232 



U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGT GENERAL REPORT. 



ANTHUS, Bechstein. 



Anthus, Bechstein, Geraein. Naturg. Deutschl. 1802, (Agassiz.) Type, Mauda spinoktta. 



Ch.— Bill slender, much attenuated, and distinctly notched. A few short bristles at the base. Culmen concave at the base. 

 Tarsi quite distinctly scutellate ; longer than the middle toe ; inner lateral toe the longer. Hind toe rather shorter than the tarsus, 

 but longer than the middle toe, owing to the long attenuated and moderately curved hind claw, which is considerably more than 

 half the total length of the toe. Tail rather long, emarginate. Wmg very long, considerably longer than the lengthened tail, 

 reaching to its middle. The first primary nearly equal to the longest. The tertials almost as long as the primaries. 



Of this genus but one species is well established as belonging to North America. Others 

 occur in South America, and the rest of the world. 



The following table of measurements shows the proportions of the North American species 

 compared with the allied Neocorys : 



Comparative measurements of species. 



ANTHUS LUDOVICIANUS, Licht. 



Tit liark. 



Mauda liidoviciana, Gmeliv, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 79.S. 



Jlnthxis ludovicianus, LiciiT. Verz. 1823, 37, no. 421.— Rich. List, 1837.— Bonap. List, 1838.— Ib. Conspectus, 



1850, 249.— AuDDBoN, Synopsis, 1839, 94.— Ib. Birds Amer. HI, 1841, 40; pi. 150. 

 Mauda rubra, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 794. 

 Mauda riifa, Wilsok, Am. Orn. V, 1812,89; pi. ixxxix. 

 Jinihus spinoktta, Bonap. Synopsis, 1828, 90, (not of Linnaeus.) — Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1632, 408 : V, 1839, 449 ; 



pi. 80.— NoTTALL, Man. I, 1832, 450. 

 Alauda pennsylvanica, Brisbon, Orn. 



Jlnthus pennsyhanicus. Zander, Cab. Journ. Orn. Extraheft, I, for 1853, 1854, 63. 

 Anlhus aquaticus, Aid. Name on PI. x, folioed. 



.inthus pipiens, Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 408 : V, 1839, 449 ; pi. 80. (Young.') 

 .Qntlius rubens, Merrem. (Gray.) 



gp. Ch. (^Female, in spring.) Above olive brown, each feather slightly darker towards the central portion ; benealh pale 



dull buff, or yellowish brown, with a maxillary series of dark brown spots and streaks across the breast and along sides . Ring round 

 the eye, and superciliary stripe yellowish. Central tail feathers like the back, others dark blackish brown ; the external one 

 while, except at the base within ; a white spot at the end of the second. Primaries edged with whitish, other quills with 

 pale brownish. Length, G.50 ; wing, 3.45 ; tail, 2.95. 



JIab. — North America generally. Greenland, (Reinhardt.) Accidental in Europe. 



I have no authentic male of this species from the Atlantic States before me, but I am inclined 

 to think that it is not materially different. It may possibly be paler and more streaked. The 

 second and third quills are longest and equal, the first and fourth little shorter, and about equal 

 to the tertials. The tail varies somewhat as to the amount of wliitc, in one specimen the second 

 featlier having nearly as much as the first. Specimens from tlie west appear smaller and paler 

 than eastern ones, and to have the breast much more streaked, but the materials before me are 

 not sufficient to determine whether we have more than one species. 



