateness of the season. Late in July I scared a female off her nest on the prairie: the bird ran slyly through the grass, like a mouse, for some distance, before taking wing; her actions being like those of Plectrophanes ornatus under similar circumstances. Unfortunately, however, the nest was not found; but it will almost certainly be found to be built upon the ground, like that of Poocætes, Passerculus, and other allies.”

We learn by letter (dated October 7, 1873) from Mr. H. W. Henshaw, the naturalist of Lieutenant Wheeler’s expedition, that he has obtained (somewhere along the line of their route, apparently in New Mexico, but the locality is not mentioned) about thirty specimens of what he supposes to be this bird in the fall plumage. In regard to their habits, Mr. Henshaw writes as follows: “It is essentially a plain bird, with habits about half-way between those of the Savanna and Yellow-winged Sparrows, both of which were abundant in the same locality.”

Plectrophanes ornatus (I, 520). The abundant material brought in by recent collectors, among whom we may mention particularly Mr. Allen (see Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl. III, No. 6, p. 135) and Dr. Coues, throws additional light upon the relationship of this species and P. “melanomus” (I, 521), and affords conclusive evidence of their identity. The latter is merely a high stage of plumage, with the lesser coverts deep black, instead of brown as in midsummer, and rufous borders to the black feathers of the lower parts, which become worn off in midsummer.

Passerculus alaudinus (I, 537). Dr. Cooper informs me that in July, 1873, he found young but fully fledged birds of this species quite common along the beach near Santa Barbara, and where, possibly, they may have been mistaken by Dr. Heermann for P. rostratus. One he shot closely resembled in plumage the young Melospiza heermanni. They had been, without doubt, hatched on the grassy hills near by, and may breed farther south on the mountains. P. anthinus was numerous all summer in the neighboring marshes, but not away from salt water.

Passerculus princeps (I, 540). Additional specimens collected at Ipswich, Mass., by Mr. Maynard, and on Long Island by Mr. Lawrence, confirm the validity of this form, and likewise considerably extend its known range.

Coturniculus passerinus, var. perpallidus (I, 556). First described in Coues’s Key, October, 1872, p. 137.

Coturniculus lecontei (I, 558). Seven specimens of this interesting species were collected in August, 1873, by Dr. Coues, while attached to the Northern Boundary Survey. Five of them were obtained August 9, at the head-waters of the Souris River, on a boundless prairie. They inhabited the low portions of the prairie, where the grass was tall, recalling to mind the sea-shore marshes inhabited by the Ammodromi of the Atlantic coast. In habits they entirely resembled the seaside Buntings (A. caudacutus and A. maritimus).

These specimens reveal the fact that Leconte’s Bunting is quite as much an Ammodromus as a Coturniculus, being, in fact, just intermediate between A. caudacutus and C. henslowi, agreeing most nearly with the latter in style of coloration, and exactly resembling the former in form, the rectrices being even longer, stiffer, and more acute. This renders it necessary to unite Ammodromus and Coturniculus into one genus, recognizing them as subgenera, definable chiefly by the different style of coloration of the superior surface in the two groups. The name Ammodromus stands as the proper designation of the genus, being of earlier date.

Several stages of plumage are represented in the series obtained by Dr. Coues; and, the diagnosis of the species given on p. 552 being taken from a very defective specimen, we give here short descriptions taken from the elegant skins before us.

Adult male (No. 3,442, Coll. E. C.). Ground-color of the head white, tinged with buff on the maxillæ, and with ash on the auriculars; crown with two broad black stripes, separated by a narrow medial one of whitish; nuchal feathers bright rufous, edged with ashy-white, and shafted with black; dorsal feathers black, broadly edged exteriorly with white, and interiorly narrowly skirted with rufous. Beneath entirely white, tinged on the throat with buff, and streaked on the sides—from the breast to the flanks—with black. Length, 5.00; extent, 7.10; wing, 2.10; tail, 2.00; culmen, .42; tarsus, .68.

Adult female (No. 3,443, E. C.). Resembling the male, but, being in less abraded plumage, the colors more pronounced. The head is deep buff (just as in Ammodromus caudacutus), the auriculars and lores distinctly grayish-white, and the medial stripe of the crown ashy-white, except the anterior third, which is buff. On the lower parts, the whole lower side of the head, the entire breast, sides, flanks, and tibiæ, are deep buff, the sides sharply streaked with black. The abdomen, anal region, and crissum are pure white, in marked contrast. Length, 5.00; extent, 7.00; wing, 2.00; tail, 2.10; culmen, .45; tarsus, .70.

Young (Nos. 3,444, 3,445, and 3,446, E. C.). Ground-color above dull buff, below white; the pattern of the old birds seen in the markings, which, however, are pure black, all red and brown tints being absent,—except on the wings and tail, which are nearly as in the adult.

Ammodromus maritimus (I, 560). Mr. Maynard has discovered a very remarkable new local form of this species in Florida, which he has named var. nigrescens, possessing the following characters:—

Ammodromus maritimus, var. nigrescens, Ridgway.

