200 



KEVIEW OF AMERICAN BIRDS, 



[part 1. 



W 



ing the orancre). Under partH, including tibra, InieH, and cheeks b«'low tlie e^e, 

 bright goldon-yellow, the jugjluni, breast, and t ides streaked with brownisth- 

 nrange; crissum plain. Wing 'eathers dark biown, btoadly tnnrgined ux- 

 ternally witli the culor of the back, of nearly tho same tint on the edges of 

 the primaries, \ ut considerably more yellowish towards the edges of the greater 

 and middle ooverta and seooTidaries. All 'he qu'lls euged internally (and the 

 alula externally) and sharply with snlphar-yellow, like thu lining of the 

 wings, but not reaching the shaft of thi feather — being cut oiT even at the 

 base of the feather by a very narrow portion of the ground color. Tail feathers 

 dark greenish-brown, becoming darker centrally, the outer edges like the 

 back ; the shafts black above, white beneath, the inner webs (except in the 

 two central) bright yellow, except at the tips — the yellow not quite reacliing 

 the shaft on the fourth feather, and extending only half way to it on the fiftii. 

 In specimens of let ' perfect plumage the shafts of all the feathers are margined 

 internally with the color of the outer webs, this widening on the mo.e anteriur 

 feather. 



The female (and perhaps autumnal male) differs in a more restricted amount 

 or entire deficiency of the brownish-orange ol the crown, and the more obsolete 

 stripes beneath, as well as to some extent in the markings of the tail as above 

 described. Young birds have the throat and chin creamy white, the nuchal 

 region and the sides of head and neck strongly tinged with light ash. The 

 other characters appear much as described. 



The wings in this bird are rather short, and much rounded ; the 3d quill is 

 longest ; the 4th a little shorter than the 2d ; the Ist is intermediate between 

 the 5th and 6th, very rarely equal to, still less frequently a little longer than 

 the 5th, perhaps never exceeding the 4th. In eight specimens the succesiiion 

 of length of the quills is expressed by the formula 3. 4. 2. 5. 1. 6 ; in two, 

 •S. 4. 2. 1. 5. 6. The tail is considerably rounded. 



Total length, 4.90; wing, 2.(j2 ; tail, 2.30, its graduation .15; difference 

 between 1st and 3d primaries, .22 ; bill from forehead, .50, from nostril, .32, 

 along gape, .(iO ; tarsus, .80. 



This species, though very similar in external appearance tc D. 

 eestUm, may be readily distinguished on comparison. It is a rather 

 larger bird, with much (disproportionately) broader quills and tail 

 feathers. Thus the greatest width of the outer primary is .31, in- 

 stead of .25 to .27. A diflference in the proportion of the quills is 

 constant. As stated, the 3d quill is generally longest in petechia; 

 the 1st generally shorter than the 5th, always shorter than the 4tli. 

 In eestiva the wing is much more pointed ; the 1st quill is about 

 equal to the 2d and 3d, rarely a little shorter ; more frequently longer, 

 and .25 or more longer than the 5th, instead of being less ; and very 

 nearly equal to the 3d, not .20 shorter. 



The diflFerences in coloration consist in the more greenish tinge of 

 the upper parts in petechia ; the edges of the quills greenish-yellow, 

 especially the outer primaries, not almost pure yellow. The yellow 

 of the inner webs of the tail feather, in very perfect specimens, ouly 



