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

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.

55

Pica caudata, Flem. Brit. An. p. 87. Corvus pica, Linn. Faun. Suec. p. 31. Pica melanoleuca, Vieill. N. D. XXVI, 121. Pica albiventris, Vieill. Faun. Franc. p. 119, t. 55, f. 1. Pica european (Cuv.) Boie, Isis, 1822, 551. Pica rusticorum, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. and Birds in Brit. Mus. p. 18.

56

Cyanura diademata (Bonap.), Cyanogarrulus diadematus, Bonap. Consp. p. 377. Cyanocitta diad., Sclater, Catal. Am. B. 1862, 143. The C. galeata, Cab., from Bogota, we have not seen.

57

Cyanura coronata, Swains. Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 437.

58

Cyanocitta sumichrasti, Ridgway, Rep. U. S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. All Mexican Cyanocittas with a whitish superciliary streak, blue edgings to jugular feathers, etc., are to be referred to this strongly marked race. A very conspicuous character of this variety is the strong “hook” to the upper mandible; the tip beyond the notch being much elongated, or unusually “produced.” In the collection is a specimen (60,058 ♀, Mexico, A. Boucard) which we have referred to this race, but which differs in such an important respect from all other specimens of the several races referrible to californica, as extended, that it may belong to a distinct form. Having the precise aspect of sumichrasti in regard to its upper plumage, it lacks, however, any trace of the blue edgings and pectoral collar, the whole lower parts being continuously uninterrupted dull white, purer posteriorly. The appearance is such as to cause a suspicion that it may be a link between sumichrasti and one of the races of ultramarina. It measures: wing, 5.50; tail, 6.00; graduation of tail, .70.

59

Cyanocitta ultramarina, (Bonap.) Strickland.—Garrulus ultramarinus, Bonap. J. A. N. S. IV, 1825, 386 (not of Audubon).

60

Cyanocitta sordida, (Swains.) (not of Baird, Birds N. Am., which is arizonæ).—Sclater, Cat. Am. B. 1862, 143. Garrulus sordidus, Swains. Phil. Mag. 1827, I, 437.

61

Cyanocitta unicolor, (Du Bus) Bonap. Consp. p. 378.—Cyanocorax unicolor, Du Bus, Bull. Acad. Brux. XIV, pt. 2, p. 103.

62

Hadrostomus affinis. Platypsaris affinis, Elliot, Ibis, 1859, 394, pl. xiii. Pachyramphus aglaiæ, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 164, pl. xlvii, f. 1.—Ib. Rep. Mex. Bound. II, Birds, 7, pl. xix, f. 1. Hadrostomus aglaiæ, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. II, 85 (Xalapa).—Ib. Journ. 1861, 252.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1864, 176 (City Mex.). Hab. Northern Mexico, Jalapa, Nicaragua (Scl. Catalogue, p. 240); Yucatan (Lawrence).

63

Pachyramphus major. Bathmidurus major, Cab. Orn. Nat. 1847, I, 246.—Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. II, 89.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 165, pl. xlvii, f. 2 ♀.—Ib. Rep. Mex. Bound. II, Birds, 7, pl. xix, f. 2. Pachyramphus major, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1857, 78; 1864, 176 (City of Mex.). Hab. Mexico and Guatemala.

64

M. tyrannus, var. violentus (Tyrannus violentus, Vieill. N. D. XXXV, p. 89. Milvulus v., Scl. Catal. Am. B. 1862, 237), is the South American race of this species. It is exceedingly similar, but differs slightly, though constantly, in certain characters. We have not at present the means of comparing the two.

65

Tyrannus melancholicus, Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. XXXV, 1819, 84.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 176.—Sclater, Catal. Am. Birds, 1862, 235. Hab. South America. A more northern race scarcely distinguishable (Panama, Costa Rica, etc.), separated as T. satrapa, Licht.

66

Myiarchus tyrannulus (Müll.), Coues. Muscicapa tyrannulus, Müll. (G. R. Gr. Hand List, No. 5,527). Myiarchus t. Coues, P. A. N. S. Phila. July, 1872, 71. (M. aurora, Bodd.; flaviventris, Steph.; ferox, Gm.; swainsoni, Caban.; panamensis, Lawr.; venezuelensis, Lawr.)

67

Myiarchus tyrannulus, var. phæocephalus (Sclater). Myiarchus phæocephalus, Scl. P. Z. S. 1860, 481.—Coues, P. A. N. S. 1872, 73.

68

Myiarchus validus, Cabanis. Tyrannus crinitus, Gosse, B. Jam. 186 (nec Auct.). Myiarchus validus, Caban. Orn. Nat. II, 351, et Auct. Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 62.

