432 



U. 8. P. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



C. KnYNcnoPHANES, Baird.' — Bill very large at the base ; hind claw shorter. No rufous 

 nuchal collar. 



Crown hlack ; shoulders chestnut ; beneath white, with a black pectoral crescent. 



P. maccownii. 

 The essential characters of the genus, as usually understood, consist in the very long and 

 pointed wings ; the moderate, nearly even tail ; the very long, little curved, hind claw. 

 Whether the elongated and nearly straight hind claw be not an arbitrary character embracing 

 species otherwise dissimilar I do not pretend to decide. Bonaparte considers the P. maccownii, 

 so totally distinct from the other species, as to warrant a place in a different family. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS, Meyer. 



Snow Buuting. 



Emberiza nivalis, L. Syst. Nat. I, 17G6, 308. (Not Fiingilla nivalis, L.) — Fouster, Pliila. Trans. LXII, 1772,403.- 



WiLSON, Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 86 ; pi. .xxi.— Aud. Orii. Biog. II, 1834, 575 : V, 1839, 496 ; pi. 189. 

 Emberiza {Plectrophanes) nivaiu, Bon Obs. 1825, No. 89. 



" Plectrophanes nivalis, RIever."— BoN. List, 1838.— AcD. Syn. 1839, 103.— Id. Birds Amor. Ill, 1841, 55; pi. 155. 

 Emberiza monlana, Gmelin, SysL I, 1788, 8G7, 25. 

 Emberiza mustelina, Gmelin, Syst. I, 1788, 867, 7. 

 Emberiza ^lacittlis, Latham, Ind. Orn. 1, 1790, 398. 



8p Ch. — Colors, in full plumage, entirely black and wliito. Middle of back between scapulars, terminal balf of primaries and 

 tertiarics, and two innermost tail feathers, black ; olsewliero pure white. Logs black at all seasons. In winter dress white buiicith ; 

 the head and rump yellowish brown, as also some blotches on tlio side of the breast ; middle of back brown, streaked with black ; 

 white on wings and tail much more restricted. Lengtii, about G.75 ; wing, 4 35 ; tail, 3.05 ; first quill longest. 



Ilab Northern America from Atlaiilic to Pacific ; south into the United Stales in winter. 



This species varies much in color, and tlie male in full plumage is seldom if ever seen within 

 the limits of the United States. 



' It is my imprcBsion that Bonaparte lias proposed a name lor this suction in removing it to aiiutlier luniily, but 1 am unable 

 to find it. 



