252 BIBDS OF ILUNOIB. 



SrBOEKus Coturniculus Bonaparte. 



Cotiiriiiriihis BONAP. OoOK. iluil C'oiii|i. Lint. WSS.yj. Type, Fi-iiigilla itamrriiin WlL«. 



"Oen. Char. Bill vory larue iiml Mtout (exi-ept In V. lecontei): Ihts umliT miuiUll>l<' 

 broiiilrr. but lower tlmii tlif iiprn'r. whleli Is Jci'lilf'clly convex ot the basul portion of ll« 

 nppiT oulline. LeB.muoderiite.uppiiri'nIly not reuehlns to the end of the lull. The tiirwiis 

 appn'elably longer than thenildille toe: the lateral toes eciuul, and with their elaws falllni; 

 deeldedly short of the middle elaw; the hind toe Intermediate between the two. Tin- 

 wlngH are short and rounded, reaehlntj totheba.se nf the tall; the tertlurb-s almost a.t 

 long as the primaries: not mueh dllTereneeln length in the primaries, althouKh the outi-r 

 three or four are sllRhtly craduated. The tall is short and narrow, shorter than the wlni: 

 (except In V. lecontei). graduated laterally. but Blightly emargiuute: the feathers all 

 lanceolate and acute, but not stiffened, as in Atnmoilranitii). 



"This genus agrees with Pttssercitlus in the short and narrow tail. 

 The wings are much shorter, and more rounded ; the feet shorter, 

 especially the middle toe, which is not as long as the tarsus. The 

 tail-feathers are more lanceolate. The hill is much longer, and 

 more swollen at the hase. 



"The essential characters • * consist in the swollen con- 

 vex hill; the short toes, comparcil with the tai-sus; the short and 

 rounded wings ; and the very small, narrow, slightly graduated tail, 

 with its lanceolate, acute feathers (except in the South American 

 C. VKiiilmhe). 



"In some respects there is a resemblance to Ammodramux, in 

 which, however, the hill is very much more slender; the wings are 

 shorter, and more rounded ; the tail feathers much stiffer, and even 

 more lanceolate ; the toes extending beyond the tip of the tail ; the 

 middle toe rather longer than the tarsus, instead of considerably 

 shorter." 



"C. lecontei has the same general foi-m, hut a much smaller bill." 

 {Hi^t. N. Am. B.) 



The three North American species diifer very strikingly from one 

 another in form, and may he readily distinguished by proportions 

 alone, as follows : 



a. Tall much shorter than the wing, double-rounded. Primaries extending beyond 

 the tips of the largest tcrtlals for about .40 of an inch. 

 1. C. pasBcrinus. Hill stout, the eulmen slightly depressed in the middle portion. 



Wing al"iut i.'iO; tall. I.SW; eulmen. Mi; depth of bill, .23: tarsus, ,80. 

 I. Tall about emial to, or even longer than the wing, graduated. Primaries extending 

 very little beyond tips of longest tertials, 

 '.'. C. henslowi. Bill very stout, the eulmen not depressed In the middle. Wing 



about il.'j; tail. 2.10: eulmen. .50; depth of bill .30; tarsus, ,70. 

 X C, lecontei. Bill very small and slender, the eulmen depressed in the middle 



portion. Wing about 2.10; tail, 2.30; culmen,.«; depth of bill, .20; tarsus. ,65. 



