_Zonotrichia_, SWAINSON, Fauna Bor.-Am. II, 1831. (Type, _Emberiza
leucophrys_.)
[Line drawing: _Zonotrichia leucophrys._
1506 ♂]
GEN. CHAR. Body rather stout. Bill conical, slightly notched, somewhat
compressed, excavated inside; the lower mandible rather lower than the
upper; gonys slightly convex; commissure nearly straight. Feet stout;
tarsus rather longer than middle toe; the lateral toes very nearly
equal. Hind toe longer than the lateral ones; their claws just
reaching to base of middle one. Inner claw contained twice in its toe
proper; claws all slender and considerably curved. Wings moderate, not
reaching to the middle of the tail, but beyond the rump; secondaries
and tertials equal and considerably less than longest primaries;
second and third quills longest; first about equal to the fifth, much
longer than tertials. Tail rather long, moderately rounded; the
feathers not very broad.
Back streaked. Rump and under parts immaculate, except in young. Head
black, or with white streaks, entirely different from the back.
This genus embraces some of the most beautiful of American Sparrows,
all of the largest size in their subfamily.
All the species properly belonging to this genus are North American;
several South American species, have, however, been assigned to it;
but they are none of them strictly congeneric with those given below.
COMMON CHARACTERS. Feathers of interscapular region blackish
centrally, passing into rufous-brown and edged with paler. Rump
and upper tail-coverts uniform olivaceous-ashy brown. Two white
bands on the wings; the tertials edged with rufous. Beneath
without streaks. Head above marked with black, and generally with
white. Cheeks plumbeous.
A. Black of the crown divided by a median light stripe.
Jugulum ashy.
_a._ Throat ashy, uniform with the breast.
1. Z. leucophrys. Median stripe of the crown white. A
black stripe from behind the eye, and a white superciliary
stripe.
α. A black stripe from the eye to forehead, across lore.
_Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, west throughout
Rocky Mountains; Cape St. Lucas in winter …
var. _leucophrys_.
β. No black streak in front of eye, the lores being
wholly ashy. _Hab._ Western Province North America, east
to Rocky Mountains … var. _gambeli_.
2. Z. coronata. Median stripe of crown yellow for
anterior and ash for posterior half. Black of crown coming
down to eye and ear coverts, leaving no light superciliary
stripe. _Hab._ Pacific Province of North America;
accidental east of Sierra Nevada.
_b._ Throat pure white, in sharp contrast with the dark ash
of cheeks and jugulum.
3. Z. albicollis. Median stripe of crown white. A light
superciliary stripe, yellow anterior to the eye, and white
behind it; a black streak along upper edge of ear-coverts.
_Hab._ Eastern Province of North America.
B. Black of the crown not divided, but continuous. Jugulum
white.
4. Z. querula. Lores, forepart of cheeks, with the chin
and throat, deep black; whole side of head behind the eye,
ashy. Lower parts pure white. _Hab._ Missouri Plains.
Zonotrichia leucophrys, SWAINSON.