69

Myiarchus crinitus, var. cooperi (Kaup). Baird. Tyrannula cooperi, Kaup. P. Z. S. 1851, 51. Myiarchus cooperi, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 180. Myiarchus crinitus, var. cooperi, Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 67.

70

Myiarchus crinitus, var. irritabilis (Vieill.), Coues. Tyrannus irritabilis, Vieill. Enc. Meth. 1823, II, 847. Myiarchus crinitus, var. irritabilis, Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 65. (M. erythrocercus, Scl.; M. mexicanus, Kaup, Lawr.; M. yucatanensis, Lawr.)

Obs.—It is, perhaps, probable that in Yucatan this race grades into the M. stolidus (var. stolidus), since there is a specimen in the collection from Merida (39,213, April 9, 1865, A. Schott) which seems to be very nearly intermediate in every way between the two. It has the very black hill, restricted rufous on inner webs of rectrices, and pale yellow of lower parts of M. stolidus, and the brown pileum and more robust proportions of irritabilis. The specimen, however, is in poor condition, being of worn and faded plumage, and much distorted, so that its true characters cannot be ascertained satisfactorily.

71

Myiarchus stolidus, var. phœbe (D’Orb.), Coues. Tyrannus phœbe, D’Orb. Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. p. 84. Myiarchus stolidus, var. phœbe, Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 78. (Sagræ, Gundl.; stolida, var. lucaysiensis, Bryant).

72

Myiarchus stolidus, var. antillarum (Bryant), Coues. Tyrannus (Myiarchus) antillarum, Bryant, P. B. S. N. H. 1866, p. 2. Myiarchus stolidus, var. antillarum, Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 79.

73

Myiarchus stolidus, var. stolidus (Gosse), Cabanis. Myiobius stolidus, Gosse. B. Jam. p. 168. Myiarchus s. Cabanis, J. für Orn. 1855, 479.—Coues, P. A. N. S. 1872, 77. (Stolidus var. dominicensis, Bryant.)

74

Myiarchus tristis (Gosse), Coues. Myiobius tristis, Gosse, B. Jam. 167 pl. xli. Myiarchus t. Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 80.

75

Myiarchus tristis, var. lawrencei (Giraud), Baird. Tyrannula lawrencei, Giraud, 16 sp. Tex. B. pl. ii. Myiarchus l. Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 181, pl. xlvii, f. 3.—Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 74.

Obs.—The most typical specimens are from Mazatlan and northward, across the northern portion of Mexico. On the eastern coast, specimens from Mirador and Orizaba already strongly incline toward var. nigricapillus.

76

Myiarchus tristis, var. nigricapillus, Cabanis. “Myiarchus nigricapillus, Caban.” Scl. Cat. Am. B. 1862, 233, et Auct. M. lawrencei, Coues, P. A. N. S. 1872, 74 (in part).

Obs.—A very strongly differentiated form, but unquestionably grading into var. lawrencei on the one hand, and var. nigriceps on the other.

77

Myiarchus tristis, var. nigriceps, Sclater. Myiarchus nigriceps, Scl. P. Z. S. 1860, 68, 295.—Coues, P. A. N. S. July, 1872, 75.

Obs.—The last three races appear to be all reducible to one species, as, taking the large series of specimens before us (over 30 skins), we find it impossible to draw the line between them. Specimens from Southern Mexico are referrible, with equal propriety, to lawrencei or to nigricapillus, while skins from Panama of nigriceps are less typical than those from Ecuador. This case of gradually increasing melanistic tendency as we proceed southward affords an exact parallel to that of Vireosylvia gilvus and V. josephæ, Sayornis nigricans and S. aquaticus, and many other cases.

78

Myiarchus mexicanus, var. pertinax, Baird, Pr. Phil. Acad. 1859, 303.

79

Sayornis nigricans, var. aquaticus. Sayornis aquaticus, Sclater & Salvin, Ibis, 1859, p. 119 (Guatemala).

80

Sayornis nigricans, var. cineracens. Sayornis cineracea, Lafr. Rev. Zoöl. 1848, p. 8.—Scl. Catal. Am. Birds, 1862, 200. The above races are clearly shown to be merely modifications, with latitude, of one type, by the series of specimens before us. Thus, specimens of S. nigricans from Orizaba show more or less dusky on the lower tail-coverts, while in more northern specimens (i. e. typical var. nigricans) there is not a trace of it. Typical specimens of aquaticus, from Guatemala, show merely a more advanced melanism, the lighter markings on the wings becoming greatly restricted; there is still, however, a decided presence of white on the lower tail-coverts. Specimens from Costa Rica (typical aquaticus) exhibit the maximum degree of melanism, the white beneath being confined to a central spot on the abdomen. In cineraceus (from New Granada) the white beneath is similarly restricted, but on the wings is very conspicuous, showing a reversion back to the character of nigricans, though surpassing the latter in the amount of white on the coverts and secondaries.