Genus Chamæa. Gambel in Proceedings Acad. Philada. III. p. 154, Feb.,
1847.
Bill short, slightly curved, rather acute, both mandibles entire, ridge
of the upper curving nearly from the base, depression for the nostrils
large, oval and exposed, nostrils opening beneath a membrane in the
depression. Wings very short, rounded; tail long, and graduated; tarsi
long, and rather slender.
One species only known.
Chamæa fasciata. (Gambel.)
Parus fasciatus. Gambel, Proc. Acad. Philada., II. p. 265. August,
1845.
Form. Body rather short and robust; wings short and rounded, with the
sixth and seventh primaries longest, and nearly equal; tail long and
graduated, external feathers about an inch and a half shorter than those
in the middle of the tail. Entire plumage of the body composed of long,
silky, puff-like feathers.
Dimensions of a skin from California. Total length from tip of bill to
end of tail, about 5½ inches; wing, 2½; tail, 3½ inches.
Colours. Male. Head very dark cinerous, lighter on the cheeks and sides
of the neck; back, rump, external margins of the quills and tail
feathers olive brown. Wings and tail dusky brown; the latter with many
crimp-like transverse lines of darker, more distinct in some specimens
than others; quills also with similar lines on their inner webs, but
frequently very obscure.
Beneath, from the base of the mandible to the abdomen, pale reddish,
running into olive on the flanks, and with many of the feathers on the
throat and breast having longitudinal stripes of light cinereous olive;
under tail coverts brown.
A distinct ring around the eye, and spot on the nares, whitish
cinereous.
Bill and feet, dark brownish black.
Iris, white.
Female. Similar to the male, but with the colours rather less vivid.
Hab. California. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.
Obs. We consider this bird as decidedly related to the Wrens, and as
forming a well characterized genus, of which it is, as yet, the only
known species. It is frequently brought in collections from Western
America.
The plant represented in the plate is the _Eschscholtzia Californica_, a
native of California.
The figure in our plate is about three-fourths of the natural size.
ICTERUS CUCULLATUS.—(Swainson.)
The Hooded Oriole.
PLATE VIII.—Male and Female.
Some of the most beautiful of the American Orioles are inhabitants of
Mexico. Of these, we present, in the plate now before the reader, one of
the smallest of the species, which, though it cannot compete with many
others of its more richly coloured relatives, is still entitled to make
considerable claims. The various shades of the richest yellow colours
are almost exhausted in the splendid species of these birds which are
found in Mexico, and in South America, and as an accompaniment to the
luxuriant vegetation of those countries, they form, necessarily, a most
agreeable and interesting feature.
The birds of this family represented in the northern portion of this
continent, by the Baltimore Oriole, are remarkable for their skill in
constructing elaborately formed and pendent nests, frequently of large
size. Several of the South American species make them of grasses,
intricately and substantially woven, and shaped like a purse or bag,
with the entrance sometimes from the top, but more frequently
ingeniously inserted in the side, near the lower end. They are usually
suspended from the pendent branches of trees, and often near the
habitations of men. The Baltimore Oriole builds a nest sufficiently
similar to afford an idea of the general character of the nests of these
birds, but those of several of the southern species are much more
artfully and elaborately constructed.
The handsome little bird at present before us, was first described from
Mexican specimens, by Mr. Swainson, in the Philosophical Magazine, 1827,
p. 436, (London.) It is an inhabitant, also, of Texas, where it was
repeatedly observed by our friends Col. McCall and Capt. McCown, the
latter of which gentlemen has most kindly communicated the following
with other valuable notices:
[Illustration: Plate 8
The Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus (_Swainson_)]
“This beautiful Oriole is quite common on the Rio Grande, where it
raises its young. When met with in the woods, and far away from man’s
abode, it is shy, and seems rather disposed to conceal itself, yet a
pair were constant visitors, morning and evening, to the vicinity of my
quarters (an unfinished building at Ringgold Barracks, Texas.) They
became so tame and familiar that they would pass from some ebony trees
that stood near by, to the porch, clinging to the shingles and rafters,
frequently in an inverted position, prying into the holes and crevices,
apparently in search of such insects as could be found there, which, I
believe, were principally spiders. They would sometimes desist for a
moment from this occupation, to observe my movements, and if I happened
to be enjoying a cigar after dinner, seemed to watch the smoke with
great curiosity. I often offered them such hospitality as was in my
power, but could never induce them to touch any food, in which respect
they were very different from the large black birds, whose acquaintance
I also cultivated. I have seen the nests of this species, but never had
an opportunity to examine them.”