PLECTEOPHANES PICTUS, PAINTED LARK BUNTING. 121 



lected by Mr. H. W. Elliott on the Prybilov Isl'auds, Bering's Sea, one 

 contains six, the other four specimens. The eggs are rather pointed at 

 the smaller end, and measure about 0.80 by 0.02. They are very dark 

 colored, reminding one of the Titlark's ; the color is a heavy clouding or 

 thick mottling of chocolate-brown, through which the greenish-gray 

 ground is little apparent. The nests are built of mosses and flue, soft, 

 dried grasses, and lined with a few large feathers from some water-fowl ; 

 they were placed on the ground, under tussocks, in grassy hummocks. 

 The female did not leave the nest until nearly trodden upon. 



PLECTEOPHANES PIGTUS, Sw. 



Fainted Lark Bunting. 



Emberiza (Plectroplianes) picta, Sw. & EiCH., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 250, pi. 49 (perfect spring 

 plumage ; Saskatchewan). — Ndtt., Man. i, 1832, 589. 



Erriberiza picta, AuD., Orri. Biog. v, 1839, 91, pi. 400. 



Plectroplianes pictiis, Bp., List, 1838, 37 ; Consp. i, 1850, 463.— AuD., Syn. 1839, 99 ; B. 

 Am. iii, 1841, 52, pi. 153 (from the original specimen). — Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 434 

 (Minnesota and Illinois).— Dall & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 283 (Fort 

 Yukon and McKenzie Eiver region). — Coues, Key, 1872, 134. — B. B. & E., 

 N. a. B. i, 1874, 518, pi. 24, f. 4. 5. 



Centroplianes pictus, Cab., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 127. 



Emberiza smithii, Aud., B. Amer. vii, 1844, 337, pi. 487 (Illinois, in winter). (Young.) 



Centroplianes smithii, Cab., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 127. 



Eab. — Yukon, McKenzie, Saskatchewan, and Missouri Eiver regions, to the prairies 

 of Illinois in winter. 



This species was not noticed by either of the Expeditions ; yet there is 

 no doubt whatever of its occurrence in the regions explored. The only 

 United States quotations I have found are those above given. Audu- 

 bon states that he found the bird " very abundant" on low prairie about 

 a lake near Edwardsville, Illinois. Richardson had but his single Sas- 

 katchewan specimen. The Smithsonian collections, of great extent, and 

 embracing many perfectly plumaged specimens, attest the abundance 

 of the bird in the McKenzie Eiver region. It does not appear to breed 

 anywhere in the United States. In Northern Dakota it makes its ap- 

 pearance the latter part of September, but, according to my observa- 

 tions, only in limited numbers. It associates intimately with P. ornaius, 

 and has much the same habits and general appearance. No eggs are 

 more variable than those of Plectroplianes, and P. pictus is no exception 

 to the rule in this regard. The very extensive series in the Smithsonian 

 exhibits some specimens exactly like those of P. lapponkus, with a cor- 

 responding range of variation, and others like P. ornatus, but always 

 larger than tlie latter, being of the size of P. lapponicus. None of the 

 specimens, however, are as darkly and uniformly chocolate as some ex- 

 amples of P. lapponicus are. These eggs are nearly all from the Ander- 

 son Eiver region, with a few from Great Slave Lake. 



The following is a more sufficient description of the young bird than that given in 

 the Key : Jl/ate— Length, 6.50 ; extent, 11.25 ; wing, 3.75 ; tail, 2.50 ; tarsus, 0.75 ; mid- 

 dle toe and claw, about the same ; hind toe and claw, rather less (P. ornatus is much 

 less in all its dimensions). Bill, dusky brown above and at tip, paler below ; feet, 

 light brown (drying darker) ; toes, rather darker. Entire under parts, rich yellowish- 

 brown, or buify (in P. ornatus never thus) ; paler on the chin aud throat, which, with 

 the fore-breast, are obsoletely streaked with dusky ; the tibite white. Tail, white only 

 on the two or three outer feathers (in P. ornatus all the feathers, exceping sometimes 

 the central pair, are white at the base). Upper parts much as in the adult, but the 

 sharp, distinctive head-markings wanting, or only obscurely indicated. 



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