A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 2

In the very long, stiff crest-feathers, and light red rump, this variety of C. virginianus closely approximates to C. phœniceus, but in other respects is very distinct.

17

Cardinalis phœniceus, (Gould,) Bonap. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 111; Consp. I, 501.—Sclater & Salvin, Ex. Orn. Pt. VIII, 1868, pl. lxiii.

18

Pipilo macronyx, Swainson, Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 434. Real del Monte, Mex.—Ib. Anim. in Men. 1838, 347.—Bp. Consp. 487.—Sclater & Salvin, 1869, 361. Pipilo virescens, Hartlaub, Cab. Jour. 1863, 228, Mex.

Sp. Char. Prevailing color above olive-green; the head and neck all round black, abruptly contrasted below with the white under parts; above passing insensibly into the green of the back; feathers of interscapular region obscurely dusky medially; sides and crissum rufous. Scapulars and greater and middle coverts with outer webs pale greenish-yellow at ends; these blotches faintly margined externally with olive-green. Edge of wing yellow; outer primary edged with whitish, edges of other primaries and of secondaries uniform olive-green. Fifth quill longest, fourth and sixth scarcely shorter; first shorter than ninth. Legs stout, claws much curved. Tail wanting in the single specimen before us (a male from the city of Mexico, belonging to Mr. G. N. Lawrence).

Dimensions (prepared specimen): Wing, 3.70. Exposed portion of first primary, 2.30; of second, 2.73; of longest (measured from exposed base of first primary), 2.85. Bill: Length from forehead, .75; from nostril, .45. Legs: Tarsus, 1.14; middle claw, .38; hind toe and claw, .85; claw alone, .52.

In describing this species, Swainson mentions an accompanying specimen as similar, but without any white spots on wings, suggesting that it may be the female. A specimen in the plumage from Oaxaca is characterized as follows.

19

Pipilo chlorosoma, Baird. 50,225 ♂, Oaxaca. Similar to P. macronyx in color, but without any trace of white markings on the wings. Outer tail-feathers with an obscurely defined greenish-white patch about an inch long, at the end of inner web; similar, but successively smaller patches on the second and third feathers, all whiter on upper than lower surface. Fifth quill longest; first shorter than ninth.

Dimensions (prepared specimen): Total length, 8.20; wing, 3.75; tail, 4.80. Bill: Length from forehead, .73; from nostril, .43. Legs: Tarsus, 1.24; middle toe and claw, 1.10; claw alone, .36; hind toe and claw, .85; claw alone, .50. No. 60,050, Mexico, is similar, in all essential respects.

From the analogies of the black Pipilos, it is reasonable to consider these two birds as distinct species, or at least varieties, especially as the specimen before us of that with unspotted wings is marked male. The general appearance is otherwise much the same, the unspotted bird rather smaller, and without the dusky interscapular markings described in macronyx. Should No. 50,225 represent a distinct species, it may be called P. chlorosoma, and distinguished as above. (60,050, Mexico, Boucard.)

20

Pipilo lateralis (Natt.). Emberiza lateralis, Natt. Mus. Vind. MSS. Poospiza lat. Burm. Th. Bras. III, Av. 2, p. 215. Pipilo superciliosa, Swains. An. Menag. 311, 95, fig. 59.

21

Pipilo maculatus, Swainson, Philos. Mag., 1827.

22

Pipilo carmani, Baird, MSS.; Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. X, 7. (Specimens in collection made by Colonel A. J. Grayson.)

23

Pipilo maculatus, Swainson. Sp. Char. Male. Similar to the female of Pipilo arcticus, but rather more olivaceous; only the head and neck all round black; shading above insensibly into the back. The white markings mostly edged narrowly externally with black, and clouded with rusty; the nape-feathers faintly, the interscapular broadly, streaked centrally with blackish; lower back and rump, with outer edges of quill and tail feathers, olivaceous-brown. A narrow shaft-streak in white at end of tail. Fourth quill longest; fifth scarcely shorter; first about equal to secondaries. Claws moderate; perhaps larger than in erythrophthalmus. Length of skin, 7.80; wing, 3.15; tail, 4.20; tarsus, 1.10; middle toe and claw, .96; claw alone, .34; hind toe and claw, .81; claw alone, .45. Hab. Mexico (Oaxaca; Real del Monte, Philos. Mag., 1827).

