Part 17

Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 287; v. v. p. 430.

FAMILY XXI. PIPRINÆ. MANAKINS.

Bill short, stout, straight, depressed, being much broader than high at the base, with the dorsal line arched, the ridge narrow, the sides sloping, the gape-line straightish or slightly arched, the notches rather large, the tip very small and declinate. Head rather large, broadly ovate; neck short; body compact. Tarsus of moderate length, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes small, the hind one not much stouter, the lateral equal. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft, full, and blended. Wings of moderate length, broad, and rounded. Tail short or of moderate length, generally rounded. Roof of upper mandible concave, with a prominent median line; tongue triangular, horny, thin-edged, rather obtuse, bristly at the end; œsophagus wide, without dilatation; stomach rather small, roundish, moderately muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; intestine short, of moderate width; cœca very small.

GENUS I. ICTERIA. Vieill. CHAT.

Bill of moderate length, stout, slightly arched, broad at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the sides convex, the edges sharp, destitute of notch, the tip acute and a little declinate; lower mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, the edge-line slightly arched and inflected. Nostrils roundish, half covered by a vaulted membrane. General form rather robust; head ovate, neck short, body moderate. Legs of moderate length, slender; tarsus compressed, anteriorly covered with eight scutella, of which the upper are blended; two lateral toes nearly equal, the hind one not much stouter. Claws moderate, arch much compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. Plumage soft and blended. Bristles very small. Wings of moderate length, rounded, third and fourth primaries longest, second little shorter, first longer than sixth. Tail rather long, rounded.

244. 1. Icteria viridis, Gmel. Yellow-breasted Chat.

Plate CXXXVII. Male and Female.

Upper parts deep olive-green; fore part of neck and breast bright yellow; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white; eyelids, a band over the eye, and a shorter one from the base of lower mandible, white; loral space black.

_Male_, 7, 9.

From Texas to Connecticut. Inland as far as Kentucky. Abundant. Migratory.

Yellow-breasted Chat, Pipra polyglotta, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 90.

Icteria viridis, Bonap. Syn. p. 69.

Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria viridis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 299.

Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria viridis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 223; v. v. p. 433.

FAMILY XXII. AMPELINÆ. CHATTERERS.

Bill short, depressed, rather weak, triangular when viewed from above, compressed at the end, its upper outline arched, the gape-line nearly straight, the notches very small, the tip very small and declinate. Nostrils elliptical, partially concealed by reversed bristly feathers. Head ovate; neck short; body moderate or full. Feet short; tarsus short, rather stout, compressed; toes rather small. Claws rather long, arched, much compressed, acute. Plumage generally blended and glossy. Wings of moderate length, broad. Tail short or of moderate length. Roof of upper mandible rather concave, with three longitudinal ridges; tongue horny, deeply slit; œsophagus very wide, dilated about the middle; stomach small, elliptical, moderately muscular; intestine of moderate length and very wide; cœca very small. Trachea simple, with four pairs of very small inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. BOMBYCILLA, Briss. WAXWING.

Bill short, rather stout, straightish, broader than high at the base, compressed towards the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line convex and declinate towards the tip, which is deflected, narrow, and rather acute, its sides convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, the notches distinct; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the dorsal line convex and ascending, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip very small, acute, ascending, with a small sinus behind; gape-line nearly straight. Nostrils oval, partially concealed by the reversed stiffish feathers. Head of ordinary size, ovate; neck short; body full. Feet rather short; tarsus short, rather stout, compressed, with six scutella; toes of moderate size, first stout, broad beneath, outer slightly adherent at the base; inner a little shorter. Claws rather long, arched, much compressed, very acute. Plumage blended, very soft, somewhat silky, but with little gloss; head tufted; no bristles. Wings rather long, broad, and pointed, the first quill longest. Tail of moderate length, even. This genus is remarkable for the oblong bright red horny appendages to the tips of the wings and tail-feathers, which, however, are not seen in all the species. Roof of upper mandible slightly concave, with three ridges; tongue triangular, concave, horny, deep slit, with two slender points; œsophagus very wide, much dilated about the middle; stomach rather small, elliptical, muscular; intestine short and extremely wide; cœca very small.

