Part 10

Bill of moderate length or shortish, rather stout, straight, broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end, acute; upper mandible with the ridge rather narrow, the sides convex toward the end, the notches small, the tip narrow; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line ascending, slightly convex, the sides rounded, the tip narrow. Nostrils oblong, partially concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary size, ovate; neck rather short; body rather full. Feet longish, rather strong; tarsus as long as the middle toe and claw; hind toe rather stout; lateral toes equal; claws arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft and rather blended. Wings of moderate length, rounded, the first quill very small, the third and fourth longest. Tail rather long, nearly even.

142. 1. Turdus migratorius, Linn. Migratory Thrush.--Robin.

Plate CXXXI. Male, Female, and Young.

Male with the bill yellow, the upper part and sides of the head black; upper parts dark grey with an olivaceous tinge; quills blackish-brown, margined with light grey; tail brownish-black, the outer two feathers tipped with white; three white spots about the eye, throat white, densely streaked with black; lower part of fore neck, breast, sides, axillars, and lower wing-coverts reddish-orange; abdomen white; lower tail-coverts dusky, tipped with white. Female with the tints paler. Young with the fore neck, breast, and sides, pale-reddish, spotted with dusky, the upper parts darker than in the adult. Bill at first dusky, ultimately pure yellow.

_Male_, 10, 14. _Female_, 9, 13.

From Texas eastward and northward, to the Fur Countries. Throughout the interior. Winters in abundance in all the southern States. Columbia River. Abundant.

Robin, Turdus migratorius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35.

Turdus migratorius, Bonap. Syn. p. 75.

Merula migratoria, Red-breasted Thrush, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 176.

American Robin or Migratory Thrush, Turdus migratorius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 338.

American Robin or Migratory Thrush, Turdus migratorius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 190; v. v. p. 442.

143. 2. Turdus nævius, Gmel. Varied Thrush.

Plate CCCLXIX. Fig. 2, 3. Male. Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 6. Female.

Male with the bill black, the upper parts deep leaden-grey, the head darker; quills and tail-feathers dusky, the outer webs of the latter tinged with grey, and their tips white; lore dusky; a band of reddish-orange from over the fore part of the eye down the side of the neck; two conspicuous bands of the same crossing the wing obliquely, being formed by the tips of the first row of small coverts, and those of the secondary coverts; outer webs of primary coverts about the middle, a band on the primaries near the base, part of their outer webs towards the end, and the tips of the secondaries pale reddish-orange; lower parts light reddish-orange, paler behind; a band of greyish-black passing down the side of the neck, and a belt of the same crossing its lower part; feathers of the sides tipped with bluish-grey; those of the middle of the abdomen white; lower tail-coverts tipped with white; axillar feathers white, tipped with grey, smaller coverts grey, tipped with reddish-white; primary coverts grey, secondary nearly white. Female similar, with the upper parts tinged with olive-brown, the reddish-orange bands much paler, the tail-feathers margined with dull reddish-brown; a band on the lore down the sides of the neck and across it light greyish-brown; the orange tints of the lower parts much paler.

_Male_, 10-1/2, wing, 5-1/4. _Female_, 10, wing, 5-2/12.

Columbia River, North California, and Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.

Orpheus meruloides, Thrush-like Mock-Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 187.

Varied Thrush, Turdus nævius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 489; v. v. p. 284.

144. 3. Turdus mustelinus, Gmel. Wood-Thrush.

Plate LXXIII. Male and Female.

Upper parts light yellowish-brown, the head and hind neck of a tint approaching to reddish-orange; the rump and tail-coverts duller and of an olivaceous tint; quills and tail-coverts light olive-brown, the outer webs of the coverts and quills like the back; eyes margined with a whitish circle; lower parts white, anteriorly tinged with yellow, the sides and lower part of the neck, the fore part of the breast, and the sides of the body marked with large roundish or broadly ovato-triangular decided brownish-black spots.

_Male_, 8, 13.

From Texas to Nova Scotia, and throughout the interior. Many spend the winter in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas. Abundant.

Wood Thrush, Turdus melodus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35.

Turdus mustelinus, Bonap. Syn. p. 75.

Wood Thrush, Turdus mustelinus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 343.

