A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 2 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 2 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
Dr. Coues says these Buntings are chiefly spring and autumnal
visitants near Washington, only a few breeding. They are very abundant
from April 25 to May 10, and from the first to the third week of
October, and are partially gregarious. Their migrations are made by
day, and are usually in small companies in the fall, but singly in the
spring. Wilson found them in the middle districts of Virginia, and
from thence south to Florida, during the months of January, February,
and March. Their usual food is obtained among the dry leaves, though
they also feed on hard seeds and gravel. They are not known to commit
any depredations upon harvests. They may be easily accustomed to
confinement, and in a few days will become quite tame. When slightly
wounded and captured, they at first make a sturdy resistance, and bite
quite severely. They are much attached to their young, and when
approached evince great anxiety, the female thrusting herself forward
to divert attention by her outcries and her simulated lameness.
The eggs of this species are of a rounded-oval shape, and have a
dull-white ground, spotted with dots and blotches of a wine-colored
brown. These usually are larger than in the other species, and are
mostly congregated about the larger end, and measure .98 of an inch in
length by .80 in breadth.
Pipilo erythrophthalmus, var. alleni, COUES.
WHITE-EYED CHEWINK; FLORIDA CHEWINK.
_Pipilo alleni_, COUES, American Naturalist, V, Aug. 1871, 366.
SP. CHAR. Similar to _erythrophthalmus_, but differing in the
following respects: White spaces on wings and tail much restricted,
those on inner webs of lateral tail-feathers only .50 to .75 long.
Size very much smaller, except the bill, which is absolutely larger.
Iris white.
♂. (55,267, Dummits’s Grove, Florida, March, 1869.) Length, 7.75;
wing, 3.00; tail, 3.75; bill from nostril, .38; tarsus, .97.
♀. (55,271, same locality and date.) Wing, 3.00; tail, 3.50; bill from
nostril, .37; tarsus, .91. White on primaries almost absent.
[Line drawing: _Pipilo erythrophthalmus_. var. _alleni_.
2135, 247,]
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