Seiurus aurocapillus.
1433
Gen. Char. Bill rather sylvicoline, compressed, with a distinct notch. Gonys ascending. Rictal bristles very short. Wings moderate, about three quarters of an inch longer than the tail; first quill scarcely shorter than the second. Tail slightly rounded; feathers acuminate. Tarsi about as long as the skull, considerably exceeding the middle toe. Under tail-coverts reaching within about half an inch of the end of the tail. Color above olivaceous; beneath whitish, thickly streaked on the breast and sides. Wings and tail immaculate. Nests on the ground, often arched or sheltered by position or dry leaves. Eggs white, marked with red, brown, and purple.
This genus is decidedly sylvicoline in general appearance, although the spots on the breast resemble somewhat those of the Thrushes. The three species may be grouped as follows:—
A. Middle of crown brownish-orange, bordered by blackish. No white superciliary streak … S. aurocapillus.
B. Crown like the back. A well-defined superciliary light stripe.
Thickly streaked beneath, including crissum. Ground-color and superciliary stripe yellowish. Bill small … S. noveboracensis.
Sparsely streaked beneath; throat and crissum immaculate. Ground-color and superciliary stripe white. Bill very large … S. ludovicianus.
Seiurus aurocapillus, Swains.
GOLDEN-CROWNED THRUSH.
Motacilla aurocapilla, Linn. S. N. I, 1766, 334. Turdus aur. Lath.; Wils. Am. Orn. II, pl. xiv, fig. 2.—Aud. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxliii. Sylvia aur. Bon. Seiurus aur. Swainson, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 171.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 260; Rev. 214.—Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, 55 (Honduras).—Max. Cab. Jour. 1858, 177.—Jones, Nat. Bermuda, 27. Henicocichla aur. Sclater, Catal. 1861, 25, No. 159.—Gundlach, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba). Seiurus aur. D’Orb. Sagra’s Cuba, 1840, 55.—Dall & Bannister, Tr. Chic. Ac. I, 1869, 278 (Alaska).—Samuels, 218. Turdus coronatus, Vieill. Ois. II. 1807, 8.