Wood Thrush, Turdus mustelinus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 372; v. v. p. 446.

145. 4. Turdus Wilsoni, Bonap. Tawny Thrush.

Plate CLXVI. Male.

Wings with the third quill largest, the fourth scarcely shorter, and slightly exceeding the second. Upper parts uniform light reddish-brown, a little deeper on the head; quill and tail-coverts light olive-brown, the outer webs of the former like the back; lower parts greyish-white, the sides and lower part of the neck, and a small portion of the breast tinged with pale yellowish-brown, and marked with small faint and undecided triangular brown spots. Female an inch less in length than the male, but otherwise similar.

_Male_, 7-2/12, 12.

From Texas to the Fur Countries, as well as in the interior. Resident in winter in the Floridas, though the greater number remove beyond the United States. Rather abundant.

Tawny Thrush, Turdus mustelinus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 98.

Turdus Wilsonii, Bonap. Syn. p. 76.

Merula minor (Swainson), Little Tawny Thrush, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 179, Plate 36. The description and figure clearly refer to the present species.

Wilson's Thrush or Veery, Turdus Wilsonii, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 349.

Tawny Thrush, Turdus Wilsonii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 362; v. v. p. 446.

146. 5. Turdus solitarius, Wils. Hermit Thrush.

Plate LVIII. Male and Female.

Wings with the fourth quill longest, the third and fifth equal and slightly shorter, the second nearly equal to the sixth. Upper parts light olivaceous brown, the rump and upper tail-coverts brownish-red, as is the tail; quills dusky brown, margined with reddish-brown; a whitish ring round the eye; lower parts white, the sides tinged with greyish-olive, the fore part of the neck very slightly with yellowish-brown, and marked with rather decided ovato-triangular dusky brown spots of moderate size. The female is smaller, but otherwise similar.

_Male_, 7, 10-1/2.

From Texas to the Fur Countries. Resident in winter from the Carolinas southward. Rather common.

Hermit Thrush, Turdus solitarius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 95.

Turdus minor, Bonap. Syn. p. 75.

Little or Hermit Thrush, Turdus minor, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 346.

Merula solitaria, Hermit Thrush, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 184.

Hermit Thrush, Turdus minor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 303; v. v. p. 445.

147. 6. Turdus nanus, Aud. Dwarf Thrush.

Plate CCCCXIX. Fig. 1. Male.

Wings with the fourth quill longest, the third and fifth equal and slightly shorter, the second shorter than the sixth. Upper parts light olivaceous-brown, the rump and upper tail-coverts brownish-red, as is the tail; quills dusky brown, margined with light brownish-red; a whitish ring round the eye; lower parts greyish-white, the sides tinged with greyish-brown, the neck and breast tinged with yellowish-red, and marked with broad triangular blackish-brown spots, becoming fainter on the hind part of the breast and sides.

Although this species closely resembles the last in its colours, and the proportions of the quills, it is yet so much inferior in size, and its bill, tarsi, and toes are so much shorter, that it cannot be considered otherwise than as distinct.

_Male_ 6, 9-1/2.

Columbia River. Accidental in the Middle Atlantic districts. Migratory.

Turdus nanus, Dwarf Thrush, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 201.

FAMILY XIII. MOTACILLINÆ. WAGTAILS.

Bill of moderate length, straight, slender, a little broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping, a little convex toward the end, the nostrils slight, the tip acute; lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and scarcely convex, the edges somewhat involute, the tip acute. General form slender; head ovato-oblong; neck short. Feet of ordinary length, slender; toes very slender, the lateral equal, the outer adherent at the base, the hind toe rather large; claws rather long, arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe generally very long. Plumage soft and blended. Bristles small. Wings long and pointed, one of the minor secondaries often much elongated and tapering. Tongue sagittate, slender, with the tip slit; œsophagus uniform; stomach a very muscular gizzard, roundish, with large tendons, and thin rugous epithelium; intestine of moderate length; cœca very small. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.

This family is connected with the Turdinæ by _Seiurus_, and with the Alandinæ by _Anthus_, which are the only two American genera.

GENUS I. SEIURUS, Swains. WOOD-WAGTAILS.

