518 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



red, and at times almost black. In some, fine olive-brown dots cover the egg 

 so completely as to make it appear as of one uniform deep color. In others 

 the brown is lighter and more of a reddish hue, and again in others the 

 markings are in irregular distribution, and of different shades. They meas- 

 ure .80 by .60 of an inch. 



Nest with eggs (7414), collected on Anderson River, Franklin Bay, June 

 27, by E. MacFarlane, was built on the ground, and is deeply saucer-shaped, 

 measuring 3.75 in external and 2.30 in internal diameter ; the depth 2.75 

 exteriorly and 1.50 interiorly. It is composed of coarse wiry grass-stems, 

 and softly lined with featliers of Lagoims. The eggs, five in number, have 

 the ground-color liglit umber-drab, this faintly blotched with deeper livid 

 slate, and with a few straggly black lines, much as in certain Ictcridm and 

 in Chondestes. They measure .86 of an inch in length by .63 in breadth. 



Plectrophanes pictus, Swainson. 



SMITH'S BUNTING ; PAINTED LONGSPTIR. 



Emheriza {Plectrophanes) picla, S\v. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 250, pi. 49 (sirring). — Nutt. 

 Man. II, 589. Plectrophanes pktus, AUD. Syn. 1839, 99. — Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 

 52, pi. cliii (Richardson's specimen). — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 434. — Dall & 

 Bannister, Tr. Cli. A. S. I, 1869, 283 (Alaska). Emheriza pikta, Aud. Orn. Biog. V, 

 1839, 91, pi. cccc. Centrophancs pictus, Cab. Mas. Hein. 1851, 127. Plectroplmncs 

 smithi, Aud. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 337, pi. cccclxxxvii (winter). 



Sp. Char. Male. Spring. Top and sides of head black. A line from bill over the 

 eye, lores, lower and posterior border of the black cheeks, ears (encircled by black), and a 

 small patch in the nape, white. Entire under parts, and extending round neck to nape 

 (where it bounds abruptly the black of head), buff" or light cinnamon-yellow ; the under 

 tail-covert paler ; the inside of wings, white. Feathers of upper surfaces black, edged 

 with yellowish-gray ; shoulders or lesser coverts and the greater black ; middle white, 

 forming a conspicuous patch. Quills edged externally with white, this involving the 

 whole outer web of outermost primary. Whole of outer and most of second tail-feather 

 wdiite. Bill dusky ; lower mandible and legs yellowish. Length, 5.50 ; wing, 3.50 j 

 tail, 2.75 ; bill, .45. 



Female. The markings of male faintly indicated, but the black and buff" wanting. 

 Head above brown, streaked centrally with paler. A narrow dark line on each side the 

 throat, and brownish streaks across the jugulum, and along sides of body. Traces visible 

 of the white marks of the head. Bill and feet as in the male. 



Hab. Prairies of Illinois and Missouri Plains, in winter; in summer north to the 

 Arctic Ocean. 



This species is quite similar in form to P. lapponicus, although with slen- 

 derer bill, and perhaps longer hind claw. While the colors of adult males 

 are very different, the females have a decided resemblance ; they may, how- 

 ever, be distinguished in all stages by the black or dusky legs of lapponiciis 

 and the yellow of pictus, and perhaps by the more dusky upper mandible of 

 the latter. 



