Part 23

_Cistothorus palustris_, var. _paludicola_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 148. _Troglodytes palustris_, NEWB. P. R. Rep. VI, IV, 1857, 80 (Pacific region). _Cistothorus palustris_, COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. Rep. X, II, 1859, 190 (W. T.)—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1. 1870, 75. _Certhia palustris_, LORD, Pr. R. Art. Inst. IV, 117.

SP. CHAR. Bill about as long as head. Tail and wing nearly equal. Upper parts of a dull reddish-brown, except on the crown, interscapular region, outer surface of tertials, and tail-feathers, which are almost black; the first with a median patch like the ground-color; the second with short streaks of white, extending round on the sides of the neck; the third indented with brown; the fourth barred with whitish, decreasing in amount from the outer feather, which is marked from the base to the fifth, where it is confined to the tips; the two middle feathers above like the back, and barred throughout with dusky. Beneath rather pure white, the sides and under tail-coverts of a lighter shade of brown than the back; a white streak over the eye. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.08; tail, 2.00. (1,454.)

HAB. Pacific Coast and Middle Province of United States.

In comparing a series of Marsh Wrens of eastern North America with western, we find that they differ very appreciably in certain characteristics, which may be expressed by the following diagnoses:—

Bill lengthened, equal to tarsus. Tail-coverts above and below either perfectly plain, or with very obsolete bands, reduced to obscure spots beneath. Bands on tail broken; scarcely appreciable on the middle feathers … var. _palustris_.

Bill shorter than tarsus. Tail-coverts distinctly banded all across. Bands on tail quite distinct; appreciable on the central feathers … var. _paludicola_.

The differences between these two races is much more appreciable than those between _Troglodytes ædon_ and _T. “parkmanni”_; the most striking character is the much longer bill of the var. _palustris_.

Specimens of the var. _paludicola_ from the interior are paler and more grayish-brown above, and have less distinct bars on the tail-coverts and tail, than in Pacific coast specimens, while on the crown the brown, instead of the black, largely predominates.

HABITS. The common Marsh Wren appears to have a nearly unrestricted range throughout North America. It occurs on the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Florida, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and as far north as Washington Territory on the west coast. A single specimen was procured in Greenland. It is not, however, at all common in these more northern latitudes. Mr. Drummond, of Sir John Richardson’s party, met with it in the 55th parallel on the eastern declivity of the Rocky Mountains and in the Saskatchewan Valley. Dr. Cooper found it early in March in the salt marshes along the coast of Washington Territory, and thinks it winters in that section. On the Eastern coast it is not common as far north as Massachusetts, a few being found at Cambridge and in Barnstable County. It is abundant near Washington, D. C., and throughout the country in all suitable locations south and west from Pennsylvania. Mr. Ridgway found it plentiful in Utah.

They frequent low marshy grounds, whether near the sea or in the interior, and build in low bushes, a few feet from the ground, a well-constructed globular nest. On the Potomac, where the river is subject to irregular tides, they are generally not less than five feet from the ground.

These nests are nearly spherical, and both in size and shape resemble a cocoanut. They are made externally of coarse sedges firmly interwoven, the interstices being cemented with clay or mud, and are impervious to the weather. A small round orifice is left on one side for entrance, the upper side of which is also protected from the rain by a projecting edge. The inside is lined with fine grasses, feathers, the down of the silk-weed, and other soft and warm vegetable substances. These birds arrive in the Middle States early in May and leave early in September. They have two broods in the season, and each time construct and occupy a new nest.

Audubon describes its nest as built among sedges, and as usually partly constructed of the sedges among which the nest is built. This is the usual manner in which the _C. stellaris_ builds its nest, but I have never known one of the present species building in this manner, and in the localities in which they breed, near the coast, being subject to irregular heights of tides, it could not be done with safety.

The note of the Marsh Wren is a low, harsh, grating cry, neither loud nor musical, and more resembling the noise of an insect than the vocal utterances of a bird.

Their food consists chiefly of small aquatic insects, minute mollusks, and the like, and these they are very expert in securing.

