172 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



GENUS PIPILO. VlEILLOT. 



Bill short, stout, conical, subcompressed ; the edges somewhat inflected, ascending for more 

 than a third, then direct, with a slight festoon : small bristles at the base of the upper man- 

 dible. Third or fourth quill longest. Tail long, rounded. 



THE CHE WINK, OR GROUND ROBIN. 



PlPILO EltYTHROPHTHALMUS. 

 PLATE LXXI. FIG 162 (Male). 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Fringilla erythrophthalma. LlNNJEUs, Syst. Nat. p. 318. 



Towhee Bunting. Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 359. 



Pipilo attr. Vieillot, Diet. Sc. 



Emieriza erythrophthalma. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 35, pi. 10, fig. 5 (male); Vol. 6, p. 90, pi. 53, fig. 5. 



(female). Audubon, folio, pi. 29. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. Vol. 2, p. 112. 



Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 515. 

 Pipilo id. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 261. Kirtland, Ohio Rep. p. 164. Peabodv, Mass. Rep. p. 328. 



Audubon, Birds of America, Vol. 3, p. 167, pi. 195. 

 P. id., Towhee Ground-finch. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 124. 



Characteristics. Black. Breast white ; flanks and vent bay : a white spot on the wings. 

 Tail with the three outer feathers partly white. Female, reddish brown 

 where the male is black. Length, 8 inches. 



Description. Third quill longest ; second and fifth subequal ; first and eighth subequal. 

 Tail 3" 0-3" 3 long, rounded, and extending 2'8 beyond the tips of the closed wings. 



Color. All above black. Wings with one and sometimes two white bars ; tertials edged 

 with white or rufous white. The first external tail-feather white on the outer web, except 

 towards the tip. Spots of the same color on the inner webs of the three external feathers. 

 Bill black. Irides bright red. Breast white. Abdomen pale red. Sides reddish brown. 

 Female, olive brown or rufous brown above. Centre of the belly white, immaculate. 

 Flanks and under tail-coverts bright bay ; the sinuated webs of the quills white : a white 

 spot at the base of the quills ; tertials edged with rufous. 



Length, 7-5-8-5. Alar spread, 10 • - 12 • 0. 



This beautiful and unobtrusive little species is familiarly known in this State (where it 

 breeds) under the name of Chewink, from its peculiar note, and of Ground Robin, from its 

 seldom attempting to fly high. In Louisiana it is called, from its plumpness, Grasset, and 

 is esteemed by epicures. Its nest is sunk in the ground, and it lays flesh-white eggs thickly 

 spotted with brown. It feeds on the earth-worm (Lumbricus terrenus), wire-worm (Julus), 