245. 1. Bombycilla garrula, Vieill. Black-throated Waxwing.--Bohemian Chatterer.

Plate CCCLXIII. Male and Female.

General colour light greyish-brown, passing behind in ash-grey, before into brownish-orange, of which colour are the forehead, a patch on each side of the throat near the base of the bill, and the feathers under the tail; a band of deep black from the nasal membrane over the eye to the top of the head, where it is concealed by the crest; feathers at the base of the lower mandible and a narrow streak below the eye, white; upper part of throat deep black; feathers of the wings greyish-black; primary coverts largely tipped with white; primary quills with a bright yellow, secondary with a white elongated spot at the end of the outer web, and tipped with oblong wax-red appendages; tail light grey at the base, gradually shaded into deep black, with a broad band of bright yellow. Female similar to the male, but somewhat smaller. Oblong waxen appendages to the secondary quills, varying from seven to three, sometimes wanting, especially in young birds; males with the shafts of the tail-feathers very slightly enlarged at the end, and bright red. Carefully compared with European specimens.

_Male_, 9-3/4, 16-1/4.

From New York, eastward and northward, to the Fur Countries.

Bombycilla garrula, European Chatterer, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 237.

Bombycilla garrula, Bonap. Syn. p. 438.

Bombycilla garrula, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iii. pl. 16.

European Waxen Chatterer, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 579.

Bohemian Chatterer, Bombycilla garrula, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 462.

246. 2. Bombycilla Carolinensis, Briss. Cedar Waxwing.--Cedar Bird.

Plate XLIII. Male and Female.

General colour light greyish-brown, passing behind into ash-grey, before into pale brownish-red, of which colour is the upper part of the head; a black band on the forehead passing backwards over the eye to the occiput, and margined above and below by a narrow white band; feathers in the angle of the lower mandible black; abdomen pale yellow; lower tail-coverts white; wings and tail dull leaden-blue, darker toward the end; primaries with a very small pale yellow spot at the tip, secondaries tipped with an oblong wax-red appendage, as are the tail-feathers, of which the extremity is bright yellow. Female similar to the male but somewhat smaller. The oblong appendages to the wings vary from nine to three. Young with the upper parts of a uniform dull greenish-brown, lower parts of the same colour, the throat pale buff, abdomen and lower tail-coverts yellowish-white.

_Male_, 6-3/4, 11.

From Texas northward to the Fur Countries. Westward to the Columbia River. Extremely abundant in Louisiana during winter.

Bombycilla carolinensis, Briss. v. ii. p. 337.

Cedar Bird, Ampelis americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 107.

Bombycilla carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 59.

Cedar Bird or Cherry Bird, Nutt. Man. v. i.

Cedar Bird, Bombycilla carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 227; v. v. p. 494.

FAMILY XXIII. SITTINÆ. NUTHATCHES.

Bill of moderate length or rather long, straight, rather slender, conico-subulate, somewhat compressed, with the tips acute, or cuneate. Head ovate; neck short; body full. Tarsi rather short, or of moderate length, slender, compressed, with seven or eight scutella; toes long, very slender; hind toe extremely long; anterior little spreading; claws long, little arched, slender, much compressed, acute. Plumage soft and full. Wings of moderate length, broad, rounded. Tail short, broad, of twelve feathers. Roof of upper mandible very narrow, slightly concave, with three ridges; tongue very slender, with the tip abrupt and bristly; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach roundish, moderately muscular; intestine short and wide; cœca very small. Trachea simple; with a single pair of large inferior laryngeal muscles. Allied to the Titmice on the one hand, and the Woodpeckers on the other.

GENUS I. SITTA, Linn. NUTHATCH.