The eggs of this species average .65 of an inch in length and .50 in breadth. They are, in color, in striking contrast with those of the _C. stellaris_, being so thickly marked with blotches and spots of a deep chocolate-brown as to be almost of one uniform color in appearance. They are of an oval shape, at times almost spheroidal, one end being but slightly more pointed than the other. They number from six to nine.

In a few instances eggs of this species from the Mississippi Valley and from California are of a light ashy-gray color, the markings being smaller and of a much lighter color.

* * * * *

We have thus completed the account of the Oscine Singing-Birds with slender bills not hooked at the end, and which have ten distinct primaries; the first or outer one, however, either quite small or else considerably shorter than the second. We now come to a series with only nine primaries, the first being entirely wanting, and the second, now the outermost, nearly or quite as long as the third. In the preliminary tables of general arrangement will be found the comparative characters of the different families of _Oscines_, but the diagnosis of the series referred to is presented here, as follows:—

COMMON CHARACTERS. Primaries nine; the first quill nearly as long as the second or third. Tarsi distinctly scutellate the whole length anteriorly. Bill conical, but slender or depressed, usually, except in _Cærebidæ_, half the length of the head; more or less bristled, or notched. Nostrils oval or rounded. Lateral toes nearly or quite equal, and shorter than the middle; the basal joint of the middle free nearly to its base externally, united for about half internally.

Motacillidæ. Bill slender. Culmen slightly concave at base. Legs long; claws but little curved. Hind toe considerably longer than the middle one; its claw much longer (twice) than the middle claw; all the claws but slightly curved. Innermost secondaries (so-called tertials) elongated, much longer than the outer secondaries; and the fifth primary emarginated at end. Nest on ground.

Sylvicolidæ. Bill rather slender, conical, or depressed. Culmen straight or convex. Hind toe shorter than the middle; the claws all much curved. Hind claw not conspicuously longer than the middle one. When the hind toe is lengthened, it is usually in the digit, not the claw. Tertials generally not longer than the secondaries, and not emarginated. Gape wide; tongue slightly split at end. Nest variously placed.

Cærebidæ. Similar to _Sylvicolidæ_. Bill generally longer; equal to head or more. Gape of mouth narrow; tongue generally much fringed at the end. Nest on trees.

The _Tanagridæ_, the _Fringillidæ_, and even the _Icteridæ_, come very near these families, as will be explained farther on, all agreeing in having the nine primaries, and in many other characters.

FAMILY MOTACILLIDÆ.—THE WAGTAILS.

CHAR. Bill slender, conical, nearly as high as wide at the base, with slight notch at the tip; the culmen slightly concave above the anterior extremity of the nostrils; short bristles at gape, which, however, do not extend forward to nostrils. Loral feathers soft and dense, but with bristly points; nasal groove filled with naked membrane, with the elongated nostrils in lower edge; the frontal feathers coming up to the aperture, but not directed forward nor overhanging it. Wings lengthened and sharp-pointed; the primaries nine (without spurious first), of which the first three to five, considerably longer than the succeeding, form the tip; the exterior secondaries generally much emarginated at the ends; the inner secondaries (so-called tertials) nearly equal to the longest primaries. The tail rather narrow, emarginate. Tarsi lengthened, scutellate anteriorly only, the hind claw usually very long, acute, and but slightly curved (except in _Motacilla_). Inner toe cleft almost to the very base, outer adherent for basal joint only.

The combination of naked nostrils, notched bill, and nine primaries, with the tarsi scutellate anteriorly only, will at once distinguish the _Anthinæ_ of this family from the _Alaudidæ_, which they so closely resemble in coloration, habits, and lengthened hind claw. The lengthened, slightly curved hind claw, much pointed wings, emarginated secondaries,—the inner ones nearly as long as the primaries,—distinguish the family from the _Sylvicolidæ_, with which also it has near relationships.

Subfamilies and Genera.

Motacillinæ. Tail longer than or equal to wings; the two central feathers rather longer than lateral; the feathers broadest in middle, whence they taper gradually to the rounded tip. Colors uniform: gray, black, yellowish; without pale edges to feathers above, or streaks below.

