122 PLECTROPHANES ORNATUS. 



PLECTEOPHANES OEXATUS, Towns. 

 Chestnut-collared Bunting; Black-bellied Longspur. 



Plectropha)ies ornatiis, Towns., Jonru. Pbil.i. Acad, vii, 1837, 189. — Aud., Syu. 1839, 99. — 

 AVD.. B. Amer. iii, 1841, 53, pi. iri4.— Nutt., Man. i, 2d ed. 1840, 537.— Pp., List, 

 1838, 37 ; Consp. i, 1850, 463.— WooDii., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 88 (ludian Territory).— 

 Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 435.— Hayd., Rep. 1862. 165.— Dkess., Ibis, 1865, 486 (Texas).— 

 Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 135.— Coues, Key, 1872, 134.— B. B. & R., N. A. 

 B. i, 1874, 5-^0, pi. 24, f. 3. 



Emheriza ornatn, Ax'd., Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 44, pi. 394, f. 1. 



Centrophiiin'^ orvatus, Cab., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 127. 



Plectrophancs vidanomus, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 436 (Black Hills to Mexico). — Heerm., P. 

 R. R. Rep. X, 1859, Parke's Route, Birds, p. 13 (New Mexico). — Hayd., Rep. 

 1862, 165 (Black Hills and Niobrara River).— SCL., P. Z. S. 1860, 251 (Orizaba).— 

 Dhess., Ibis, 1865, 486 (Texas).— Coues, Pr. Pbila. Acad. 1866, 84 (Arizona).— 

 vSuMiCH., Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 551 (Plateau of Vera Cruz to Orizaba). 



Plectrophanes ornatus var. melanomus, B. B. & R., N. A. B. i, 1874, 521, pi. 24, 1". 6. 



Hal). — Interior of British America ; whole Missouri region ; prairies of Kansas, breed- 

 ing (Allen). Breeds very abundantly in Dakota. South through the Rocky Mountain 

 region to the table-lands of Mexico. West of the Rocky Mountains, only observed in 

 Arizona (Coues.) 



Licntenaut Warren's Expedition. — 4827, Bijoux Hills ; 5377-79, Medicine Creek ; 5917, 

 Fort Pierre ; 8924, 8926, Black Hills ; 8925, Running Water. 



Not obtained by Captain Rayuolds' Expedition. 



This is an abundant aud characteristic species of the Missouri region. 

 Originally described from this country, it has since been traced far north 

 in the interior of the British Possessions, and southward, in elevated 

 regions, to Vera Cruz and Orizaba. 



The time for discussing the claims of P. melanomus as a distinct spe- 

 cies, passed when the variations in plumage of P. ornatus became 

 known. The results of a critical examination I made when this Eeport 

 was originally drafted, some years since, are now suppressed ; for in the 

 interim Mr. Allen has satisfactorily stated the case. In the paper above 

 cited, he has the following remarks : 



" The plumage varies greatly in color in different individuals of even 

 the same sex, the variation being generally in resi)ect to the purity and 

 intensity of the colors. The most highly-colored males have the breast 

 and middle of the abdomen more or lei^s strongly tinged with very bright 

 ferrugineous ; others have these parts i)ure black ; while in others still, 

 the black is obscured by the feathers having brownish-white tips. The 

 lesser wing-coverts vary from gray to black. The red tinge on the 

 abdomen seems merely indicative of a high state of plumage, those thus 

 marked also having the lesser coverts black ; but the^" are also black in 

 some specimens that are not tinged with red. PlectropJumes melanomus 

 is merely the ferrugineous phase of this species. The highest colored 

 female (the sex determined by dissection) was nearly as bright colored 

 as the i)aler-colored males, having the chestnut collar and the black 

 on the breast, nearly as distinct as some of the males. It was nearly 

 as large, and, until dissected, was supposed to be an immature male." 



In Dakota, where I observed the bird during the breeding season in 

 the greatest abundance, few were found with the sienna color on the 

 under parts, and then only as a trace. The summer birds rarely show 

 the black bend of the wing, but this is assumed in perfection, as a rule, 

 after the fall moult, which o<;curs in September. 



Mr. Alleu sends me the following notice, prepared for this work : 

 " The Chestnut-collared Bunting was found on the plains about Fort 

 Hays, in considerable abundance. They live in summer in large scat- 

 tered colonies, generally many pairs being found at the same locality, 

 while they may not be again met with in a whole day's travel. We 



