GENUS I. SITTA, Linn. NUTHATCH
Bill rather long, or of moderate length, straight, conico-subulate, a little compressed, rather obtuse; upper mandible with the dorsal outline very slightly arched, the ridge rather narrow, the sides sloping, the edges sharp without notches, the tip rather blunt; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and very slightly convex, the sides slightly convex, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, round operculate, partially concealed by the reversed bristly feathers. Head ovate; neck short; body short. Tarsi rather short, stout, compressed, with eight scutella; toes long, much compressed; first very long, second much shorter than fourth; anterior toes adherent at the base. Claws long, arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Small bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings rather long, first quill extremely small, third and fourth longest. Tail short, of twelve feathers broad, nearly even. Upper mandible slightly concave with three ridges; tongue slender, very thin, with the point abrupt and terminated by strong bristles; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach rather large, roundish, moderately muscular; intestine rather short and wide; cœca very small.
247. 1. Sitta Carolinensis, Linn. White-breasted Nuthatch
Plate CLII. Male and Female.
Upper part of head and hind neck deep black; back light greyish-blue; quills black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colour, the rest black, with a broad band of white near the end; sides of the head and lower parts white; lower tail-coverts with the inner webs brownish-red. Young without black on the head.
Male, 51/4, 11.
Common from Texas to Maine. Throughout the interior to the Columbia. Resident.
White-breasted American Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 10.
Sitta carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 96.
White-breasted American Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 581.
White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 299; v. v. p. 473.
248. 2. Sitta Canadensis, Linn. Red-bellied Nuthatch
Plate CV. Male and Female.
Upper parts of head and hind neck deep black; back light greyish-blue; quills brownish-black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colour, the rest black, the outer two with a white band near the end; lower parts yellowish-red. Female with the head paler.
Male, 41/2, 8.
From Maryland to Nova Scotia. Common. One seen in Labrador. Columbia River. Resident.
Red-bellied Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 40.
Sitta canadensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 96.
Red-bellied Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 583.
Red-bellied Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 24; v. v. p. 474.
249. 3. Sitta pusilla, Lath. Brown-headed Nuthatch
Plate CXXV. Male and Female.
Upper part of head and hind neck light reddish-brown, the latter with a white spot; back light greyish-blue; quills brownish-black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colours, the rest black, the outer three with a broad band of white near the end; lower parts yellowish-white, the sides greyish-blue.
Male, 4, 8.
From Texas to Maryland. In the interior to Mississippi. Extremely abundant. Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and the Carolinas. Resident.
Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 105.
Sitta pusilla, Bonap. Syn. p. 97.
Brown-headed Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 584.
Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 151.
250. 4. Sitta pygmæa, Vigors. Californian Nuthatch
Plate CCCCXV. Figs. 3, 4. Adult.
Upper part of head and hind neck dull greyish-brown; back dull leaden-grey; quills and tail-feathers dusky, margined with light grey, the lateral two feathers on each side with a white band toward the base; lower parts brownish-white.
Adult, 310/12, wing, 35/12.
California.
Californian Nuthatch, Sitta pygmæa, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 163.
FAMILY XXIV. TROCHILINÆ. HUMMINGBIRDS
Bill long, very slender, straight or arched, somewhat depressed at the base, subcylindrical, flexible, acute. Head rather large; neck of moderate length; body moderately robust. Feet very short, rather stout; tarsus extremely short; toes of moderate size; the anterior coherent at the base, and nearly of equal length, the hind toe articulated high on the tarsus; claws rather long, arched, much compressed, very acute. Plumage compact above, soft and blended beneath, often with metallic lustre; wings very long, extremely narrow, falciform, with the first quill longest, the other primaries rapidly diminishing; secondaries extremely short. Tail various, of ten feathers. Tongue very long, slender, with two flat, thin-edged terminal filaments, and extensile by means of the elongation of the hyoid bones, which curve over the head to the fore part of the forehead, and with their muscles slide in a groove, like those of the Woodpeckers. Œsophagus narrow, considerably enlarged about the middle; stomach extremely small, roundish, moderately muscular, its epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous; intestine very short and of moderate width; no cœca; cloaca globular. Trachea simple, but divided very high up on the neck, so that the bronchi are of excessive length, with a large pair of inferior laryngeal muscles.
GENUS I. TROCHILUS, Linn. HUMMINGBIRD
Bill long, subulate, depressed at the base, cylindrical, straight, or slightly arched, flexible; upper mandible with the ridge narrow at the base, convex in the rest of its extent, the sides sloping, the edges soft; lower mandible with the angle extremely acute and elongated, the sides erect, the tip acute. Nostrils linear, with a membranous flap above. Head small; neck short; body moderately stout. Feet very short; middle toe scarcely longer than the rest. Plumage rather blended and glossy above. Wings very long, extremely narrow; tail rather long, broad, nearly even. The other characters as above.