Tail from coccyx considerably longer than the wings, doubly forked. Hind claw shorter than the toe; decidedly curved … _Motacilla._

Tail from coccyx equal to the wings, slightly graduated. Hind claw decidedly longer than the toe, slightly curved … _Budytes._

Anthinæ. Tail shorter than the wings, emarginate at end, the two central shorter than lateral; the feathers broadest near the end, and rounding rapidly at end. Above grayish-brown, the feathers edged with paler. Under parts streaked.

Wings much pointed and lengthened.

Hind toe and claw shorter than tarsus; outstretched toes falling short of tip of tail … _Anthus._

Hind toe and claw longer than tarsus; outstretched toes extending beyond tip of tail … _Neocorys._

Wings short and rounded.

Point of wings formed by outer four primaries of nearly equal length … _Notiocorys._[30]

Point of wing formed by outer five primaries, the first shorter than the third … _Pediocorys._[31]

SUBFAMILY MOTACILLINÆ.

GENUS MOTACILLA, LINN.

_Motacilla_, LINN. Syst. Nat. (Type, _Motacilla alba_.)

The diagnosis already given of _Motacilla_ will serve to define it. The genus is an Old World one, represented by several species, only one of which (_M. alba_) is entitled to a place here from occurring in Greenland.

Motacilla alba, LINN.

WHITE WAGTAIL.

_Motacilla alba_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. 1766, 331.—KEYS. & BLAS. Wirb. Europ. 1840, xlix, and 174.—DEGLAND, Orn. Europ. I, 1849, 433.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland).—NEWTON, Baring-Gould’s Iceland, 1863, App. (“rather plentiful”).—BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 152. Figure: GOULD, Birds Europe, 143.

[Line drawing: _Motacilla alba._ 28489]

SP. CHAR. (9,410 ♂, Nürnberg). Forehead as far back as above the eyes, with sides of head and neck, white; the remaining portion of head and neck above and below to the jugulum, black; the rest of under parts white. Upper parts ashy-gray, including rump; the upper tail-coverts tinged with black. Wings with two conspicuous bands and the outer edges of the secondaries white. Tail-feathers black; the outer two white, edged with black internally. Bill and legs black. Tip of wing formed by outer three primaries; the distance between the third and fourth about one third that between the fourth and fifth. Tarsi lengthened; claw small; hind toe and claw shorter than the middle, its claw short, considerably curved, less than the toe alone; lateral toes nearly equal. Length, 7.30; wing, 3.45; tail, 3.90; bill from nostril, .37; tarsus, .86; hind toe and claw, .50.

HAB. Continental Europe, rarer in England; Iceland; Greenland (only two specimens seen); Siberia; Syria; Nubia, etc.

_Motacilla yarrelli_, a closely allied species, by some considered a variety only, differs in having the rump black, the ashy of the back glossed with blackish, and with the black edging of the lateral tail-feathers broader.

HABITS. The common White Wagtail of Europe claims a place in the North American fauna as an occasional visitant of Greenland, where in two instances single specimens have been procured. It is found in all portions of the European Continent, from the islands of the Mediterranean as far north as the Arctic regions. It appears in Sweden in April, and leaves there in October. Mr. Gould states also that it is found in the northern portions of Africa, and in the highlands of India. It also occurs, though less frequently, in England, where it is replaced by a local race, or an allied species, _Motacilla yarrelli_ of Gould. The _Motacilla alba_ is said by Temminck to inhabit meadows in the vicinity of streams of water, villages, and old houses. Its food is chiefly insects in various stages and of different kinds.

It builds its nest on the ground among the grass of the meadow, in fissures in rocks or decayed buildings, among the roots of trees, on the banks of streams, in piles of wood and fagots, or under the arch of a bridge. The nests are somewhat coarsely constructed of interwoven dry bent stems of plants and reeds, with a finer lining of the same. The eggs, six in number, are of a bluish-white ground thickly sprinkled with fine dottings, which are most usually of a blackish-brown color, sometimes ashy-gray or reddish-brown.