Char. Above black, nearly uniform, and with a faint brownish cast; dorsal feathers with their outer edges narrowly grayish-white; remiges and tail-feathers edged with olive-brown; edge of the wing bright gamboge-yellow; supra-loral stripe deep yellow to above the middle of the eye; an obscure supra-auricular stripe of olive-grayish. Lores, auriculars, and cheeks nearly uniform black; lower parts pure white, covered with broad streaks of black, the anal region and middle line of the throat only unstreaked. Wing, 2.40; tail, 2.50; culmen, .55; tarsus, .95; middle toe, .55. (1855, Coll. R. R.)

Specimens of var. maritimus from Fort Macon, North Carolina, are much darker than Connecticut examples.

Zonotrichia leucophrys, var. gambeli (I, 569). Specimens from the Pacific Coast, which are true gambeli, are uniformly different from Middle Province examples in several important particulars; the colors are all darker, the ash more sombre, and the dorsal streaks sooty-black instead of chestnut-brown. In everything except the coloration of the head they closely resemble Z. coronata. The Middle Province form may be named Zonotrichia leucophrys, var. intermedia, Ridgway.

Junco (I, 578). For a new synopsis of the genus, see Am. Nat. VII, October, 1873, p. 613.

Junco hyemalis, var. aikeni (I, 584). First described in Am. Nat. VII, October, 1873, p. 615.

Junco oregonus (I, 584). Dr. Cooper writes that the Oregon Snowbird frequents the Sierra Nevada, lat. 39°, up to an elevation of 9,000 feet. He found a nest with three eggs at an elevation of about 7,000 feet, July 28, 1870.

Poospiza belli (I, 593). A fall specimen from Dr. Cooper, collected at Saticoy, California, October 8, 1872, shows a new plumage of this form, and substantiates the remarkable difference, in every stage of plumage, from var. nevadensis (I, 594). It differs from specimens of the latter in the corresponding dress, in the following particulars:—

Sub-maxillary bridle deep black, very broad, and reaching to the bill; pectoral spot conspicuous, black; sides strongly washed with ochraceous; above dark plumbeous instead of light ash; no trace of streaks on the back. Wing, 2.80; tail, 3.00; culmen, .40; tarsus, .80. (No. 63,652, Mus. S. I.)

Spizella monticola (II, 3). Collected by Henshaw in Southern Utah, in October, 1872. Probably found throughout the Middle Province region.

Spizella socialis (II, 7). Dr. Cooper informs us that the Chipping Sparrow frequents the Sierra Nevada, near latitude 39°, up to 9,000 feet elevation, in summer, and is the only species of Spizella to be seen there at that season.

Spizella pallida, var. breweri (II, 13). Dr. Cooper met with this species arriving from the South, in small flocks, April, 1873, frequenting bushy grounds ten miles inland. They had the song and habits as described, but were not seen in the low country in summer.

Melospiza lincolni (II, 31). Dr Cooper writes that in July, 1870, he found this species numerous at and near the summit of the Central Railroad in an elevation of from 7,000 to 9,000 feet. They were always about marshy thickets, often close to fields of perpetual snow. They had there raised their young, which were mostly fledged. He found a nest with one egg on the ground. As he found this July 27, he thinks that without doubt it raises two broods in a season even in that subalpine region. The song he found quite different from that of the other Melospizæ, being fainter, more lively and continuous, like that of some Wren or Warbler.

Melospiza palustris (II, 34). Collected in Southern Utah (Washington), October 23, 1872, by Mr. Henshaw. (Mus. S. I., No. 63,500.)

Peucæa æstivalis, var. arizonæ (II, 41). First described in Am. Nat. VII, October, 1873, p. 616.

Peucæa carpalis. An additional species of Peucæa has been discovered in Arizona by that diligent collector, Lieutenant (now Captain) Charles Bendire, U. S. A. It has been described (Am. Nat. VII, June, 1873, p. 322) by Dr. Coues as Peucæa carpalis. Its characters are as follows:—

Peucæa carpalis, Coues. Rufous-shouldered Sparrow.

Sp. Char. Resembling in general appearance a large Spizella pusilla, but with rufous lesser wing-coverts, and blackish rictal and infra-maxillary streaks. Above grayish earth-brown, each feather with the medial portion dusky, forming conspicuous black streaks on the dorsal region, and dusky centres to the wing-coverts and tertials. Nape and rump plain, and more ashy. Crown and lesser wing-coverts plain rufous, the former divided anteriorly with a whitish medial line. Beneath ashy-white, including a well-defined superciliary and maxillary stripe, which have a slight buffy tinge. Throat nearly pure white, bordered on each side by a conspicuous narrow streak of black; whitish maxillary stripe bordered above by a dusky rictal streak. Bill reddish, darker on the culmen. Tarsi dilute brown; toes horn-brown. Wing, 2.50; tail, 2.75; culmen, .45; tarsus, .80; middle toe, .55.