Bill rather long, or of moderate length, straight, conico-subulate, a little compressed, rather obtuse; upper mandible with the dorsal outline very slightly arched, the ridge rather narrow, the sides sloping, the edges sharp without notches, the tip rather blunt; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and very slightly convex, the sides slightly convex, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, round operculate, partially concealed by the reversed bristly feathers. Head ovate; neck short; body short. Tarsi rather short, stout, compressed, with eight scutella; toes long, much compressed; first very long, second much shorter than fourth; anterior toes adherent at the base. Claws long, arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Small bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings rather long, first quill extremely small, third and fourth longest. Tail short, of twelve feathers broad, nearly even. Upper mandible slightly concave with three ridges; tongue slender, very thin, with the point abrupt and terminated by strong bristles; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach rather large, roundish, moderately muscular; intestine rather short and wide; cœca very small.

247. 1. Sitta Carolinensis, Linn. White-breasted Nuthatch.

Plate CLII. Male and Female.

Upper part of head and hind neck deep black; back light greyish-blue; quills black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colour, the rest black, with a broad band of white near the end; sides of the head and lower parts white; lower tail-coverts with the inner webs brownish-red. Young without black on the head.

_Male_, 5-1/4, 11.

Common from Texas to Maine. Throughout the interior to the Columbia. Resident.

White-breasted American Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 10.

Sitta carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 96.

White-breasted American Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 581.

White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 299; v. v. p. 473.

248. 2. Sitta Canadensis, Linn. Red-bellied Nuthatch.

Plate CV. Male and Female.

Upper parts of head and hind neck deep black; back light greyish-blue; quills brownish-black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colour, the rest black, the outer two with a white band near the end; lower parts yellowish-red. Female with the head paler.

_Male_, 4-1/2, 8.

From Maryland to Nova Scotia. Common. One seen in Labrador. Columbia River. Resident.

Red-bellied Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 40.

Sitta canadensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 96.

Red-bellied Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 583.

Red-bellied Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 24; v. v. p. 474.

249. 3. Sitta pusilla, Lath. Brown-headed Nuthatch.

Plate CXXV. Male and Female.

Upper part of head and hind neck light reddish-brown, the latter with a white spot; back light greyish-blue; quills brownish-black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colours, the rest black, the outer three with a broad band of white near the end; lower parts yellowish-white, the sides greyish-blue.

_Male_, 4, 8.

From Texas to Maryland. In the interior to Mississippi. Extremely abundant. Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and the Carolinas. Resident.

Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 105.

Sitta pusilla, Bonap. Syn. p. 97.

Brown-headed Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 584.

Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 151.

250. 4. Sitta pygmæa, Vigors. Californian Nuthatch.

Plate CCCCXV. Figs. 3, 4. Adult.

Upper part of head and hind neck dull greyish-brown; back dull leaden-grey; quills and tail-feathers dusky, margined with light grey, the lateral two feathers on each side with a white band toward the base; lower parts brownish-white.

_Adult_, 3-10/12, wing, 3-5/12.

California.

Californian Nuthatch, Sitta pygmæa, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 163.

FAMILY XXIV. TROCHILINÆ. HUMMINGBIRDS.

Bill long, very slender, straight or arched, somewhat depressed at the base, subcylindrical, flexible, acute. Head rather large; neck of moderate length; body moderately robust. Feet very short, rather stout; tarsus extremely short; toes of moderate size; the anterior coherent at the base, and nearly of equal length, the hind toe articulated high on the tarsus; claws rather long, arched, much compressed, very acute. Plumage compact above, soft and blended beneath, often with metallic lustre; wings very long, extremely narrow, falciform, with the first quill longest, the other primaries rapidly diminishing; secondaries extremely short. Tail various, of ten feathers. Tongue very long, slender, with two flat, thin-edged terminal filaments, and extensile by means of the elongation of the hyoid bones, which curve over the head to the fore part of the forehead, and with their muscles slide in a groove, like those of the Woodpeckers. Œsophagus narrow, considerably enlarged about the middle; stomach extremely small, roundish, moderately muscular, its epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous; intestine very short and of moderate width; no cœca; cloaca globular. Trachea simple, but divided very high up on the neck, so that the bronchi are of excessive length, with a large pair of inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. TROCHILUS, Linn. HUMMINGBIRD.

