520 NORTH AMKI!I("AN lllltKS. 



Till) e^'ys, fivo in nmiiln'r, hnvv n Ii;,'lit cliiy-tuilorod frronnd, aro ninrkofl 

 with oliscuic lilcitclics ol' liivcinior iiml ilaikcr lines, dots, ami lilotclios of 

 (liu'k [(Uiiilisli-liriiwn. Tliny lueasuro .SO hy .tia of an iucli. 



Plectrophanes ornatus, TmvNs. 



OHESTNUT-COLLABED BUNTING ; BLACK-BELUED LONOSPVB. 



/'l,cli:i/>/i'ni suiiiiiliis, T(i\vnm;mi, .1. A.'. Niil. Sc. VII, l.s;i7, 1M». — 111. NniTiitivc, l,s;l!), 344. 

 — Alil>. Syii. 18;!!», !i!i. 111. jtiiils Am. Ill, 1.S41, 5:1, pi. iliv. — NuiT. Man. I, (M 

 vi].,) 184(1, ".37. - lUiiai, liiids N. Am. ^s:,H, 4:).'.. ICmli, rixn <„;i,i/,i, Ain. Oni. Hin^. 

 V, l^;!<,l, 44, |)I. cnxiiv, I'. 1. CiHlrn/iliitiics di-iiii/ks, Caiiamn, Miis. Ili'iii. 1)S51, l'i7. 



SrCaAii. r>ill cliiik |)IiiiiiIm'i>iis. .I/k/c. Ciowii, ii iiiiiiiiw (rcscciit on tiic ,'<i(|(' ol' tliu 

 \h',u\. with II liiii' naiiiiiiL' iiiin it IVniii lu'liimi tlic eye, cnlii'i.' lirnist iiiiil apper jmrt of 

 liclly nil roiaiil, liliii'k : llinuit iiml .-iiilrs of the lioiul, lower part of Imlly and andor tnil- 

 onvcrt.*, with lia.scs of llii' lail-fciitlii'is, while. The white on tiie tail-l'('ather.< raiis for- 

 ward as .'111 iieate point. A ehe.stnat hand on the hack of the iieek exleadinir ronnd on 

 the .-iides. Hesl of upper pails -jray isli-liiown, slreakeij with darker. iMiddii! coverts 

 with a white paleli. Li'sser w iiii;-eoverts like llie hack. l-i'j;-< ihi.sky, hill hliii', darker at 

 tip. Leiiu'lh aliDiit ."i.'J.") inches ; win;;-, ;{.2(l ; lail, 2.:!0 ; tarsus, ."o. 



FfiiKilc lacking' llie hliick and chestnut colors; the hlack of thu breast indicated by 

 dasky streaks iiad u line of streaks each side of the throat. 



IIaii. Plains of the Upper Mi.s.soiiii. San Antonio, Texas, sprinp; (Dresskr, Ihi>s, 1805, 

 48(!). 



Habits. This .spocics was first (lisoovcrtHl by ^fr. Townsend, wlio pro- 

 cnivd a single specimen, a male, on the I'pper Missonri Hiver. He de.scribi'S 

 it as liy no means a common bird, keejiine; in jiairs and liviiig e.xclnsivoly on 

 the ground. It was remarkably shy, and Mr. Townsend wtis not able to pro- 

 cure more than a single specimen. 



]Mr. Xnttall states that he met with thi.s bird early in May, on the wide 

 gras.sy jilains of the IMatte. The birds were already paired for thi! season. 

 He heard Ihein utter no notes other than a chirp, as they kept busily foraging 

 for their siilisistence. 



]Mr. J. A. Allen (.American Xaturalist, i\Iay, 1872) speaks of this bird and 

 the Lark ]>unting as by far the most interesting species seen by him in 

 Western Kansas. They were not only characteristic of the region, but were 

 also among tlui few birds strictly confined to the arid plains. They were 

 (Utile abundant, but were only met with on tli(( high ridgtss and dry jdateaus, 

 where they seemed to live .somewhat in colonies. At a few localities they 

 were always numerous, but elsewhere would be freiiuently not met with in 

 a wholt! day's drive. They were very wary and tenacious of life, often flying 

 a long distance after having been sliftt through vital parts. Most of the 

 specimens had to be killed on the wing, at fi long range. Tluiy are strong 

 fliers, and seem to delight in flying in the .strongest gales, when all the other 

 liirds a]ipear to move with difficulty, and to keep themselves concealed among 

 the grass. 'I'liis bird sings while on the wing. 



