510 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus PLECTROPHANES, Meyer. 



PUctropliancs, Meyer, " Tasclienlnich, 1810." Agassiz. (Typo, Emhcriza nivalis.) 

 Centrophanes, Kaup, " Entw. Ge-sch. Europ. Thiervvelt, 1829." Agassiz. (Type, E. lap- 

 ponica.) ■ 



Gen. Char. Bill variable ; conical ; the lower mandible higher than the upper ; the 

 sides of both mandibles (in the typical species) guarded by a closely applied brush of 

 stiffened bristly feathers directed forwards, and in the upper jaw concealing the nostrils; 



Plertrophanes nivalis. 



the outlines of the bill nearly straight, or slightly curved ; the lower jaw considerably 

 broader at the base than the upper, and wider than the gonys is long. Tarsi considerably 

 longer than the middle toe; the lateral toes nearly equal (the inner claw largest), and 

 reaching to the base of the middle claw. The hinder claw very long, moderately curved 

 and acute, considerably longer than its toe ; the toe and claw together reaching to the middle 

 of the middle claw, or beyond its tip. Wings very long and much pointed, reaching 

 nearly to the end of the tail ; the first quill longest; the others rapidly graduated ; the 

 tertiaries a little longer than the secondaries. Tail moderate, about two thirds as long as 

 the wings ; nearly even, or slightly emarginated. 



The species of this genus are essentially boreal and cosmopolitan, although 



America possesses four species 

 not found, like her two others, 

 in the Old World. They are 

 all "round-birds, collectiui:'" in 

 large flocks, in autumn and 

 winter, on prairies and plains, 

 some of the species j^assing far 

 to the southward. There is 

 much variation in the color, and 

 in the details of structure of 

 bill and feet. In P. nivalis 



Plectrophanes nivalis. , . , , p . p t • j i 



alone is the iringe oi bristly 

 feathers along the side of the bill very distinct. The gonys also is excep- 

 tionally short, being less than half the length of the culmen. 