Bill long, subulate, depressed at the base, cylindrical, straight, or slightly arched, flexible; upper mandible with the ridge narrow at the base, convex in the rest of its extent, the sides sloping, the edges soft; lower mandible with the angle extremely acute and elongated, the sides erect, the tip acute. Nostrils linear, with a membranous flap above. Head small; neck short; body moderately stout. Feet very short; middle toe scarcely longer than the rest. Plumage rather blended and glossy above. Wings very long, extremely narrow; tail rather long, broad, nearly even. The other characters as above.

251. 1. Trochilus Mango, Linn. Mango Hummingbird.

Plate CLXXXIV. Male and Female.

Male with the head, hind neck, and back green, splendent with bronze and golden reflections; wings dusky, changing to purplish-brown; middle tail-feathers black, glossed with green and blue, the rest deep crimson-purple, tipped and partially margined with steel-blue; fore part of neck, and middle of breast velvet-black, margined on each side with emerald-green, the sides yellowish-green, with a tuft of white downy feathers; lower tail-coverts dark purple. Female with the upper parts similar, the tail-feathers more broadly and extensively margined with blue, and tipped with white; fore neck and centre of the breast white, with a central longitudinal band of black, and an emerald-green margin along the sides of the neck and body; lower tail-coverts green.

_Male_, 4-3/4, 8.

Florida Keys. Rare. Migratory.

Trochilus Mango, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 191.

Mango Humming Bird, Trochilus Mango, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 480.

252. 2. Trochilus Anna, Less. Anna Hummingbird.

Plate CCCCXXV. Male and Female.

Bill almost straight, acuminate; tail of moderate length, emarginate and rounded. Head, cheeks, and throat blood-red, changing to gold, and having a tinge of blue; upper parts light gold-green; quills and tail-feathers dusky brown; lower parts brownish-white. Female with merely a patch of red on the throat, upper part of head and cheeks greenish-grey; upper parts glossy green as in the male; wings dusky, middle tail-feathers green, the rest greenish-grey at the base, black toward the end, with the tips white; lower parts dull grey, sides tinged with brown.

_Male_, 3-10/12, wing, 2-1/12.

Rocky Mountains towards California. Common. Migratory.

Oiseau-mouche Anna, Ornismya Anna, Less. Traite d'Ornith. p. 281.

Anna Humming Bird, Trochilus Anna, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 238.

253. 3. Trochilus Colubris, Linn. Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Plate XLVII. Male, Female, and Young.

Bill straight, acute; tail of moderate length, even. Upper parts light green with golden reflections; quills and tail purplish-brown, the two middle feathers like the back; throat, sides of the head, and fore neck carmine-purple, spotted with black, varying to crimson, orange, and deep black; sides light green, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white mixed with green. Female differs in wanting the brilliant patch on the throat, which is white, as are the lower parts generally, and having the three lateral tail-feathers tipped with the same colour. Young with the lower parts brownish-white, the tail tipped with white, the upper parts light green.

_Male_, 3-1/4, 4-1/2.

In summer, from Texas to Lat. 57°, and in all intermediate districts, east of the Rocky Mountains. Common. Migratory.

Humming Bird, Trochilus Colubris, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 26.

Trochilus Colubris, Bonap. Syn. p. 98.

Trochilus Colubris, Northern Humming Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 323.

Ruby-throated Humming Bird, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 588.

Ruby-throated Humming Bird, Trochilus colubris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 248; v. v. p. 544.

GENUS II. SELASPHORUS, Swains. RUFFED-HUMMINGBIRD.

Bill long, straight, subulate, extremely slender, somewhat depressed at the base, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge narrow at the base, broad and convex toward the end, the sides convex, the edges overlapping, the tip acuminate; lower mandible with the angle very long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line straightish, the edges erect, the tip acuminate. Nostrils basal, linear. Head of ordinary size, oblong; neck short; body short and ovate. Feet very small; tarsus very short, feathered more than half-way; toes small, the lateral equal, the third not much longer, the first a little shorter than the lateral; claws rather long, arched, compressed, very acute. Plumage soft and blended; elongated feathers on the sides of the neck in the males. Wings rather short, falcate, pointed, the second primary longest. Tail rather long, broad, graduated.

