Species VII. EMBERIZA LEUCOPHRYS. 



WHITE-CROWNED BUNTING. 



[Plate XXXI. Fig. 4.] 



TuRTON, Sijst. p. 536.* 



This beautifully marked species is one of the rarest of its tribe in 

 the United States, being chiefly confined to the northern districts, or 

 higher interior parts of the country, except in severe winters, when 

 some few wanderers appear in the lower parts of the state of Pennsyl- 

 vania. Of three specimens of this bird, the only ones I have yet met 

 with, the first was caught in a trap near the city of New York, and 

 lived with me several months. It had no song, and, as I afterwards 

 discovered, was a female. Another, a male, was presented to me by Mr. 

 Michael, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The third, a male, and in com- 

 plete plumage, was shot in the Great Pine Swamp, in the month of May, 

 and is faithfully represented in the plate. It appeared to me to be 

 unsuspicious, silent and solitary ; flitting in short flights among the 

 underwood and piles of prostrate trees torn up by a toiuiado, that some 

 years ago passed through the swamp. All my endeavors to discover the 

 female or nest were unsuccessful. 



From the great scarcity of this species our acquaintance with its 

 manners is but very limited. Those persons who have resided near 

 Hudson's Bay, where it is common, inform us, that it makes its nest in 

 June, at the bottom of willows, and lays four chocolate-colored eggs. 

 Its flight is said to be short and silent ; but when it perches it sings 

 very melodiously.f 



The White-crowned Bunting is seven inches long, and ten inches in 

 extent ; the bill a cinnamon brown ; crown from the front to the hind 

 head pure white, bounded on each side by a stripe of black proceeding 

 from each nostril ; and these again are bordered by a stripe of pure 

 white passing over each eye to the hind head, where they meet ; below 

 this another narrow stripe of black passes from the posterior angle of the 

 eye, widening as it descends' to the hind head ; chin white ; breast, sides 



* Synonymes : Emheriza leucophrys, Gmel. Syst. I., p. 874. — Lath. Syn. iii., 

 p. 200, 44. Id. Sup. p. 159. — Id. Ind. i., p. 413. — White-Crowned Bunting, Arct. 

 Znol. II., No. 22. 



t Arct. Zool. 



(90) 



