A Synopsis of the Birds of North AmericaAudubon, John James
Science
A Synopsis of the Birds of North America
Audubon, John James
Birds -- Classification; Birds -- North America
American Dipper, Cinclus Americanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p.
493; v. v. p. 303.
GENUS II. ORPHEUS, Swains. MOCKING-BIRD.
Bill of moderate length or longish, rather slender, straight or
slightly arched, broader than high at the base, compressed toward the
end, acute; upper mandible with the ridge rather narrow, the sides
convex toward the end, the notches very slight, the tip narrow; lower
mandible with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line straight
or slightly decurved toward the end, the sides nearly erect, the tip
narrow. Nostrils oblong, partially concealed by the feathers. Head of
ordinary size, ovato-oblong; neck of moderate length; body rather
slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus scarcely so long as
the middle toe and claw; hind toe of moderate length, stout, lateral
toes equal; claws moderate, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft
and blended. Bristles rather long. Wings of ordinary length, broad,
rounded, the first quill very small, the fourth and fifth longest.
Tail very long, straight, much rounded, or graduated.
138. 1. Orpheus polyglottus, Linn. Grey Mocking-Bird.
Plate XXI. Male and Female.
Upper parts light grey tinged with yellowish-brown; feathers of the
wings and tail greyish-black; primary coverts white, as are the
primary quills in their proximal part; secondary coverts and first row
of small coverts tipped with white; outer tail-feather white, as are
the greater part of the next, and a portion of the third toward the
end; lower parts greyish-white, on the breast tinged with brown, on
the sides and under the tail with yellow. Female smaller, with the
tints duller, and the white markings on the wings less extended.
_Male_, 9-1/2, 13-1/2. _Female_, 9, 12-1/2.
From Texas to Massachusetts. In the interior up the Mississippi and
Ohio, to Henderson in Kentucky. Abundant and resident in the southern
parts.
Mocking Bird, Turdus polyglottus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p.
14.
Turdus polyglottus, Bonap. Syn. p. 74.
Mocking Bird, Turdus polyglottus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 320.
Mocking Bird, Turdus polyglottus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p.
108; v. v. p. 438.
139. 2. Orpheus montanus, Townsend. Mountain Mocking-Bird.
Plate CCCLXIX. Fig. 1. Male.
Upper parts greyish-brown; feathers of the wings and tail
greyish-black; tips of secondary coverts, edges of primary quills, and
a large spot at the end of the three lateral tail-feathers, white;
lower parts whitish, marked with triangular dusky spots, of which
there is a distinct line from the base of the bill; throat, middle of
the breast, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts, unspotted.
_Male_, 8; wing, 3-9/12.
Rocky Mountains. Common. Migratory.
Orpheus montanus, Mountain Mocking-Bird, Towns. Journ. Acad.
Nat. Sc. Philadelphia, v. vii. p. 192.
Mountain Mocking Bird, Turdus montanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv.
p. 487.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account