Specimens of this bird, in the fall plumage, were obtained from Fort Simpson, where Mr. B. R. Ross states that it appears on its way north in May. They resort to the fields around the fort in search of grain. Although these birds keep entirely apart from the P. nivalis, Mr. Ross has frequently observed several P. lapponicus associating with them.
When their nests are approached, the female quietly slips off, while the male bird may be seen hopping or flying from tree to tree in the neighborhood of the nest, and will at times do all he can to induce intruders to withdraw from the neighborhood.
The eggs, five in number, have a light clay-colored ground, are marked with obscure blotches of lavender and darker lines, dots, and blotches of dark purplish-brown. They measure .80 by .65 of an inch.
Plectrophanes ornatus, Towns.
CHESTNUT-COLLARED BUNTING; BLACK-BELLIED LONGSPUR.
Plectrophanes ornatus, Townsend, J. Ac. Nat. Sc. VII, 1837, 189.—Ib. Narrative, 1839, 344.—Aud. Syn. 1839, 99.—Ib. Birds Am. III, 1841, 53, pl. cliv.—Nutt. Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 537.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 435. Emberiza ornata, Aud. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 44, pl. cccxciv, f. 1. Centrophanes ornatus, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 127.
Sp. Char. Bill dark plumbeous. Male. Crown, a narrow crescent on the side of the head, with a line running into it from behind the eye, entire breast and upper part of belly all round, black; throat and sides of the head, lower part of belly and under tail-coverts, with bases of the tail-feathers, white. The white on the tail-feathers runs forward as an acute point. A chestnut band on the back of the neck extending round on the sides. Rest of upper parts grayish-brown, streaked with darker. Middle coverts with a white patch. Lesser wing-coverts like the back. Legs dusky, bill blue, darker at tip. Length about 5.25 inches; wing, 3.20; tail, 2.30; tarsus, .75.
Female lacking the black and chestnut colors; the black of the breast indicated by dusky streaks and a line of streaks each side of the throat.
Hab. Plains of the Upper Missouri. San Antonio, Texas, spring (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 486).
Habits. This species was first discovered by Mr. Townsend, who procured a single specimen, a male, on the Upper Missouri River. He describes it as by no means a common bird, keeping in pairs and living exclusively on the ground. It was remarkably shy, and Mr. Townsend was not able to procure more than a single specimen.