74. 
223. 
FRINGILLIDZ: ,FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, ETC. 359 
dusky-streaked interval. Sides of head, and throat, whitish, with dusky speckling on cheeks 
and ears. Under parts dull brown, fading to white on belly and crissum, the feathers some- 
times with dusky streaks. Thus an obscure bird: but observe generic characters, and exten- 
sively white tail. , adult, after the fall moult: The full dress is confined to the breeding 
season ; afterward, the colors are much obscured. Cervical collar and black of head and belly 
veiled by gray ends of the feathers, but visible on raising the plumage. Crown like back, with 
concealed black; superciliary stripe and other distinctive head-markings obliterated; bill 
brownish-plumbeous. The changes in the 9 are parallel, but there is less to be altered. 
Young & 9, before first moult: Whole upper parts blackish-brown, with semicircular gray 
or whitish markings, and a slightly lighter cervical interval. Throat definitely white. Under 
parts dull brown, heavily streaked with dusky, especially on the breast. Much light brown 
edging and tipping of the quills and wing-coverts. Feet and bill pale. This stage is transi- 
tory; with the first moult the young acquire the characters above described for the winter. A 
beautiful species of the interior plains, British America and U. 8. and Mexico; breeds in pro- 
fusion on the prairies of Dakota, Montana, and whole upper Missouri and Saskatchewan 
regions, S. to Kansas or further; has occurred in New England; rarely W. of the Rocky Mts. 
Breeds in June and July ; nest on ground, sunken flush with surface, of a few grasses and weed- 
stalks ; eggs usually 4, about 0.80 X 0.60, white clouded with purplish shell-markings, gray 
the prevailing tone, this irregularly dotted and veined with sharp dark-brown surface-marks. 
Young covered with whitish down. In the breeding season the birds are fond of soaring and 
singing as they fly, rising to great height and letting themselves down with the wings held like 
parachutes ; they curiously resemble butterflies when so engaged. The white tail shows very 
conspicuously. Ordinary flight wayward and vacillating ; song weak and twittering, but pleas- 
ing. The birds flock as soon as young are fairly on wing, and leave the northern prairies in 
October. They are associated in the breeding season with R. maccownt, and joined in October 
by P. pictus and lapponicus from the north. 
RHYNCHO'PHANES. (Gr. puyxos, rhugchos, beak, and daiva, phaino, I appear; in allusion 
to.the turgid bill.) Lonespurs. Similar to Centrophanes, but departing in the direction of 
Montifringilla (an exotic genus). Bill turgid, very stout and large in comparison; culmen rising 
high on forehead, its outline.almost a little concave. Hind toe and claw less developed. Hind 
claw not longer than its digit, not notably straightened. Sexes dissimilar. No cervical collar. 
& with black pectoral crescent and red bend of wing. Habits of Centrophames strictly. 
R. maccown'i. (To Capt. J. P. McCown, U.S. A. Fig. 225.) BuacK-BREAsTEep Lone- 
spur. Bay-wincep Lonaspur. 4, in full dress: Upper parts slate-gray, streaked with 
dusky and grayish or yellowish- 
brown, especially on the interscap- 
ulars. No cervical collar, but a 
chestnut patch on the wings, formed 
by the median coverts. Crown jet- 
black, bounded by a white super- 
ciliary line ; sides of head whitish, 
but auriculars more or less slaty. 
Throat white, bounded by firm 
black maxillary stripes. Breast 
jet-black, in broad crescentic form, 
sharply defined against the white 
throat, shading behind into slaty- 
blackish, becoming more and more 
mixed with white on the belly and 
‘i : Fic. 225.—Black-breasted Longspur, reduced. (Sheppard del. 
sides, till posteriorly the parts are Nichols sc.) ses 
. 