Bill rather short, straight, slightly broader than deep at the base, compressed toward the end, the edges a little inflected, the dorsal lines of both mandibles slightly convex, the notches very slight, the tip acute. Nostrils basal elliptical. General form slender; head ovato-oblong. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus slender, compressed, covered anteriorly with a long undivided piece and three inferior scutella; toes of moderate length, slender; the first a little stouter than the third, the inner slightly shorter than the outer, which is adherent at the base; claws of moderate length, very slender, much compressed, moderately arched, acute. Plumage soft, blended. Bristles very small. Wings of moderate length; the first or outer quill little shorter than the third, which is longest. Tail of moderate length, even.

148. 1. Seiurus aurocapillus, Lath. Golden-crowned Wood-Wagtail.

Plate CXLIII. Male and Female.

Upper parts yellowish-olive, the crown brownish-orange, with two lateral bands of brownish-black spots; lower parts white, the throat with two lateral lines of brownish-black, the lower neck, fore part of breast, and sides, marked with triangular spots of the same. Female similar to the male. Young without the orange crown.

_Male_, 6, 9.

From Texas eastward. Fur Countries. Not seen in Labrador. Throughout the interior. Resident in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Abundant.

Golden-crowned Thrush, Turdus aurocapillus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 88.

Sylvia aurocapilla, Bonap. Syn. p. 77.

Seiurus aurocapillus, Golden-crowned accentor, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 227.

Golden-crowned Thrush or Oven Bird, Turdus aurocapillus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 355.

Golden-crowned Thrush, Turdus aurocapillus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 253; v. v. p. 447.

149. 2. Seiurus Novæboracensis, Gmel. Aquatic Wood-Wagtail.

Plate XIX. Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 7.

Upper parts dull greenish-brown, wings and tail dark chocolate-brown, lower parts pale yellow; a streak of the latter from the bill over the eye; loral space, and a streak behind the eye dusky; cheeks yellowish-grey, streaked with brown; the whole fore part and sides of the neck, the breast, and sides, marked with triangular blackish-brown spots, which are more elongated on the sides; abdomen and lower tail-coverts unspotted; bill dusky; feet flesh-coloured and transparent. Individuals vary, the throat sometimes without spots, the lower parts pale or yellowish-white, the feet dusky tinged with purple.

_Male_, 6-2/12, 9-1/2. _Female_, 5-8/12, 8-7/12.

In winter resident from Texas to Florida, including Louisiana. In summer migrates as far as the Fur Countries. Not Abundant.

Water Thrush, Turdus aquaticus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 66.

Sylvia novæboracensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 77.

Seiurus aquaticus, Aquatic Accentor, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 229.

New York or Aquatic Thrush, Turdus novæboracensis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 353.

Louisiana Water Thrush, Turdus ludovicianus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 99.

Common Water Thrush, Turdus aquaticus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 284.

GENUS II. ANTHUS, Bechst. PIPIT.

Bill of moderate length, straight, very slender, as broad as high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge narrow at the base, the notches slight, the tip a little deflected; lower mandible with the dorsal line straight, the edges involute, the tip acute. General form very slender. Tarsus of moderate length, much compressed; toes slender; claws arched, extremely compressed, acute, that of the hind toe much elongated. Plumage soft and blended. Wings long; the outer three quills about equal and longest; inner secondaries tapering, one of them nearly as long as the outer primaries when the wing is closed. Tail rather long, emarginate.

150. 1. Anthus Ludovicianus, Lichtenstein. American Pipit.

Plate X. Male and Female. Plate LXXX. Young.

Hind claw longer than the toe, slightly arched, and very slender. Male, in winter plumage, with the bill dusky, the legs and claws deep greenish-brown; upper parts greyish-olive, tinged with green, and obscurely streaked with dusky; a whitish band over the eye, cheeks brown; lower parts brownish-white, the throat white, the sides and lower part of the neck, fore part of breast, and sides of body marked with elongated, distinct, blackish-brown spots; quills and tail-feathers dusky, margined with greenish-grey, the lateral tail-feathers half white, the next obliquely white at the end. Female similar. Male in summer with the bill black, the upper parts olive-brown, tinged with grey; a greyish-white line over the eye, cheeks greyish-brown; lower parts light yellowish-grey, the fore neck and breast often deeply tinged with red, and marked with short, slender, brownish-black spots, the sides streaked; quills and tail-feathers as in winter with the pale margins less distinct. Young more tinged with green above, the bill paler, with a great part of the lower mandible yellowish-red, the lower parts pale yellowish-grey, with an obscure lunule of brownish-black on the fore neck, the lower part of which and the sides are streaked with dark brown, and tinged with reddish-brown.

