432 



U. S. p. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



0. Khtnchophaijes, Baird.i — Bill very large at the base ; hind claw shorter. No rufous 

 nuchal collar. 



Crown black ; shoulders chestnut ; beneath white, with a black pectoral crescent. 



P. maccowniL 

 The essential characters of the genus, as usually understood, consist in the very long and 

 pointed wings ; the moderate, nearly even tail ; the very long, little curved, hind claw. 

 Whether the elongated and nearly straight hind claw be not an arbitrary character embracing 

 species otherwise dissimilar I do not pretend to decide. Bonaparte considers the P. maccownii, 

 so totally distinct from the other species, as to warrant a place in a different family. 



Oomparative measurements of species. 



PLECTEOPHANBS NIVALIS, Meyer. 



Snow Bunting. 



Emberiza nivalis, L. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 308. (Not Fringilla nivalis, L.) — Forster, Phila. Trans. LXII, 1772,403.- 

 WiLsoN, Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 86 ; pi. xxi.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 575 : V, 1839, 496 j pi. 189. 

 Emberiza (Plectrophanes) nivalis, Bon. Obs. 1835, No. 89. 



" Plectrophanes nivalis, Meter."— Bon. List, 1838.— Add. Syn. 1839, 103.— Id. Birds Amer. Ill, 1841, 55 ; pi. 155. 

 Emberiza montana, Gmelin, Syst I, 1788, 867, 25. 

 Emberiza mustelina, Gmelin, Syst. I, 1788, 867, 7. 

 Emberiza glacialijs, Latham, Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 398. 



Sp Ch. — Colors, in full plumage, entirely black and white. Middle of back between scapulars, terminal half of primaries and 

 tertiaries, and two innermost tail feathers, black ; elsewhere pure white. Legs black at all seasons. In winter dress white beneath ; 

 the head and rump yellowish brown, as also some blotches on the side of the breast ; middle of back brown, streaked with black j 

 white on wings and tail much more restricted. Length, about 6.75 ; wing, 4.35 ; tai), 3.05 ; first quill longest. 



Hab — Northern America from Atlantic to Pacific ; south into the United States in winter. » 



This species varies much in color, and the male in full plumage is seldom if ever seen within 

 the limits of the United States. 



' It is my impression that Bonaparte has proposed a name for this section in removing it to another family, but I am unable 

 to find it. 