251. 1. Trochilus Mango, Linn. Mango Hummingbird
Plate CLXXXIV. Male and Female.
Male with the head, hind neck, and back green, splendent with bronze and golden reflections; wings dusky, changing to purplish-brown; middle tail-feathers black, glossed with green and blue, the rest deep crimson-purple, tipped and partially margined with steel-blue; fore part of neck, and middle of breast velvet-black, margined on each side with emerald-green, the sides yellowish-green, with a tuft of white downy feathers; lower tail-coverts dark purple. Female with the upper parts similar, the tail-feathers more broadly and extensively margined with blue, and tipped with white; fore neck and centre of the breast white, with a central longitudinal band of black, and an emerald-green margin along the sides of the neck and body; lower tail-coverts green.
Male, 43/4, 8.
Florida Keys. Rare. Migratory.
Trochilus Mango, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 191.
Mango Humming Bird, Trochilus Mango, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 480.
252. 2. Trochilus Anna, Less. Anna Hummingbird
Plate CCCCXXV. Male and Female.
Bill almost straight, acuminate; tail of moderate length, emarginate and rounded. Head, cheeks, and throat blood-red, changing to gold, and having a tinge of blue; upper parts light gold-green; quills and tail-feathers dusky brown; lower parts brownish-white. Female with merely a patch of red on the throat, upper part of head and cheeks greenish-grey; upper parts glossy green as in the male; wings dusky, middle tail-feathers green, the rest greenish-grey at the base, black toward the end, with the tips white; lower parts dull grey, sides tinged with brown.
Male, 310/12, wing, 21/12.
Rocky Mountains towards California. Common. Migratory.
Oiseau-mouche Anna, Ornismya Anna, Less. Traite d'Ornith. p. 281.
Anna Humming Bird, Trochilus Anna, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 238.
253. 3. Trochilus Colubris, Linn. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Plate XLVII. Male, Female, and Young.
Bill straight, acute; tail of moderate length, even. Upper parts light green with golden reflections; quills and tail purplish-brown, the two middle feathers like the back; throat, sides of the head, and fore neck carmine-purple, spotted with black, varying to crimson, orange, and deep black; sides light green, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white mixed with green. Female differs in wanting the brilliant patch on the throat, which is white, as are the lower parts generally, and having the three lateral tail-feathers tipped with the same colour. Young with the lower parts brownish-white, the tail tipped with white, the upper parts light green.
Male, 31/4, 41/2.
In summer, from Texas to Lat. 57°, and in all intermediate districts, east of the Rocky Mountains. Common. Migratory.
Humming Bird, Trochilus Colubris, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 26.
Trochilus Colubris, Bonap. Syn. p. 98.
Trochilus Colubris, Northern Humming Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 323.
Ruby-throated Humming Bird, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 588.
Ruby-throated Humming Bird, Trochilus colubris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 248; v. v. p. 544.
GENUS II. SELASPHORUS, Swains. RUFFED-HUMMINGBIRD
Bill long, straight, subulate, extremely slender, somewhat depressed at the base, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge narrow at the base, broad and convex toward the end, the sides convex, the edges overlapping, the tip acuminate; lower mandible with the angle very long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line straightish, the edges erect, the tip acuminate. Nostrils basal, linear. Head of ordinary size, oblong; neck short; body short and ovate. Feet very small; tarsus very short, feathered more than half-way; toes small, the lateral equal, the third not much longer, the first a little shorter than the lateral; claws rather long, arched, compressed, very acute. Plumage soft and blended; elongated feathers on the sides of the neck in the males. Wings rather short, falcate, pointed, the second primary longest. Tail rather long, broad, graduated.
254. 1. Selasphorus rufus, Gmel. Rufous Ruffed-Hummingbird. – Nootka Hummingbird
Plate CCCLXXIX. Male and Female.
Male with the upper parts bright cinnamon or reddish-orange, the head bronzed green, the wings dusky purple, their coverts glossed with green; each of the tail-feathers with a narrow, longitudinal, lanceolate, median streak toward the end; loral space, a narrow band over the eye, another beneath it, and auricular, orange-red; scale-like feathers of the throat and sides of the neck splendent, fire-red, changing to purplish-red, yellowish-red, greenish-yellow, or yellowish-green; behind them on the fore neck a broad band of reddish-white; the rest of the lower parts like the upper, the abdomen inclining to white. Female with the upper parts gold-green, the head inclining to brown; wings as in the male; tail-feathers orange-red at the base, brownish-black toward the end, the tip white; lower parts white, tinged with rufous, especially the sides; throat with roundish spots of metallic greenish-red.