_Male_, 6-1/2, 10-1/2.

Throughout the Western and Southern Districts during autumn and winter. Breeds in Labrador and the Fur Countries. Abundant.

Brown Lark, Alauda rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 89.

Anthus Spinoletta, Bonap. Syn. p. 90.

Brown Titlark, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p 49. Adult.

Prairie Titlark, Anthus pipiens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 408, Young. Brown Titlark and Prairie Titlark, v. v. p. 449.

This species is nearly allied to _Anthus aquaticus_ and _A. pratensis_, more especially to the latter, from which it is distinguished by having the bill much stouter, the tarsus longer, the hind claws stouter, more curved, and much shorter, the colour of the feet much darker, in being always much more rufous beneath, and in sometimes, when the summer is advanced, being almost entirely unspotted there. From _A. aquaticus_ it is at once distinguished by the whitish band over the eye, and the white on the outer tail-feathers. It indeed seems wonderful that any ornithologist should have mistaken it for that species.

FAMILY XIV. ALAUDINÆ. LARKS.

Bill rather short, or of moderate length, somewhat conical, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line sloping and slightly convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, the notches generally obsolete; the tip narrow and a little deflected; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight, the edges slightly inflected, the tip acute; gape-line straight. Nostrils elliptical or oblong, basal. Head oblong, of moderate size; neck rather short; body ovate. Feet of moderate length, or rather long; tarsus compressed, with eight anterior scutella; toes slender, compressed; the hind toe elongated, second and fourth about equal, third much longer. Claws rather long, arched, slender, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute, that of the hind toe very long, straightish, tapering. Plumage generally soft and blended. Wings rather long, broad, the inner secondaries tapering, and one so elongated as nearly to equal the longest primary, when the wing is closed. Tail of twelve feathers, generally emarginate. Roof of the upper mandible concave, generally with three prominent lines; tongue slender, thin, flat, tapering to a slit and bristly tip; œsophagus of uniform width; stomach a very strong muscular gizzard of a roundish form and compressed, its lateral muscles very large, its epithelium dense and rugous; intestines short, of moderate width; cœca very small, cylindrical. Nest on the ground. Eggs five or six, oval, spotted.

GENUS I. ALAUDA, Linn. LARK.

Bill rather short, stout, somewhat conical, compressed, straightish, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched, the edges without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending, slightly convex, the edges a little inflected, the tip acute. Head rather large; neck short; body ovate. Legs of ordinary length, anteriorly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal, hind toe of moderate size, with a very long, tapering, acute, and nearly straight claw. Plumage rather dense and compact. Wings of moderate length, the second and third quills longest; inner secondaries much elongated. Tail of moderate length, emarginate.

151. 1. Alauda alpestris, Linn. Shore Lark.--Horned Lark.

Male with two erectile pointed tufts of feathers on the anterior lateral parts of the head. In winter the upper parts dusky brown, the feathers paler on the edges; on the forehead a recurved crescentic band of brownish-black; another curved downwards, proceeding on each side from the base of the upper mandible; a band of yellowish-white over the eye and forehead; throat pale-yellow, with a broad dusky patch on the lower neck, the rest of the lower parts brownish-white; quills dusky, tail-feathers blackish, excepting the two middle, which are reddish-brown, like the upper tail-coverts. In summer, the brownish-black bands on the head and neck become deep black, the throat and frontal band white, and the upper parts light brownish-red. Female dusky brown above, dull white beneath; the wings and tail as in the male, but the black bands on the head and neck wanting. Young from the nest with the upper parts deep brown, mottled with pale reddish-brown, lower parts pale yellowish-grey.

_Male_, 7-1/2, 14.

Breeds in Labrador and northwards. Migrates in autumn southward, as far as the Texas. Not uncommon in the Western Country at that season.

