PLECTROPHANES PICTUS, PAINTED LAEK BUNTING. 121 



lected by Mr. H. W. Elliott on the Prybilor Islauds, Bering's Sea, oue 

 contains six, the other four specimens. The eggs are rather pointed at 

 the smaller end, and measure about O.SO by 0.G2. They are very dark 

 colored, reminding one of the Titlark's ; the color is a heavy clouding or 

 thick mottling of chocolate-browu, through which the greenish-gray 

 ground is little apparent. The nests are built of mosses and flue, soft, 

 dried grasses, and lined with a few large feathers from some water-fowl ; 

 they were placed on the ground, under tussocks, in grassy hummocks. 

 The female did not leave the nest until nearly trodden upon. 



PLECTROPHANES PICTUS, Sw. 



PaiHted L.ark Bunting. 



Emberiza {PJecU-opliancs) incta, Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 250, pi. 49 (perfect spring 

 plumage; Saskatchewau), — Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 589. 

 ' Emleriza picta. Aud., Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 91, pi. 40U. 



Plectroplmnes pictHs, Bp., List, 1838, 37; Cousp. i, 1850, 463.— Aud., Syn. 1839, 99; B. 

 Am. iii, 1841, 52, pi. 153 (from the original specimen). — Bd., 13. N. A. 1858, 434 

 (Minnesota aud Illinois).— Dall «fc Baxn., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 18G9, 283 (Fort 

 Yukon and McKenzie River region). — Coues, Key, 1872, 134. — B. B. & R., 

 N. A. B. i, 1874, 518, pi. 24, f. 4. 5. 



CeniropTianes pictiis, Cab., Mas. Hein. i, 1851, 127. 



Emleriza smitliii, Aur>., B. Amer. vii, 1844, 337, pi. 487 (Illiuois, in winter). (Young.) 



Centropliaucs smithii, Cab., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 127. 



Bah. — Yukon, McKenzie, Saskatchewan, and Missouri River regions, to the prairies 

 of Illiuois in winter. 



This species was not noticed by either of the Expeditions ; yet there is 

 no doubt whatever of its occurrence in the regious explored. The oidy 

 Uuited States quotations I have found are those above given. Audu- 

 bon states that he found the bird "very abundant" on low prairie about 

 a lake near Edwardsville, Illinois. Richardson had but his single Sas- 

 katchewan specimen. The Smithsonian collections, of great extent, and 

 embracing many perfectly plumaged specimens, attest the abundance 

 of the bird in the McKenzie River region. It does not appear to breed 

 anywhere in the United States. In Northern Dakota it makes its ap- 

 l^earauce the latter part of September, but, according to my observa- 

 tions, only in limited numbers. It associates intimately with P. ornaius, 

 and has much the same habits and general appearance. No eggs are 

 more variable than those of Plcctrophanes, aiul P. pirtus is no exception 

 to the rule in this regard. The very extensive series in the Smithsonian 

 exhibits some specimens exactly like those of P. lapponiciis, with a cor- 

 responding range of variation, and others like 1\ ornatus, i)ut always 

 larger than the latter, being of the size of P. lappon'icus. None of the 

 specimens, however, are as darkly and uniformly chocolate as some ex- 

 ami)les of P. lapponlcus are. These eggs are nearly all from the Ander- 

 son River region, with a few from Great Slave Lake. 



The following is a more sufficient description of th(^ young bird tlian that given in 

 the Key: iUrt/f— Length, 0.50 ; extent, 11.25 ; wing, 3.75*; tail, 2.50; tarsus. 0.75 ; mid- 

 dle toe aud daw, about tiie same ; hind tot; and claw, rather less (/'. oriKthi.t is much 

 less in all its dimensions). Bill, dusky brown abovt; aud at tip, i)aler below; feet, 

 light brown (drying darker); toes, ratiier <larkcr. Entire iiudcr jiaits, rich yellowish- 

 brown, or biitl'y (in /'. oriKilim never thus); paler on the chin and tiiroat, which, with 

 the fore-breast, are obsoletely streaked with dusky ; the tilua^ white. Tail, white only 

 on the two or three outer featliers (in /'. onuttun all the feathers, exceping sometimes 

 the central pair, are white at the base). Upper parts much as in the adult, but the 

 sharp, distinctive head-markings wanting, or oidy obscurely indicated. 