Male, 37/12, wing, 17¼/12.
From California along the north-west coast to Nootka Sound. Abundant. Migratory.
Trochilus rufus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 497.
Trochilus (Selasphorus) rufus, Cinnamon or Nootka Humming Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 324.
Ruffed-necked Humming Bird, Trochilus rufus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 555.
FAMILY XXV. ALCEDINÆ. KINGFISHERS
Bill long, straight, stout, broader than high at the base, much compressed, tapering to a rather acute point, and gape-line commencing beneath the middle of the eyes. Head large, ovato-oblong; neck short; body stout. Tarsus extremely short; anteriorly scaly; anterior toes united for more than half their length, outer longer than inner, hind toe small. Claws stout, compressed, arched, very acute. Plumage rather compact. Wings rather long, pointed. Tail various, of twelve feathers. Tongue very short, fleshy, with the sides parallel, the tip tapering to a bluntish point. Roof of upper mandible moderately concave, with a median ridge and oblique lateral grooves. Œsophagus very wide, without crop; stomach very large, round, with its muscular coat very thin; the epithelium dense, very thin, with tortuous rugæ; intestine very long, extremely slender; no cœca; cloaca very large, globular. Trachea with three pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.
GENUS I. ALCEDO, Linn. KINGFISHER
Bill long, straight, rather stout, broader than high at the base, but suddenly much compressed, and tapering to an acute point; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, the ridge distinct, but somewhat flattened, the edges nearly straight, without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight; gape-line commencing beneath the middle of the eye; nostrils basal, near the ridge, linear, obliquely ascending, half closed by a bare membrane. Head large, oblong; neck short; body robust. Feet very short; tarsus extremely short, roundish, anteriorly faintly scaly; anterior toes cohered for a great part of the length, outer longer than inner, first small. Claws rather short, stout, arched, acute. Plumage rather compact, more blended above. Wings long, pointed, with the second and third quills longest. Tail short, even, of twelve rounded feathers.
255. 1. Alcedo Alcyon, Linn. Belted Kingfisher
Plate LXXVII. Male and Female.
Crested, with the upper parts, cheeks, and a broad belt across the fore part of the breast, light blue, the shaft of each feather darker; lower parts, with a small spot before the eye, and another on the lower eyelid, white; many of the feathers on the sides light blue, banded with white; quills black; the primaries barred with white at the base, and having the inner web of that colour for half its length; the secondaries broadly edged with light blue, dotted and tipped with white, and having the inner web barred with the same; tail-feathers dusky, edged with blue, barred and tipped with white. Female similar to the male, with the tints duller, and the sides with a band across the middle of the breast light red.
Male, 121/2, 20.
Breeds from Texas all over the United States, to the Fur Countries, Missouri, Rocky Mountains, and Columbia River. Common. Resident.
Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 59.
Alcedo Alcyon, Bonap. Syn. p. 48.
Alcedo Alcyon, Belted Kingfisher, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 339.
Belted Kingfisher, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 594.
Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 394; v. v. p. 548.
FAMILY XXVI. PICINÆ. WOODPECKERS
Bill long or of moderate length, straight, stout, angulate, tapering, compressed toward the tip, which is generally wedge-shaped and abrupt; mandibles nearly equal, outline of the upper slightly convex, the ridge narrow, sides sloping, with a lateral ridge, edges straight; lower with the angle short and narrow, the dorsal line nearly straight, the ridge narrow, the sides with a faint ridge. Nostrils basal, elliptical or oblong, concealed by reversed bristly feathers. Head of moderate size, oblong; neck of moderate length; body stout. Legs short; tarsus short, moderately stout, anteriorly scutellate, scaly behind; toes usually four, first short, rudimentary, or sometimes wanting, fourth very long and reversed, equalling or exceeding the third. Claws large, strong, much curved, much compressed, very acute. Plumage soft, blended, rather compact on the back; wings of moderate length or long; with the first quill very small, the third, fourth, and fifth longest. Tail of moderate length, much rounded or cuneate, of twelve feathers, of which the lateral are extremely small, and placed above the next, the rest, but especially the three middle pairs, with the shafts exceedingly large and strong, the webs narrowed toward the end, with their filaments deflected and stiff, the tip pointed or emarginate from being worn. Tongue slender, with the tip horny and furnished with reversed prickles or bristles, capable of being protruded to a great length by the elongation of the hyoid bones, which curve over the head to between the right eye and nostril, or even extend round a great part of that eye. Œsophagus of uniform width; proventriculus extremely large; stomach of moderate size, or rather small, broadly elliptical or roundish, moderately muscular; epithelium thin, dense, and longitudinally rugous; intestine of moderate length, rather wide; no cœca; cloaca very large, globular, or elliptical. Trachea simple, with a single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest a cavity dug in a tree; eggs from four to six, elliptical, white.
