This type specimen was presented by Audubon to Professor Baird. A second was sent to the Smithsonian Institution, from Texas, by Dr. Lincecum.
Coturniculus passerinus, Bonap.
YELLOW-WINGED BUNTING.
Fringilla passerina, Wilson, Am. Orn. III, 1811, 76, pl. xxvi, f. 5.—Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 180; V, 497, pl. cxxx. Fringilla (Spiza) passerina, Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 111. Coturniculus passerina, Bon. List, 1838.—Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 481.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 450.—Samuels, 305. Emberiza passerina, Aud. Syn. 1839.—Ib. Birds Am. III, 1841, 73, pl. clxii. Fringilla savanarum, (Gm.) Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 494.—Ib. (2d ed.) 1840, 570.—(Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 921?) ?? Fringilla caudacuta, Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 459.—Nutt. Man. I, 1832, 505. ? Passerina pratensis, Vieillot. Coturniculus tixicrus, Gosse.
Localities: Oaxaca, March (Scl. 1859, 379). Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 18). Cuba (winter, common, Cab. Journ. IV, 7). Costa Rica (Cab. Journ. VIII, 1860, 411; Lawr. IX, 103). Vera Cruz (winter, Sum. Mem. Bost. Soc. I, 552).
Sp. Char. Feathers of the upper parts brownish-rufous or chestnut-brown, margined narrowly and abruptly with ash-color; reddest on the lower part of the back and rump; the feathers all abruptly black in the central portion; this color visible on the interscapular region, where the rufous is more restricted. Crown blackish, with a central and superciliary stripe of yellowish tinged with brown, brightest in front of the eye. Bend of the wing bright yellow; lesser coverts tinged with greenish-yellow. Quills and tail-feathers edged with whitish; tertiaries much variegated. Lower parts brownish-yellow or buff, nearly white on the middle of the belly, darkest on the jugulum. The feathers of the upper breast and sides of the body with obsoletely darker centres, these sometimes wanting. Sides of breast against bend of wing with a few black streaks, usually concealed. Length about 5 inches; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.00.
Hab. Eastern United States; south to Guatemala; Jamaica, resident; Porto Rico.
The young of this species have the jugulum and sides of the breast streaked with black, much more distinct than in the adult, and exhibiting a slight resemblance to C. henslowi. The upper parts are less varied.
Specimens from the Far West have the bill more slender, the reddish of the back considerably paler, the dark markings of the back restricted, the light stripe on the head with scarcely any yellow, a decided spot in front of the eye quite yellow, and little or no ochraceous on the breast.
The young bird, with streaked jugulum, may be most readily distinguished from C. henslowi by the grayer plumage without any shade of chestnut or greenish-yellow, the sparseness of streaks on the side, the absence of the two mandibular dusky stripes, and the broad dusky centres of the middle tail-feathers.