It is a serious question whether this comparatively little known Mexican species of Pipilo is not to be considered as identical with some or all of the species of the United States, with spotted wing-coverts, notwithstanding the difference in the color of the body. It appears, however, to be constant in the olivaceous character of the back,—no reference being made to Mexican specimens entirely black above,—and as such it may be considered a permanent geographical race.

24

Pipilo fuscus, Sw. Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 434 (Temiscaltepec).—Ib. Anim. in Menag. 1838, 347.—Bp. Consp. 1851, 487.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1856, 304 (Cordova). ? Kieneria fusca, Bp. C. R. XL, 1855, 356.

Sp. Char. Above dull olive-brown; the top of head having the central portion of feathers tinged (inconspicuously and obscurely) with rufous. Chin and throat pale rufous, bordered by dusky streaks; a single dusky spot in lower part of jugulum. Belly and flanks behind, anal region and crissum, rather darker rufous. Sides grayish-olive, lighter than the back, tingeing the breast, and leaving only a small patch in the centre of under parts white, shading into the surrounding ashy-brown. Fourth and fifth quills longest; first shorter than ninth, or than secondaries.

Dimensions (prepared specimen): Total length, 7.75; wing, 3.80; tail, 4.20; exposed portion of first primary, 2.30; of longest (measured from exposed base of first primary), 3.03. Bill: Length from forehead, .65; from nostril, .40. Legs: Tarsus, .95; middle toe and claw, 1.00; hind toe and claw, .68; claw alone, .36. Hab. Highlands of Mexico.

The specimen described is from the city of Mexico, and belongs to Mr. G. N. Lawrence; others before us are from Temiscaltepec (the original locality of Swainson’s type), Guadalaxara, and Tepic.

While admitting the strong probability that the different brown Pipilos with rufous throat bordered by black spots, P. fuscus, crissalis, mesoleucus, albigula, and probably even albicollis, are geographical modifications of the same original type, the large collection before us vindicates the action of those who have referred the California species to that described by Swainson as fuscus, and who have distinguished the P. mesoleucus from both. The original description of fuscus agrees almost exactly with crissalis, both actually scarcely separable; while the mesoleucus, intermediate in geographical position, is decidedly different from either. The relationships of these different forms will be found expressed in the general diagnosis already given.

Two descriptions given by Swainson, copied below, of the P. fuscus, differ somewhat from each other, and may not have been taken from the same specimen. The identification of either with P. mesoleucus would be a difficult matter; while the first one expresses the peculiar characters of crissalis more nearly than any other. The statement of “white beneath,” without any qualification, applies better to mesoleucus than to others, but the “pale rufous tinge” observable in crissalis and fuscus is very different from the abruptly defined chestnut cap of mesoleucus.

Pipilo fuscus, Swainson, Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 434. “Gray, beneath paler; throat obscure fulvous, with brown spots; vent ferruginous. Length, 8.00; bill, .70; wings, 3.50; tail, 4.00; tarsi, .90; hind toe and claw, .70.” Hab. Table land; Temiscaltepec.

Pipilo fuscus, Swainson, Anim. in Men. 1838, 347. “Grayish-brown above; beneath white; chin and throat fulvous, with dusky spots; under tail-coverts fulvous; tail blackish-brown, unspotted. Bill and legs pale, the latter smaller, and the claws more curved than in any other known species; crown with a pale rufous tinge. Length, 7.50; wings, 3.50; tail, 4.00; tarsus, .90; middle toe and claw the same; hinder toe, .65. Rather smaller than maculata.”

25

Pipilo albicollis, Sclater. Above uniform olivaceous-brown; the cap not differently colored. Lores, chin, and throat white, the two last bordered and defined by dusky spots; jugulum and breast white, the former clouded with olivaceous, and with a dusky blotch in middle; middle of throat crossed by an olivaceous band which curves round on each side under the ear-coverts; sides grayish. Flanks behind, anal region, and crissum, rufous. Middle wing-coverts with a whitish bar across their tips. Fourth and fifth quills longest; first shorter than ninth and secondaries. Length, 7.00; wing, 3.30; tail, 3.70. Bill and legs light. Hab. Central Mexico.

This “species” may fairly be considered as one extreme of the series of which P. crissalis is the other; and differs from the rest merely in a greater amount of white, and the absence of rufous tinge on top of head. The fulvous of throat is concentrated in a band across its middle portion, leaving chin and lower throat white; this, however, is foreshadowed in the paler chin of mesoleucus, and the whitish lower throat of albigula. The uniformity of coloring above is nearly equalled by that of P. crissalis. The whitish band across the middle wing-coverts is the most positive character.

