A Synopsis of the Birds of North America. John James Audubon

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СКАЧАТЬ toe and claw, much compressed, the upper scutella blended; toes rather long, extremely compressed, the first very long, the second shorter than the third, which is adherent at the base, claws rather long, well arched, extremely compressed, and acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Bristles obsolete. Wings long, with the second and third quills longest and about equal, the first slightly shorter, and exceeding the fourth. Tail of moderate length, nearly even. This genus connects the Sylvicolinæ with the Certhianæ.

      114. 1. Mniotilta varia, Linn. Black-and-white Creeping Warbler

      Plate XC. Male.

      Male with the plumage white, variegated with glossy black, longitudinally disposed; a band along the middle of the head and hind neck, a streak over the eyes, a band along the sides of the neck, two bars on the wings, the middle of the breast and abdomen, with a patch at the end of the outer two tail-feathers, white. Female with the upper parts similar, but with the black less deep, the lower parts greyish-white, the sides and lower tail-coverts marked with black. Young light brownish-grey above, paler beneath, with the abdomen white.

      Male, 51/2, 71/2.

      Generally distributed. Migratory.

      Black-and-white Creeper, Certhia varia, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 23.

      Sylvia varia, Bonap. Syn. p. 81.

      Black-and-white Creeper, Certhia varia, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 452; v. v. p. 471.

      FAMILY IX. CERTHIANÆ. CREEPERS

      Bill of moderate length or rather long, slender, slightly arched, much compressed, acute; upper mandible with its dorsal outline convex or arched, the ridge narrow, the notches slight or obsolete, lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the dorsal line straight or slightly decurved, the edges inclinate, the tip acute. Head moderate, ovate; neck short, body slender. Feet of moderate length, or rather short; tarsus about the same length as the middle toe, compressed, with eight anterior scutella, toes of moderate length, much compressed, hind toe proportionally long, outer adherent at the base; claws rather long, extremely compressed, arched, acute. Wings short or of moderate length. Tail of twelve feathers, generally much rounded. Tongue slender, emarginate and papillate at the base, very narrow, tapering to a lacerated point. Œsophagus of moderate width, without crop; proventriculus bulbiform; stomach of moderate size, oblong, or elliptical, moderately muscular, with the muscles distinct; epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide; cœca very small; cloaca globular. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.

      GENUS I. CERTHIA, Linn. TREE-CREEPER

      Bill about the same length as the head, very slender, arched, much compressed, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line arched, the ridge narrow, the sides sloping at the base, nearly erect in the rest of their extent, the edges sharp, arched, without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the angle rather long, narrow, and pointed, the outline decurved, the sides erect and convex, the edges inclinate, the tip acute. Nostrils linear-oblong, operculate. Head ovate; neck short; body slender. Feet rather short, very slender, tarsus rather shorter than the middle toe, very slender, much compressed; toes extremely compressed; the first comparatively large, longer than the middle toe, including the claw; the inner toe shorter than the outer; claws long, moderately arched, slender, extremely compressed, laterally grooved, acute, that of the hind toe very long. Plumage long, loose, very soft. Bristles obsolete. Wings of moderate length, very broad; the first quill very short, the fourth and fifth longest. Tail long, graduated, of twelve moderately stiff pointed feathers.

      115. 1. Certhia familiaris, Linn. Brown Tree-Creeper

      Plate CCCCXV. Male and Female.

      Upper parts reddish-brown, the head darker, the rump light brownish-red; all the feathers with a central dull whitish streak; wings deep brown, the coverts tipped, the secondaries barred at the base with dull yellow, of which a broad band, in the midst of a brownish-black space, crosses both webs of the quills, excepting the inner webs of the outer four, and the outer webs of the outer three; most of the quills also with a greyish-yellow patch along the outer web toward the tip, which is dull white; tail-feathers yellowish-brown; with shafts of a lighter tint, the webs darker toward the end; a silvery white band over the eye; cheeks dark brown; lower parts silvery white, sides tinged with brown.

      Male, 51/2, 81/2.

      From Louisiana to Maryland, and in the interior to Kentucky, during winter. From Pennsylvania eastward to Nova Scotia, in summer, breeding in all the intermediate parts. Common.

      Brown Creeper, Certhia familiaris, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 122.

      Certhia familiaris, Bonap. Syn. p. 280.

      Brown Creeper, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 585.

      Brown Creeper, Certhia familiaris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 158.

      GENUS II. TROGLODYTES, Cuv. WREN

      Bill of moderate length, or nearly as long as the head, slender, slightly arched, much compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly convex, the edges a little inflected toward the end, the notches slight, the tip rather acute; lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the outline slightly decurved, the sides erect and convex, the edges inclinate, the tip acute. Nostrils oblong, operculate, exposed. Head oblong; neck short; body slender. Feet of ordinary length, rather strong; tarsus longer than the middle toe, compressed, with eight anterior distinct scutella; toes of moderate size, the third and fourth united at the base, the first very large, the lateral nearly equal; claws rather long, moderately arched, much compressed, very acute. Plumage soft and blended. Bristles obsolete. Wings of moderate length, or short, convex, much rounded; the first quill very small, the fourth and fifth longest. Tail rather short, rounded, of twelve slightly arched, weak, rounded feathers.

      116. 1. Troglodytes obsoletus, Say. Rock-Wren

      Plate CCCLX. Fig. 4. Female.

      Upper parts dull yellowish-brown, and, excepting the rump, barred with greyish-brown; wings similarly barred, excepting the primaries; secondary coverts with a small white spot near the tip; tail-coverts and two middle tail-feathers barred with dusky; the rest broadly tipped with pale yellowish-red, undulated with dusky, behind which is a broad band of brownish-black, the remaining or basal part banded like the central feathers, the outer with four reddish-white spots or bars on the outer web, the intervals being brownish-black, and a spot of white on the inner web; lower parts greyish-white, tinged with sienna, the sides inclining to yellowish-red; lower tail-coverts barred with dusky.

      Female, 6, wing 211/12.

      Rocky Mountains and Columbia River. Abundant. Migratory.

      Troglodytes obsoleta, Say, Long's Exped.

      Troglodytes obsoleta, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 6.

      Rocky Mountain Wren, Troglodytes obsoleta, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 435.

      Rock Wren, Troglodytes obsoletus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 443.

      117. 2. Troglodytes ludovicianus, Bonap. Great Carolina Wren

      Plate LXXVIII. Male and Female.

      Bill stouter than in the last, nearly as long as the head; wing with the fourth and fifth quills longest; tail much rounded; upper parts brownish-red; a yellowish-white streak over the eye, extending far down СКАЧАТЬ