A SPECIMEN OF HESPEROPHONA VESPERTINA, Bonap. 



W. (;. Tight. 



On tht loth of December a si)ecimen of this rare bird was 

 killed in front of Academy Hall, by Mr George Osbun The bird 

 was a male and was apparently alone and was feeding on maple seeds, 

 which were very abundant under the trees in front of the building. 

 While it was busily engaged at its noon meal it kept up a constant 

 chirjj like that of the Cardinalis virginianus and only sounded its 

 charactesistic ''yeeip'^ when it was disturbed and was in the trees. 



As the bird is such a rarity for Ohio, having been identified but 

 once before, as far as I can learn, (Ohio Geological Report, Vol. IV, 

 J) 313.) in the State and that in March, i860, I have concluded to 

 give a detailed description of the superficial characters of the speci- 

 men in hand. 



It does not differ much from the descriptions of Baird, Jordan, 

 Coues, Wheaton, and Herrick, (Bulletin, Vol I.), which I have before 

 me, excejjt in the amount and distrilnition of white on the wings, the 

 length of the three outer primaries being equal and a few other minor 

 points which will be observed by comparison. For the complete oste- 

 ology of the species, reference is made to the article of Prof C. L. 

 Herrick, University of Cincinnati, in Vol. I. of the Bulletin of Denison 

 University. 



Hesperophona vespertina IJonap. Bird, Male. Feet short ; tarsus less than 

 middle toe; tel. .93; tra. .56; lateral toes equal; 31. and 4t. 7 ; claws com- 

 pressed 12 ; bill very large, j^^reenish-yellovv (not dusky at base), .75 long and 75 

 <leep ; gaj^e .Si ; tip of upper mandible extending beyond and over the lower; 

 body length 8.10; wing 4.^5; tail 2.50; depth of tail notch .25; primaries 

 much longer than secondaries, the outer three equal and extending to beyond 

 the middle of the tail ; secondaries 6 in number and equal ; tertiaries 3 in num- 

 ber and unequal ; wing coverts covering half the extent of the wings ; tail cov- 