26

The name in manuscript on the label of a specimen in the Schlüter collection, from Astrachan.

27

Otocorys peregrina, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1855, 110, pl. cii. Eremophila per. Scl. Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 127.

28

A specimen from Cleveland, Ohio (7,429 ♀, April 1, Dr. Kirtland), and one from Washington, D. C. (28,246 ♂, Feb.), have nearly as distinct streaks above, but the white of lower parts is without any tinge of yellow.

29

It is an interesting fact in regard to the species of Icteridæ, that, as a general rule, female birds of West Indian representatives of the Agelainæ and Quiscalinæ are usually, or perhaps universally, uniformly black, where the continental are brown, either concolored or streaked. We know of no exception to the first part of this statement as to Agelaius, Nesopsar, Scolecophagus, and Quiscalus. The smaller North American species of Quiscalus have the females duller, but not otherwise very different from the males, except in size. The females of the large Quiscalus, all continental, are much smaller than the males, and totally different. In Icterus all the species in which the female is very different in color from the male are Northern Mexican or continental North American (pustulatus, spurius, baltimore, bullocki, cucullatus, etc.). Most West Indian Icterus also exhibit no difference in the sexes, dominicensis, hypomelas, xanthomus, bonanæ, etc.; in one alone (leucopteryx) is the difference appreciable. The South American species have the females pretty generally similar to the males, but smaller, as is the case in the entire family.

30

Agelaius assimilis, Gundl. Cabanis, Journal, IX, 12 (nest).—Ib. Boston Journal, VI, 1853, 316.

31

Sturnella mexicana, Sclater, Ibis, 1861, 179.

32

Sturnella meridionalis, Sclater, Ibis, 1861, 179.

33

Sturnella hippocrepis, Wagler, Ibis, 1832, 281.—Lawr. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1860.

34

An attempt at division into subgenera is as follows:—

Icterus, bill stout, conical, the culmen and gonys nearly straight. Tail graduated. Species: vulgaris, auduboni, melanocephalus.

Xanthornus, bill slender, slightly decurved. Tail graduated. Species: wagleri, parisorum, spurius, cucullatus.

Hyphantes, bill stout, conical; the culmen and gonys straight. Tail slightly rounded. Species: baltimore, bullocki, abeillei.

We do not find, however, that these subgenera are very tangible, excepting Hyphantes, which is rather well marked by square tail and straight outlines of the bill, as indicated above. The differences are really so minute, and the characters so variable with the species, that it seems entirely unnecessary to subdivide the genus.

35

Icterus dominicensis, var. prosthemelas. Icterus prosthemelas, Strickland, Jard. Cont. Orn. 1850, 120, pl. lxii. Pendulinus p. Cassin, Icteridæ, P. A. N. S. 1867, 56. Pendulinus lessoni, Bonap. Consp. I, 432, 1850.

36

Icterus dominicensis, var. dominicensis. Oriolus dominicensis, Linn. S. N. I, 163, 1766. Pendulinus d. Cassin. P. A. N. S. 1867, 58. Pendulinus flavigaster, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. V, 317, 1816. Pendulinus viridis, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. V, 321, 1816?

37

Icterus dominicensis, var. portoricensis, Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1866, 254. Pendulinus portoricensis, Cass. P. A. N. S. 1867, 58. Turdus ater, Gm. S. N. I, 830, 1788? Turdus jugularis, Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 351, 1790?

38

Icterus dominicensis, var. hypomelas. Pendulinus hypomelas, Bonap. Consp. I, 433, 1850.—Cass. P. A. N. S. 1867, 59.

There seems to be no reason for not referring all the above forms to one species, the differences being merely in the relative amount of black and yellow. The greater predominance of the former color we should expect in specimens from the West Indies, where in this family the melanistic tendency is so marked.

39

Icterus cucullatus, var. auricapillus. Icterus auricapillus, Cass. P. A. N. S. 1847, 382.—Ib. Journ. A. N. S. I, pl. xvi, f. 2.—Ib. P. A. N. S. 1867, 60.

40

Icterus bullocki, var. abeillei. Xanthornus abeillei, Less. Rev. Zoöl. 1839, 101. Hyphantes a. Cass. P. A. N. S. 1867, 62. ? Oriolus costototl, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 385, 1788.