Shore Lark, Alauda cornuta, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 85.

Alauda alpestris, Bonap. Syn. p. 102.

Horned or Shore Lark, Alauda cornuta. Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 245.

Shore Lark, Nutt. Man. v. i. p.

Shore Lark, Alauda alpestris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 570; v. v. p. 488.

FAMILY XV. FRINGILLINÆ. FINCHES.

Bill short, stout, conical, acute; upper mandible generally with its dorsal line more or less convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected or direct, the tip acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges involute. Gape-line ascending for more than a fourth of its length, then direct. Nostrils basal, roundish, partly concealed by the feathers. Head of moderate size, or rather large, ovate or roundish; neck short; body compact; tarsus generally shorter than the middle toe with its claw, compressed, with seven or eight anterior scutella; hind toe stout; outer toe adherent at the base, lateral about equal. Claws long or moderate, compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage soft and blended, but firm. Wings various, acute, or rounded. Tail of twelve feathers. Roof of upper mandible concave, with three prominent lines, of which the middle is sometimes elevated into an oblong hard prominence. Tongue much compressed, pointed; œsophagus rather wide, with a dilatation or crop on the right side; stomach roundish or oblong, muscular, with the epithelium thin, dense, and longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide; cœca very small, cylindrical. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. The Fringillinæ pass into the Icterinæ on the one hand, and the Alaudinæ on the other. The Buntings scarcely differ from the Finches in any other character than the knob on the palate, which is common to them with the Icterinæ.

GENUS I. PLECTROPHANES, Meyer. LARK-BUNTING.

Bill very short, robust, tapering, somewhat compressed; upper mandible considerably narrower than the lower, its dorsal outline very slightly convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the marginal outline slightly angulate; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges involute. Nostrils basal, roundish, partly concealed by the feathers. Head of moderate size, ovate; neck short; body compact, tarsus shorter than the middle toe with its claw, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; hind toe stout; claws long, rather stout, little arched, acute, that of the hind toe much elongated. Plumage soft and blended. Wings long, pointed; the first quill longest. Tail rather long, emarginate.

152. 1. Plectrophanes Lapponica, Linn. Lapland Lark-Bunting.

Plate CCCLXV. Male and Female.

Male, in summer, with the head and fore part of the neck black; a white band over the eye, passing along the neck, and margining the black; a brownish-red crescent on the hind neck; the feathers on the rest of the upper parts black, broadly margined with yellowish-red; first row of small coverts tipped with white; lower parts white, the sides streaked with black. Male, in winter, with the upper part of the head black, the feathers edged with brownish-red, cheeks and band over the eye greyish-yellow; feathers of the fore neck black, broadly tipped with white; dark streaks on the sides not apparent. Female with the upper parts reddish-grey, spotted with black; a greyish-white band over the eye; the cheeks greyish-brown; lower parts greyish-white, the sides streaked with dusky.

_Male_, 6-9/8; wing, 3-10/12.

Fur Countries in summer. In winter, as far westward as Kentucky. Abundant. Migratory.

Lapland Longspur, Emberiza lapponica, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 53.

Emberiza lapponica, Bonap. Syn. p. 440.

Emberiza (Plectrophanes) lapponica, Lapland Buntling, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 248.

Lapland Longspur, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 463.

Lapland Longspur, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 473.

153. 2. Plectrophanes pictus, Swains. Painted Lark-Bunting.

Plate CCCC. Fig. 5. Male.

Male with the upper part and sides of the head deep black, with three bands of white on each side, one from the base of the upper mandible over the eye and along the neck, another under the eye and over the ear, the third bordering the throat; upper parts brownish-yellow spotted with black; a band of white on the smaller wing-coverts; lower parts, and a band across the fore part of the back, buffy orange.

_Male_, 6-2/12; wing, 3-1/4.

Fur Countries. Accidental, in winter, on the banks of the Mississippi. Migratory.

Emberiza (Plectrophanes) picta, Painted Bunting, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 250.

Painted Bunting, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 589.

Painted Bunting, Emberiza picta, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 91.

154. 3. Plectrophanes ornatus, Towns. Chestnut-collared Lark-Bunting.