The Pied Wagtail, _M. yarrelli_, Degland and Gerbe regard as a race, and not a species. It has a limited habitat, confined to Norway, Sweden, and the British Islands, in the latter of which it is a resident throughout the year. Besides their difference in plumage, Mr. Yarrell has noticed certain differences also of habit. The _alba_ is said not to be so partial to water as the pied species, and though often found near ploughed land, does not, like its kindred species, follow the plough in search of insects. Mr. Hewitson also states that it has a hoarser voice.

Like all the birds of this family, the Wagtail is much admired for the elegance of its form, its activity, and the airy lightness of its motions. It seems ever on the move, runs with great rapidity a quick succession of steps in pursuit of its food, and goes from place to place in short undulating flights. It has a cheerful chirping note which it utters while on the wing. When it alights, it gives a graceful fanning movement with its tail, from which it derives its name.

The Pied Wagtail, whose habits have been more closely observed by English naturalists, has frequently been seen to wade into the water in search of aquatic insects, and probably also of small fish, as in confinement they have been known to catch and feed on minnows in a fountain in the centre of their aviary. It is probable that the habits of the White Wagtail are not dissimilar.

They leave their breeding-places in October, collecting and moving in small flocks.

Their eggs measure .79 of an inch in length and .59 in breadth. The ground-color is of a grayish-white so thickly flecked with fine ash-colored and black dots as to give the entire egg the effect of a uniform dark ashen hue.

GENUS BUDYTES, CUVIER.

_Budytes_, CUVIER, R. A. 1817. (Type, _Motacilla flava_, LINN.)

[Line drawing: _Budytes flava._ 45912]

The recent discovery of a species of yellow-bellied Wagtail in Norton Sound, by the naturalists of the Russian Telegraph Expedition, adds another member of an Old World family to the list of American birds. Much confusion exists as to the precise number of species in the genus, some grouping together as varieties what others consider as distinct species. There is an unusual degree of variation with age, sex, and season, and this, combined with strongly marked geographical peculiarities, renders the proper solution of the problem impossible to any but those having access to large series.

Budytes flava, LINN.

YELLOW WAGTAIL.

_Motacilla flava_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I (1766), 33.—FINSCH & HARTLAUB, Vögel Ostafrikas, 268. _Budytes flava_, BON. (1838).—MIDDENDORFF, Sibirische Reise, II, ii (1852), 168.—DEGLAND & GERBE, Ornith. Europ. I (1867), 376.—BAIRD, Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci. I, ii, p. 312, pl. xxx, fig. 1; 1869.—DALL & BANNISTER, Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1869, 127.—TRISTRAM, Ibis, 1871, 231.—FINSCH, 1872.

SP. CHAR. Description of specimen No. 45,912, taken at St. Michael’s, Norton Sound, June 6, 1866, by H. M. Bannister. Above, including edges of upper tail-coverts, rich olive-green, the top and sides of the head and neck pure ash-gray; chin and well-marked stripe from nostrils over the eye to the nape, white; all under parts rich yellow, tinged with olive on the sides. Stripe from corner of mouth through the eye, and involving the ear-coverts, blackish-ash. Feathers of wings and tail dark brown; the coverts and secondaries edged with olive (showing the obscure light wing-bars), the longest of the latter edged externally with white; innermost quills edged externally with white. Outer three quills nearly equal and longest (the prolonged secondaries as long), the others graduating less. Outer tail-feathers and shaft white; the inner web edged externally with dusky, which, beginning at the base, runs out gradually to the edge, about half an inch from tip of feathers; second feather with rather less white, and with a narrow line of brown along the outer side of the shaft to within half an inch of the tip. Bill and legs blackish.

Dimensions (prepared specimen). Total length, 6.00; wing, 3.00; tail, 3.00; exposed portion of first primary, 2.30. Bill: length from forehead, 0.58; from nostril, 0.35; along gape, 0.57. Legs: tarsus, 0.91; middle toe and claw, 0.70; claw alone, 0.16; hind toe and claw, 0.65; claw alone, 0.36.

