Illustrations of the Birds of California, Texas, Oregon, British, and Russian America; (Forming a Supplement to Audubon's Birds of America) Intended to Contain Descriptions and Figures of All North American Birds Not Given by Former American Authors, and (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1856 Excerpt: ...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 brownishwhite. 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. 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...