Hab. Tucson, Arizona. (No. 62,372. September, 1872, Captain C. Bendire, U. S. A.)

Another specimen, supposed to be a female, in winter plumage (Tucson, January 10, 1873) differs quite appreciably in its markings and colors. The crown is more streaked, every feather being edged laterally with ashy-gray; the blackish streaks on the back and scapulars are more distinct, and the inner web of the lateral tail-feather is broadly bordered with white terminally. It measures, wing, 2.50; tail, 2.90; culmen, .45; tarsus, .70. “Length, 5.75; stretch, 7.80.”

Captain Bendire informs me that he found this species rather common in the vicinity of Tucson. It was generally seen in company with Poospiza bilineata. Its usual call-note resembled the syllables zib-zib-zib. He believed it to be a resident of Arizona throughout the year. It commences nesting early in June, generally building in the small mesquite bushes, sometimes not over six inches, seldom more than four feet, from the ground. The nests are composed of fine dry grasses and rootlets, and lined with the fine, slender seed-tops of the secatow or rye-grass, and sometimes with a few hairs. The nest is very deep, and is firmly fixed into a fork of the bush in which it is built. The eggs, when fresh, are of a pale green color, and average .73 of an inch in length by .58 in breadth, are unspotted, are generally four, seldom five, in a nest. One nest with four eggs was found September 11, 1872.

Passerella (II, 49). The capture of a specimen exactly intermediate between P. iliaca and P. townsendii, at Saticoy, California, December 14, 1872, by Dr. Cooper, renders it extremely probable that all the known forms of this genus are but geographical races of one species. The characters of this specimen (No. 63,651) are as follows: Most like iliaca in reddish tints and coloration of the head, with occasional nearly pure ashy lights, but with the suffused pattern of townsendii. Wing, 3.60; tail, 3.60; culmen, .50; tarsus, 1.00.

Passerella megarhynchus (II, 57). Dr. Cooper found this species common between 5,000 and 7,000 feet elevation, on the Central Pacific Railroad line, where most of the country was still covered with snow. One or two were to be found in every thicket at distances of a quarter of a mile, already paired and having selected their summer residence, having remained in close proximity to the snowy region all winter. In July, on a second visit to the mountains, he observed them still singing occasionally, at Truckee, near 6,000 feet altitude, on the east slope.

Euspiza americana (II, 65). According to Mr. Allen this species is abundant at Denver, Colorado, being found entirely across the Plains to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.

Guiraca cærulea (II, 77). Has been obtained in El Paso County, Colorado, by Mr. Aiken.

Cardinalis virginianus, var. igneus (II, 103). Has been found in El Paso County, Colorado. Specimens from Eastern Kansas, collected by Mr. Allen, seem also to be referrible to this form.

Pipilo erythropthalmus (II, 109). Specimens collected by Dr. Coues at Pembina, Minnesota, in June, 1873, have (both males and females) a greater or less number of minute white specks more or less distinctly indicated on the portion where the large white spots of the western forms are located. This points to the probability that all the black races ranged in the synopsis under maculatus (including the latter itself) must be referred to erythropthalmus.

Pipilo mesoleucus (II, 125). Captain Bendire found this species breeding in Southern Arizona, in the neighborhood of Tucson. One nest was found August 2, another September 4, 1872. Both were built in mesquite-trees, and were six feet from the ground,—an unusual position in birds of this family. The eggs are also peculiar, and differ from any of this genus I have ever met with, having more resemblance to eggs of Sturnellæ, especially to the militaris of South America. The eggs from one nest are one inch in length by .73 in breadth, have a bright white ground, with a slight tinge of bluish, and are boldly plashed, especially around the larger end, with distinct deep dashes of reddish and purplish brown. A few of these blotches are scattered irregularly over the entire egg, but the greater portion are grouped around the more obtuse end. The eggs are of oval shape, both ends rounded, one slightly less than the other. The eggs in another nest are more nearly spherical, with less difference in the ends; the ground-color is more distinctly white; the spots, of reddish-brown, are finer and more concentrated about the larger end; and the faint markings of purplish are much more numerous. These measure .74 by .90 of an inch.

This species has also been found resident in El Paso County, Colorado, by Mr. Aiken.

Pipilo aberti (II, 128). Captain Bendire found this species breeding abundantly in the vicinity of Tucson, in Southern Arizona. The nests were not on the ground, as is usual among the more northern forms of Pipilos, but in trees and in bushes at the height of several feet from the ground. One nest was taken July 28, in a small ash-tree, and another was found on the same day in a willow-tree, more than eight feet from the ground. The eggs bear a close resemblance to those of Pipilo fuscus and to those of P. albigula, having a ground-color of very light blue, marked almost exclusively around the larger end with a wreath of irregular blotches of dark purplish-brown. They are of a rounded oval shape, are quite obtuse at one end, and vary in length from .97 of an inch to .88, and in breadth from .76 to .75.