The groups present characters which are so undecided, and exhibit such gradual approximations, that I think it better here to consider all our Woodpeckers as of one genus.
GENUS I. PICUS, Linn. WOODPECKER
Character as above.
* Bill straight, with the angles prominent.
256. 1. Picus imperialis, Gould. Imperial Woodpecker
Not figured.
Glossy greenish-black; the elongated occipital crest scarlet; a triangular spot on the fore part of the back; the secondary quills, and the inner webs of most of the primaries, white; bill yellowish-white. Female similar, but without red on the head. Gould.
Male, 24, wing 12.
Rocky Mountains and North California.
Picus imperialis, Gould. Proceed. of Com. Sc. and Corresp. of Zool. Soc. of Lond. part ii. p. 140.
Imperial Woodpecker, Picus Imperialis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 313.
257. 2. Picus principalis, Linn. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Plate LXVI. Male and Female.
Toes very long, fourth longer than third. An occipital crest of elongated linear feathers; general colour glossy black, with blue reflections on the upper, green on the lower parts; crest rich carmine; bristly feathers covering the nostrils, and a short band at the base of the upper mandible, a band on each side of the neck, from the cheek to the end of the scapulars, secondary quills, their bases excepted, and terminal portion of four inner secondaries, with the axillars and lower wing-coverts, white; bill yellowish-white. Female similar, but with the crest black, and the lateral tail-feathers, with two patches of white at the tip.
Male, 21, 30. Female, 191/2, wing 10.
Common in Texas, Louisiana, and along the Mississippi, to the Ohio. Rare on the latter, to Henderson. From Florida to North Carolina. Resident.
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 20.
Picus principalis, Bonap. Syn. p. 44.
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 564.
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 341; v. v. p. 525.
258. 3. Picus pileatus, Linn. Pileated Woodpecker. – Log-cock
Plate XIII. Male and Female.
Fourth toe longer, considerably shorter than third; an occipital crest of elongated linear feathers; general colour black glossed with blue, upper part of head, and a band from the lower mandible, deep carmine; loral space and a broad band from the eye to the occiput, greyish-black; a narrow band from the eye margining the red of the crest, a band from the base of the upper mandible, down to the side of the neck, the throat, axillars, lower wing-coverts, and bases of the quills, white. Female similar, with the fore part of the head dusky, and the red on the cheek substituted by blackish-brown.
Male, 18, 28.
From Texas to the Columbia River, and along the Atlantic coast, as well as in the interior, to the Fur Countries. More abundant in the south. Resident everywhere.
Pileated Woodpecker, Picus pileatus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 27.
Picus pileatus, Bonap. Syn. p. 44.
Picus (Dryotomus) pileatus, Pileated Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 304.
Pileated Woodpecker or Log-cock, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 567.
Pileated Woodpecker, Picus pileatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 74; v. v. p. 533.
259. 4. Picus lineatus, Linn. Lineated Woodpecker
Not figured.
Third and fourth toes about equal, hind toe very small; an occipital crest of elongated near feathers; upper part of the head carmine, inclining to scarlet; a narrow dusky line from the nostril to the eye; a patch, including the eyelids and ear-coverts, leaden-grey; a narrow band down the hind part of the neck, gradually enlarging, the back, wings, and tail, deep black; a band from the nostrils descending obliquely over the side of the head, passing backwards and behind the ear, then much enlarged, and running down the side of the neck to the shoulders, a large oblique patch at the commencement of the wing, including the outer scapulars, the small feathers on the edge of the wing under the alula, the lower wing-coverts, and the inner webs of the quills for about half the length, pure white; an elongated crimson patch at the base of the lower jaw; chin yellowish-white, longitudinally streaked with dusky; the rest of the fore neck and part of the breast black; the lower parts and sides brownish-white, transversely barred with black.
Male, 15, wing, 72/12.
Columbia River.
Picus lineatus, Linn. Syst. Nat v. i. p. 174.
Lineated Woodpecker, Picus lineatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 315.