A second specimen (No. 45,910) differs in having ashy color of head obscured with olivaceous-brown; and the yellow on breast showing brownish bases. The light markings on the wings more distinct and whiter.

Another bird (No. 45,913), taken on shipboard, about ninety miles west of St. Matthew’s Island, Behring’s Sea, August 10, 1866, appears to be of the same species, in autumnal dress. Here the upper colors are more brown; the lower parts yellowish-white tinged with brownish-fulvous across the breast and flank. Kamtschatkan specimens of the same stage of plumage are very similar.

I am unable to distinguish this species from the Protean _Budytes flava_ of Europe and Asia. Many different races appear to be found throughout this wide circle of distribution, many of them more or less local, but the proportions and general character are the same in all, and the general tendency appears to be to unite all into one species. The sexes and ages of all the species, real or supposed, vary very much, and, in the absence of a large series, I can throw no light upon the obscurities of the subject. I cite above the latest general work on the birds of Europe, in which will be found the principal synonymes.

The specimens from Alaska submitted for examination to Mr. H. B. Tristram were identified by him as the _B. flava_.

HABITS. The Gray-headed Wagtail of Europe finds a place in the fauna of North America as a bird of Alaska, where specimens have been obtained, and where it is, at least, an occasional visitant. It is not a common bird of the British Islands, where it is replaced by a closely allied species. Only seven or eight instances of its occurrence were known to Mr. Yarrell.

On the continent of Europe it is quite an abundant species, inhabiting wet springy places in moist meadows, and frequenting the vicinity of water and the gravelly edges of rivers. It is numerous in all the central portions of Europe. It has also an extensive northern and eastern geographical range, appearing in Norway and Sweden as early as April and remaining there until September. Linnæus met with it in Lapland on the 22d of May. It occurs in Algeria, Nubia, and Egypt. Mr. Gould has received it from the Himalayas, and Temminck gives it as a bird of Japan.

According to Degland, this bird is a very abundant species in France, where it nests on the ground in the cornfields, in open fields, meadows, and amidst the standing grain. It lays from four to six eggs, of a brownish-yellow on a reddish-white ground, profusely covered with fine dots of reddish-gray, which are more or less confluent. A few zigzag lines of dark brown or black are found on the larger end. They measure .63 of an inch in length and .55 in breadth. Its food is flies, moths, small green caterpillars, and aquatic insects.

Ray’s Wagtail, recognized by some authors as a distinct species, is probably only an insular race, chiefly found in the British Islands and in Western France. In the latter place both birds occur, and here also they have been known to mate the one with the other. Their nests and eggs are so alike as not to be distinguishable. The former are constructed of fine fibrous roots and fine stems of grasses, and are lined with hair.

These birds are remarkably social, collecting in small flocks soon after leaving their nests, and until their autumnal migrations following the older birds in quest of food. They have two call-notes which are quite shrill, and are repeated in succession, the second being lower in tone. No mention is made by the naturalists of the Telegraph Expedition of their having any song other than these notes.

Mr. Bannister first observed this species at St. Michael’s, on the 9th or 10th of June, and from that time until late in August they were among the most abundant of the land-birds. During the month of June he observed them in flocks of twenty or thirty individuals. It seemed to be a rather shy bird. He described its flight as like that of our common Goldfinch, rising with a few strokes of its wings, then closing them and describing a sort of paraboloidal curve in the air. The only note which he heard and identified as uttered by this species was a kind of faint chirp, hardly to be called a song. These birds seemed to prefer the open country, and were rarely observed in the low brush, the only approach to woods found on the island.

SUBFAMILY ANTHINÆ.

The characters of this subfamily have already been detailed. The American sections may be defined as follows, although whether entitled to rank as genera may be questioned:—

COMMON CHARACTERS. Tail decidedly shorter than the wings; less than half the whole length of bird; simply emarginate and rounded. Hind claw lengthened; only slightly curved. Feathers of back with paler edges; breast streaked with dusky. Nest on the ground; eggs finely mottled so as almost to be uniform dark brown (in North American species).

_a. Wings much pointed, and lengthened._