254. 1. Selasphorus rufus, Gmel. Rufous Ruffed-Hummingbird.--Nootka Hummingbird.

Plate CCCLXXIX. Male and Female.

Male with the upper parts bright cinnamon or reddish-orange, the head bronzed green, the wings dusky purple, their coverts glossed with green; each of the tail-feathers with a narrow, longitudinal, lanceolate, median streak toward the end; loral space, a narrow band over the eye, another beneath it, and auricular, orange-red; scale-like feathers of the throat and sides of the neck splendent, fire-red, changing to purplish-red, yellowish-red, greenish-yellow, or yellowish-green; behind them on the fore neck a broad band of reddish-white; the rest of the lower parts like the upper, the abdomen inclining to white. Female with the upper parts gold-green, the head inclining to brown; wings as in the male; tail-feathers orange-red at the base, brownish-black toward the end, the tip white; lower parts white, tinged with rufous, especially the sides; throat with roundish spots of metallic greenish-red.

_Male_, 3-7/12, wing, 1-((7-1/4)/12).

From California along the north-west coast to Nootka Sound. Abundant. Migratory.

Trochilus rufus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 497.

Trochilus (Selasphorus) rufus, Cinnamon or Nootka Humming Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 324.

Ruffed-necked Humming Bird, Trochilus rufus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 555.

FAMILY XXV. ALCEDINÆ. KINGFISHERS.

Bill long, straight, stout, broader than high at the base, much compressed, tapering to a rather acute point, and gape-line commencing beneath the middle of the eyes. Head large, ovato-oblong; neck short; body stout. Tarsus extremely short; anteriorly scaly; anterior toes united for more than half their length, outer longer than inner, hind toe small. Claws stout, compressed, arched, very acute. Plumage rather compact. Wings rather long, pointed. Tail various, of twelve feathers. Tongue very short, fleshy, with the sides parallel, the tip tapering to a bluntish point. Roof of upper mandible moderately concave, with a median ridge and oblique lateral grooves. Œsophagus very wide, without crop; stomach very large, round, with its muscular coat very thin; the epithelium dense, very thin, with tortuous rugæ; intestine very long, extremely slender; no cœca; cloaca very large, globular. Trachea with three pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. ALCEDO, Linn. KINGFISHER.

Bill long, straight, rather stout, broader than high at the base, but suddenly much compressed, and tapering to an acute point; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, the ridge distinct, but somewhat flattened, the edges nearly straight, without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight; gape-line commencing beneath the middle of the eye; nostrils basal, near the ridge, linear, obliquely ascending, half closed by a bare membrane. Head large, oblong; neck short; body robust. Feet very short; tarsus extremely short, roundish, anteriorly faintly scaly; anterior toes cohered for a great part of the length, outer longer than inner, first small. Claws rather short, stout, arched, acute. Plumage rather compact, more blended above. Wings long, pointed, with the second and third quills longest. Tail short, even, of twelve rounded feathers.

255. 1. Alcedo Alcyon, Linn. Belted Kingfisher.

Plate LXXVII. Male and Female.

Crested, with the upper parts, cheeks, and a broad belt across the fore part of the breast, light blue, the shaft of each feather darker; lower parts, with a small spot before the eye, and another on the lower eyelid, white; many of the feathers on the sides light blue, banded with white; quills black; the primaries barred with white at the base, and having the inner web of that colour for half its length; the secondaries broadly edged with light blue, dotted and tipped with white, and having the inner web barred with the same; tail-feathers dusky, edged with blue, barred and tipped with white. Female similar to the male, with the tints duller, and the sides with a band across the middle of the breast light red.

_Male_, 12-1/2, 20.

Breeds from Texas all over the United States, to the Fur Countries, Missouri, Rocky Mountains, and Columbia River. Common. Resident.

Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 59.

Alcedo Alcyon, Bonap. Syn. p. 48.

Alcedo Alcyon, Belted Kingfisher, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 339.

Belted Kingfisher, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 594.

Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 394; v. v. p. 548.

FAMILY XXVI. PICINÆ. WOODPECKERS.