738 U. S. P. R R. EXP. AND SURVEYS— ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
Figures.— Naumann, B. of Germany, pi. 196.— Gould, B. of Eur. IV, pi. 313.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 59, fig. 2 
Aud. B. of Am. pi. 303 ; oet. ed. V, pi. 327. 
Sp. Ch. — Bill about as long- as the head, rather wide and flattened at base, curved at the tip ; nostril with a largo membrane ; 
nasal groove long ; wing long ; tail long for this group ; legs moderate or rather long; lower half of the tibia naked ; toes 
moderate, the outer and middle toe united by a membrane, inner and middle free to the base, hind toe small. General color of 
the upper parts brownish black, with a greenish lustre, and with the feathers edged with ashy white and yellowish, the litter 
especially on the wing coverts ; lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail coverts, brownish black ; lateral coverts of the 
tail yellowish white, with arrow-heads and irregular spots of black. Wide stripe over the eye and entire under parts very pale 
yellowish white, nearly pure white on the abdomen ; neck before with numerous longitudinal lines of brownish black ; breast 
and sides with waved and pointed transverse narrow bands of the same ; axillary feathers and under wing coverts pure white, 
with numerous nearly regular transverse narrow bands of black. Quills brownish black, with numerous transverse bands of 
white on their inner webs, very conspicuous on the under surface of the wing ; shaft of first primary white. Middle feathers 
of the tail same greenish brown as the back, with irregular and imperfect transverse bands of black ; outer feathers pale reddish 
yellow, edged and tipped with white, and with several irregular transverse bands and a large sub-terminal arrow-head of black. 
Bill greenish yellow, with the under mandible more clear yellow towards its base, tip brownish black ; legs light yellow ; toes 
darker. Total length, about 12 inches ; wing, 65 ; tail, 3£ ; bill, 
Hab. — Eastern North America, South America, Europe. 
Everywhere in the interior of the States on the Atlantic this is the most abundant and best 
known species of this group. Unlike nearly all others, this bird prefers plains and cultivated 
fields, and is one of the species which has not decreased in numbers on account of the extension 
of cultivation and the settlement of the country. On the contrary it appears to be quite at 
home in the farm lands, and rears its young in the fields of grass and grain in the most populous 
rural districts of the country. It is, in a considerable measure, a favorite with the people and 
seldom molested. 
This species is extensively diffused, and though at home in the northern division of this 
continent, wanders over nearly the whole of South America. It is well described by Azara as 
a bird of Paraguay. We have never seen this bird from west of the Rocky mountains. 
The generic name Bartramia, Lesson, Traite d'Orn. I, p. 553, (1831,) is that having priority 
of all others proposed for this species, and is a just compliment to one of the most liberal and 
accomplished of the earlier American naturalists. This name is, however, previously used in 
botany, and probably ought not to be again employed in zoology, though we confess to being 
strongly inclined to adopt it, notwithstanding, following in that respect the example of Mr. 
Gray, of the British Museum, in his Catalogue of the Genera and Sub-genera of Birds, p. 117, 
(1855.) 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex& 
age. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by- 
Length. 
Stretch 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
2291 
1116 
6o3i> 
8185 
3 
9 
May 20, 1845 
July 15, 1843 
S. F. Baird 
11.00 
12.00 
21.25 
21.50 
6.56 
6.40 
G. Wiedemann . . 
3 
Shawnee Mission, K. T. . 
July 4, 1857 
Win. M. Magraw. 
12! 
11.75 
21.00 
7.00 
Iris brown, bill bl'k & 
yellow, feet green. 
7095 
4868 
9 
9 
June 15, 1857 
5 
46-29 
46S3 
5432 
April 26, 1855 
July — , 1855 
13.00 
22.00 
7.50 
do 
3 
9 
3 
12.00 
22.00 
12.75 
23.75 
23.00 
6 00 
8988 
12. CO 
89B0 
f989 
7097 
12.25 
22.50 
22.00 
6.50 
9 
o o 
12.50 
6.25 
Elk creek, Med. Bow nita. 
Aug. 4, 1857 
91 