The only essential difference from I. bullocki is in the greater amount of black, it being merely more extended, while the pattern is the same.

41

Icterus melanocephalus, Gray. Psarocolius melanocephalus, Wagler, Isis, 1829, 756. Icterus melanocephalus, Gray, Genera.—Sclater, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1858, 97.—Cassin, Pr. A. N. S. 1867, 53.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 543. Xanthornus melanocephalus, Bon. Consp. 1850, 434 (description of young only). ? Icterus graduacauda, Lesson, Rev. Zoöl. 1839, 105.

Sp. Char. Similar to I. auduboni, but without any white whatever on the wing. Head and neck all round, wings, scapulars, and tail, uniform pure black. Rest of body, including inside of wing and tibia and the lesser wing-coverts, orange-yellow; clouded with olivaceous-green on the back, less so on the rump. Bill and legs plumbeous, the former whitish at base. Length, 7.70; wing, 3.75; tail, 4.80. Hab. Warm parts of Mexico.

Very like the auduboni, but smaller, the bill much stouter, shorter, and the culmen more curved. The third quill is longest; the fourth, fifth, and second successively a little shorter; the first and seventh about equal. The black of the head and neck comes farther behind and on the sides than in auduboni. The wings are totally destitute of the white edges of quills and coverts as seen in auduboni, and the middle coverts are black instead of pure yellow. The tail, too, is entirely black.

42

Icterus wagleri, Sclater, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1857, 7.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 545, pl. lvii, f. 2.—Ib. Mex. B. II, Birds, 19, pl. xix, f. 2.—Cass. Pr. 1867, 55. Psarocolius flavigaster, Wagler, Isis, 1829, 756 (not of Vieillot). Pendulinus dominicensis, Bp. Consp. 1850, 432 (not of Linn.).

Sp. Char. Bill much attenuated and considerably decurved. Tail considerably graduated. Head and neck all round, back (the color extending above over the whole interscapular region), wings, and tail, including the whole of the lower coverts and the tips of the upper, black. Lesser and middle upper, with lower wing-coverts, hinder part of back, rump, and under parts generally (except tail-coverts), orange-yellow. Length, 9.50; extent, 12.00; wing, 4.50; tail, 4.25; tarsus, 1.15.

Young or female. Above yellowish-green; more yellow on head; throat black; sides of neck and body beneath dull yellow. Wings dark brown, the coverts edged with white; middle tail-feathers brownish-black; outer yellowish-green. Length about 8 inches.

Younger birds are entirely dull olive-green above; beneath greenish-yellow.

Hab. Northeastern Mexico to Rio Grande Valley; south to Guatemala. Oaxaca, Jan. and March (Scl. 1859, 381); Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 20); Vera Cruz, hot region, resident (Sumichrast, M. B. S. I, 552).

A close ally, and perhaps only a race, of this species, is the I. prosthemelas, Strickl., which differs in smaller size, and in having the lower tail-coverts yellow instead of black (see synoptical table, p. 778).

Habits. This fine species appears to be an abundant bird from Northern Mexico throughout that republic and Central America to Costa Rica. I am not aware that any specimens have been procured actually within our territory. It was met with at Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, Mexico, by Lieutenant Couch, where only a single specimen was obtained. It was taken at the rancho of Ojo Caliente, or Hot Springs. It was quite shy and difficult of approach. Like all the other Orioles, it appeared to be quite fond of the palm-tree known as the Spanish bayonet. It is given by Sumichrast as occurring in the department of Vera Cruz, where it appears to be confined to the hot region. It is quite common in the district of Cordova, to the height of about three thousand feet.

Mr. Salvin states this to be the only Icterus found by him about Dueñas, where it was not uncommon. In a letter written by this naturalist, published in the Ibis of October, 1859, he mentions having taken the nest and eggs of this species. The structure, though of the same character,—a hanging nest,—is very different from that of I. gularis, the common species on the Yzabal road. The nest has none of the depth of the other, but is comparatively shallow.

43

Quiscalus baritus (Linn.), Cass. Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila., 1866, p. 405. (Gracula barita, Linn. S. N. I, 165, 1766). Q. crassirostris, Swainson.

44

Quiscalus brachypterus, Cass. Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 406.

45

Quiscalus gundlachi, Cass. Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 406.

46

Quiscalus niger (Boddaert), Cass. Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 407. (Oriolus niger, Bodd. Tab. Pl. Enl. p. 31, 1783.

