648 



NORTH AMERICAN. BIRDS. 



variod soveral times in a very rcinarkalile maiuiev. In Massaclnisetts I have 

 known tins sj)L'cius to liavt; its coniplunient of eggs l»y tlie lotii of April. 



Tiic eggs of tiiis ijpecie.s are nsually Hve, ulten fonr, and rarely si.x in 

 number. Tliey are ol' an olilong-oval slia])e, the smaller enil but slightly 

 more jjointed tlian tiic otlier. Tlicy vary - latly in size, ranging from .'JO to 

 .80 of an ineh in length, and averaging aliout A\~t in breadtli. Tlieir ground- 

 color is a jiale greenish-white, marked with spots, lines, dots, and blotehes 

 of various shades of reddish and purplisii brown. In some eggs the spots 

 are few and small, eliieHy eonlhient in a ring about the larger end, while the 

 ground-color is very plainly distinguisiiable. In others the ground is nearly 

 concealed by the abundance of the spots. 



Colnniicitiiis passcrinii.s. 



Gems COTURNICULUS, Bonap. 



Coturniciilii.i, lidNAi". (icof?. List, 1838. (Tyjic, Friii<ji/la ptisseriiui, Wils.) 



Gen. CiiAii. Bill very largo and stout, (oxcopt in f. lecontei) ; the unilur mandible 



lii'diulcr, but lower than tho nppei-, which is deci- 

 dedly convex at the basal portion of its upper 

 onthne. begs moderate, apparently not reaching 

 to the end of the tail. The tarsus appreciably 

 longer than the middle toe; the lateral toes equal, 

 and witii tlieir claws falling decidedly .short of tiie 

 nnddlo claw ; the hind too iuterniediate between 

 the two. The wings are short and rounded, 

 reaching to the base of tin; tail ; the tertiaries 

 almost .IS long as the primaries ; not much dill'er- 

 enee in length in the priin.aries, althougli the 

 outer three or four arc slightly graduate<l. The 

 tail is short and narrow, shorter than the wing 

 (except in C. lecontei), graduated laterally, bill slightly eiuarginate ; the feathers all lanceo- 

 late ind acute, but not stifl'ened, as in Aiinuoilromus. 



Tliis genus agrees with Pam^i'voihn^ in the short and narrow tail. The 

 wings are much shorter and more rounded ; the feet shorter, especially the 

 middle toe, which is not as long as tlie tarsus. The tail-feathers are more 

 lanceolate. The bill is much larger, and more swollen at the base. 



The essential characters of this genus consist in the swollen convex bill ; 

 the short toes, com))ared with tiie tarsus; the short and rounded wings; and 

 the very small, narrow, slightly graduated tail, with its lanceolate acute 

 feathers (except in the South American C, nuinixihc). 



In some respects there is a resemblance to Ammorl roviv)^, in which, how- 

 ever, the bill is very much more slender ; the wings still shorter, tind more 

 rounded; the tail-feathers much stiller, and evcai more lanceolate; the toes 

 extending l)eyond the tij) of the tail ; the middle toe rather longer than the 

 tarsus, instead of considerably shorter. 



C. lecontei has the same general form, but a much smaller bill. 



