Bill shortish, nearly straight, subulato-conical, rather depressed at the base, compressed towards the end, acute, the edges sharp, with a very slight notch close to the tip. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head of ordinary size, neck short, body rather slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus compressed, anteriorly scutellate, sharp behind; toes free, the hind toe of moderate size, the lateral toes nearly equal; claws slender, compressed, arched acute.
Plumage soft blended. Wings rather long, second quill longest, first and third scarcely shorter. Tail rather long, emarginate. Distinct bristles at the base of the bill.
Bill brownish-black. Iris hazel. Feet dusky. The general colour of the upper parts is yellowish-green inclining to olive, the rump lighter; throat, sides and breast, greenish-yellow, the sides of the latter spotted with greenish-brown, belly white. Wings and tail blackish-brown, with greyish-white margins; the secondary coverts and first row of small coverts tipped with white, forming two bars across the wing.
Length 5¼ inches, extent of wings 8½; bill along the back 5½⁄12, along the sides ¾; tarsus ¾.
Adult Female. Plate CXL. Fig. 2.
On the upper parts the female is greyish-brown, tinged with olive, the lower parts paler than in the male. In other respects, the differences are not remarkable.
The Yellow Pine.
Pinus variabilis, Pursh, Flor. Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 643.—P. mitis, Michaux, Arbr. Forest. vol. i. p. 52. pl. 3.—Monœcia Monadelphia, Linn. Coniferæ, Juss.