None of the continental forms are in the collection, and therefore their relationship to each other and to the West Indian species cannot be here given. They are: (1) Q. lugubris, Swains. (Cabinet Cyclopædia, p. 299, 1838.—Cass. Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 408). Hab. S. Am., Trinidad. (2) Q. mexicanus, Cass. (Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 408). Hab. Mexico. Besides these are the two following, whose habitats are unknown: Q. inflexirostris, Swains. (Cab. Cyc. p. 300, 1838), and Q. rectirostris, Cass. (Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 409).

47

Quiscalus palustris (Swains.), Cassin, Pr. A. N. S., Phila., 1866, p. 411. (Scaphidurus pal., Swains. Phil. Mag. 1827, 437).

48

Quiscalus tenuirostris, Swains. Cabinet Cyclopædia, 1838, p. 299.—Cassin, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 411. The Q. assimilis, Scl. Cat. Am. B. 1862, 141, from Bogota, and Q. peruvianus, Swains. Cab. Cyc. 1838, 354, of Peru, are not in the collection; they are probably referrible to the major type.

49

A series of twenty-nine specimens of Q. purpureus from Florida, has been kindly furnished for examination by Mr. C. J. Maynard, chiefly from the northern and middle portions of the State, and consequently intermediate between the varieties aglæus and purpureus. In color, however, they are nearly all essentially, most of them typically, like the former; but in size and proportions they scarcely differ from more northern specimens of the latter. Their common and nearly constant features of coloration are, uniform soft dark greenish body, with blue tinge on belly, and bluish-green tail-coverts and tail, violet head, more blue anteriorly and more bronzy on the foreneck, and with this color abruptly defined posteriorly against the peculiar uniform blackish dull green of the body; the wing-coverts usually tipped with vivid violet and green spots. One male is a typical example of the var. purpureus, distinguished by the blending of the similar metallic tints on the body and head, the broken tints on the body arranged in transverse bars on the back, more purple tail-coverts, and lack of the vivid metallic tips to the wing-coverts. There are also four nearly typical specimens of the var. aglæus, these probably from farther south on the peninsula, but with the characteristics of the race less exaggerated than in the types from the keys. The measurements of this series are as follows:—

Var. purpureus (one specimen). ♂. Wing, 5.30; tail, 4.65; culmen, 1.38.

Intermediate specimens. Typical aglæus in colors, but like purpureus in size. (16 males, and 17 females). ♂. Wing, 4.85 to 5.50; tail, 4.60 to 5.50; culmen, 1.25 to 1.50. ♀. Wing, 4.65 to 4.90; tail, 3.80 to 4.50; culmen, 1.10 to 1.30.

Var. aglæus (four specimens). ♂. Wing, 5.30 to 5.60; tail, 5.00 to 5.30; culmen, 1.38 to 1.40.

50

The measurements given are of a California specimen, in order the better to show the great distinction to be made between this species and caurinus, which is probably not found in California, being a more northern species, and having the coast of Washington Territory, or perhaps Oregon, as about its southern limit.

51

C. mexicanus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. p. 375. This species is perfectly distinct from all the others. The plumage has a silky blended character, and very high lustre, almost exactly as in the larger Grakles (Quiscalus major, etc.).

52

C. nasicus, Temm. Pl. Col. 413.—Gundl. Rev. y Catal. de las Aves de Cuba., 1865, 290. Corvus americanus, Lemb. Aves de Cuba, 1830, 65. Hab. Cuba.

53

C. leucognaphalus, Daud. Tr. d’Orn. II, 231.—Sallé, P. Z. S. 1857, 232.—Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1866, XI, 94. Hab. Porto Rico and Santo Domingo.

54

C. jamaicensis, Gm. S. N. I, 367.—Gosse, B. Jam. 209.—Scl. Catal. Am. B. 1860, 146.—Bonap. Consp. 385.—Sallé, P. Z. S. 1857, 232.—March, P. A. N. S. 1863, 300.—Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1866, XI, 94. Hab. Jamaica and Santo Domingo.

The C. minutus of Cuba we have not seen; it seems, however, to be rather nearly related to C. ossifragus, and possesses more lengthened nasal plumes than the three West Indian species diagnosed above. Its synonomy is as follows:—

Corvus minutus, Gundl. Cab. J. 1856, 20, p. 97.—Ib. Rev. y Catal. de las Aves de Cuba. Hab. Cuba.