CALCARIUS. 419 
C. ornatus has a rather slender bill with sharp tomia with a well-developed angle, 
near which are two deep furrows, the interval between them being produced into a 
small dentate process; the culmen is rather high towards the base, but sinks to the 
forehead ; the nasal fossa is large and open, the nostrils are situated at the lower 
extremity, with a very distinct membrane above them. The fect are moderate, but the 
hind toe is furnished with a long slightly depressed claw. ‘The wings are long and 
pointed, the first primary being the longest, the second, third, and fourth gradually 
falling short of it; the longest secondaries slightly exceed the shortest primaries. 
The tail is slightly forked, the feathers rather narrow and for the most part white 
at the base. 
1. Calcarius ornatus. 
Plectrophanes ornatus, Towns. Journ. Ac. Phil. vii. p. 1891; Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. 
p- 520°; Coues, B. N. W. p. 122°. 
Centrophanes ornatus, Coues, Key N. Am. B. ed. 2, p. 358%. 
Plectrophanes melanomus, Baird, B. N. Am. p. 486, t. 74. f. 2°; Scl. P. Z. 8S. 1860, p. 251°; 1864, 
p- 174"; Dresser, Ibis, 1865, p. 486°; Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p.551°; Allen, 
Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. iii. p. 185°. 
Plectrophanes ornatus, var. melanomus, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 521”. 
Calcarius ornatus, Check-List N. A. B. p. 263”. 
Supra dorso toto nigricante-fusco, plumis singulis extus pallide fusco limbatis; pileo toto nigro, macula 
nuchali alba, cervice postica castanea; loris, capitis lateribus et gula tota albis; stria postoculari et 
abdomine toto (preter partem imam et crissum album) nigris; alis fusco-nigris fusco extus limbatis, 
humeris et tectricibus minoribus nigris; cauda fusca, rectricibus duabus utrinque externis (preter apices 
in pogonio tantum externo) albis, reliquis (preter duas medias) ad basin plus minusve gradatim albis; 
rostro corneo, tomiis et mandibula pallidis, pedibus corylinis. Long. tota 5°3, ale 3:4, caudee 23, rostri 
a rictu 0°55, tarsi 0°75. (Deser. exempl. ex Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Q supra mari similis, sed capite, nucha et cervice postica dorso concoloribus; subtus isabellina, hypochondriis 
fusco vix striatis ; stria utrinque rictali indistincte fusca. (Descr. exempl. ex Mexico. Mus. nostvr.) 
Av. juv. & similis, pectore et hypochondriis distincte fusco maculatis. 
Hab. Nortn America, plains of the interior, Texas .—Mexico (de Saussure ®), valley 
of Mexico (White"), plateau of Vera Cruz (Sumichrast °), Orizaba (fide Sallé®). 
This species is subject to a great seasonal variation, the bird described above being, 
we believe, in autumnal plumage, when the black of the breast and head is nearly 
pure. In the breeding-dress the feathers of the abdomen are edged with sienna, and 
there’are other differences in the colour of the lesser wing-coverts. Birds in this dress 
are the P. melanomus of Baird, which Mr. Allen 1°, endorsed by Dr. Coues *, has shown 
to be but a state of plumage of P. ornatus. 
According to Sumichrast ® this species is one of the native birds of the State of Vera 
Cruz in Mexico, from which we may infer that it breeds in that country. He says that 
its usual abode is on the great plains of the plateau of Mexico, and from thence it 
descends occasionally to the neighbourhood of Orizaba (alt. 4000 feet)®. Mr. Sclater 
53* 
