FltlNGILLTDJE : FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, ETC. 



359 



74. 



SS3. 



dueky-streaked interval. Sides of head, and throat, whitish, with dusky speckling on cheeks 

 and ears. Under parts dull brown, fading to white on belly and crissum, the feathers some- 

 times \dth dusky streaks. Thus an obscure bird: but observe generic characters, and exten- 

 sively white tail. $, adult, after the fall moult: The full dress is confined to tlie breeding 

 season ; afterward, tlie colors are much obscured. Cervical collar and black of head and belly 

 veiled by gray ends of tlie feathers, but visible on raising the plumage. Crown like back, with 

 concealed black ; superciliary stripe and other distinctive head-markings obliterated ; bill 

 brownish-plumbeous. The changes in the 9 are parallel, but there is less to be altered. 

 Young $ 9 J before first moult : Whole upper parts blackish-brown, with semicircular gray 

 or whitish markings, and a slightly lighter cervical interval. Throat definitely white. Under 

 parts dull brown, heavily streaked with dusJ-y, especially on the breast. Much light brown 

 edging and tipping of the quills and wing-coverts. Feet and bill pale. This stage is transi- 

 tory ; with the first moult the young acquire the characters above described for the winter. A 

 beautiful species of the interior plains, British America and U. S. and Mexico ; breeds in pro- 

 fusion on the prairies of Dakota, Montana, and whole upper Missouri and Saskatchewan 

 regions, S. to Kansas or further; has occurred in New England ; rarely W. of the Rocky Mts. 

 Breeds in June and July ; nest on ground, sunken flush with surface, of a few grasses and weed- 

 stalks ; eggs usually 4, about 0.80 X 0.60, white clouded with purplish shell-markings, gray 

 the prevailing tone, this iiTegularly dotted and veined with sharp dark -brown surface-marks. 

 Young covered with whitish downi. In the breeding season the birds are fond of soaring and 

 singing as they fly, rising to great height and letting themselves down with the wings held like 

 parachutes ; they curiously resemble butterflies when so engaged. The white tail shows very 

 conspicuously. Ordinary flight wayward and vacillating ; song weak and twittering, but pleas- 

 ing. The birds flock as soon as young are fiiirly on wing, and leave the northern prairies in 

 October. They are associated in the breeding season with R. maccowni, and joined in October 

 by P. pictiis and lapponicus from the north. 



RHYNCHO'PHANES. (Gr. pvyxos, rhugchos, beak, and (j)aipa, phaino, I appear ; in allusion 

 to the turgid bill.) LoNGSPURS. Similar to Centrophanes, but departing in the direction of 

 Montifnngilla (an exotic genus). Bill turgid, very stout and large in comparison ; culmen rising 

 high on forehead, its outline almost a little concave. Hind toe and claw less developed. Hind 

 claw not longer than its digit, not notably straightened. Sexes dissimilar. No cervical collar. 

 $ with black pectoral crescent and red bend of wing. Habits of Centrophanes strictly. 

 R. maccown'i. (To Capt. J. P. McCown, U. S. A. 

 SPUR. Bay-winged Longspur. $, in full dress: 



Fig. 225.) 

 Upper part? 



dusky and grayish or yellowish- 

 brown, especially on the interscap- 

 ulars. No cervical collar, but a 

 chestnut patch on the wings, fonned 

 by the median coverts. Crown jet- 

 black, bounded by a white super- 

 ciliary line ; sides of head whitish, 

 but auriculars more or less slaty. 

 Throat white, bounded by firm 

 black maxillary stripes. Breast 

 jet-black, in broad crescentic form, 

 sharply defined against the white 

 throat, shading behind into slaty- 

 blackish, becoming more and more 

 mixed with white on the belly and 

 sides, till posteriorly the parts are 



Black-breasted Long- 



slate-n;ray, streaked with 



Fig. 225. 

 Nichols 8c.) 



Black-b; tasted Jjougspur, reduced. (Sheppard del. 



