Emberiza bilineata. Cassin, Proc. Acad., Philada., V. p. 104. (Oct.
1850.)
Form. Rather short and compact; fourth quill slightly longest, but
nearly equalled by the third and fifth; legs rather long and robust;
tail moderate.
Dimensions. Total length, about 5⅛ inches; wing, 2½; expanse from tip to
tip, 8; tail, 2⅜ inches.
Colors. _Adult._—Superciliary stripe over the eye, and another from the
corner of the lower mandible, white. Large space on the throat and neck
before black, which is also the color of the lores. Cheeks and entire
upper parts brownish-cinereous, darker, and tinged with olive on the
back; quills hair-brown, with nearly white external edgings; tail
feathers brownish-black, the two central palest, and the external
feather, with its outer web, white, and with a large spot of white on
its inner web, near the tip,—in some specimens the two outer tail
feathers are largely tipped with white. Entire under parts white, tinged
with ashy and olive, especially on the sides and flanks; bill dark
bluish or horn color; feet dark. _Young._—Throat and other under parts
white, with some longitudinal stripes of brownish-black; upper parts as
in adult, but more tinged with brown; wing-coverts edged with
brownish-white.
Hab. New Mexico and Texas; Mexico. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and
Nat. Mus., Washington city.
Obs. This Finch resembles no other species known to us, in such a degree
as would render it liable to be confounded with it. It may be easily
recognised when adult by its black throat, bordered on each side by a
conspicuous white stripe, and having also another equally conspicuous
and well-defined stripe over the eye. In the young there is no vestige
of the black throat, that part being of a uniform color with the under
parts of the body, but bears a strong general resemblance to the adult.
It is related to the group designated _Euspiza_ by authors, though it is
probably the type of a distinct subdivision.
[Illustration: Plate 24
The Black-headed Vireo
Vireo atricapillus (_Woodhouse_)]
VIREO ATRICAPILLUS.—Woodhouse.
The Black-headed Flycatcher.
PLATE XXIV.—Adult Male.
On account of their modest attire and sylvan habits, the birds of the
group to which the present species belongs, are seldom noticed by the
general observer, though some of them are to be met with commonly during
the summer, in nearly all parts of the United States. But though
inconspicuous in appearance, they make ample compensation by the
loudness of their notes, which, after the early love-songs of the
Thrushes, and other of our songsters of spring, have subsided into the
more serious duties of parental responsibility, are to be heard above
those of any other of our resident birds. They are active
insect-catchers, and may be seen at nearly all hours of the day,
patiently searching amongst the leaves and branches of the trees in
almost every woodland, hopping from branch to branch, or sometimes
making short sallies in pursuit of fugitive moths or butterflies, and
occasionally pausing to refresh themselves with a rather quaint but very
melodious warble, lengthened in the spring into a cheerful and agreeable
song.
The red-eyed Flycatcher (_V. olivaceus_) is the most numerous, and not
only is constantly to be met with in the woods, but ventures confidently
into the public squares or parks, and the yards and gardens of the
cities. In many such localities in Philadelphia, several of which are in
the denser parts of the city, this little warbler rears its young, and
pipes out his sprightly song, in entire security, and apparently feeling
himself as much at home as if in the recesses of the most remote forest.
The warbling Flycatcher (_V. gilvus_) is another pleasing singer, though
in our opinion but an indifferent performer compared with the preceding.
A species common in the West Indies, and which has been found in
Florida, has some very singular notes, from one combination of which he
has had assigned to him a name quite as singular, the “Whip Tom Kelly”
(_V. altiloquus_).
The immediate relatives, however, of the little species before the
reader in the present plate, are birds that rarely venture far from the
woods. One of them, the White-eyed Flycatcher (_V. noveboracensis_), has
a partiality for marshes and low grounds producing thick growths of
vines and shrubbery; and although the smallest of his tribe has some
quite remarkable notes, and so loud, that a person not sufficiently
acquainted with him to recognise his voice, would be surprised to find
such a high-sounding solo proceed from such a diminutive performer.
The species represented in our present plate is an inhabitant of Texas,
but it has as yet been only observed in a very limited district. It was
discovered by S. W. Woodhouse, M. D., of Philadelphia, while attached to
Capt. Sitgreave’s Surveying party. It is the handsomest bird of this
group.
The following notice of this bird by Dr. Woodhouse, we take the liberty
of extracting from Sitgreave’s report of an expedition down the Zuñi and
Colorado rivers:
“On the twenty-sixth of May, 1851, while encamped on the Rio San Pedro,
within about ten miles of its source, I was out in pursuit of specimens.
Wandering about the hills among some cedars (_Juniperus_), my attention
was first attracted by a singular note, which I am unable to describe;
on looking, I discovered this beautiful little bird, which I at first
took to belong to that interesting family of fly-catching warblers,
_Sylvania_, it being constantly in motion. It was with the greatest
difficulty that I could procure specimens; two, however, I secured, both
of which, on dissection, proved to be males.”
Mr. John H. Clark, zoologist attached to the Mexican boundary
commission, who observed this species in Texas, and near the same
locality at which it was found by Dr. Woodhouse, has very obligingly
made for us the following note from his journal:
“My attention was drawn to this bird by a shrill, discontented chirp
which accompanied its incessant motion in pursuit of insects. Three
specimens only were seen, and all of them at one locality, near the head
of the Rio San Pedro, or Devil’s River, to the valley of which it
appeared to be confined, for, being aware of its novelty to the fauna of
the United States, I kept a strict look-out, but did not meet with it
elsewhere.
“It was not at all shy, showing no concern when approached within a few
rods. The procuring of a specimen was, however, a matter of some
difficulty, as its constantly hopping or flying from branch to branch
rendered an unobstructed shot the next thing to an impossibility. It was
found in June, and the specimen obtained by me, now in the collection of
the commission, is that of a male.”
Our figure is of the natural size.