Chapter C: B. R. Kennerly, M. D., a young naturalist of great promise, who was

attached as Zoologist to Lieut. Whipple’s party, for surveying a route for a railroad to the Pacific Ocean, brought fine specimens of the bird now before us, in the large and highly interesting collection of birds made by him in the countries traversed by the expedition. To Dr. Kennerly we are indebted for the following notice of this species:

“During the march of our party from the Rio Grande to the Sierra Madre, we saw this bird nearly every day. At that season, which was November, large flocks were constantly found in the vicinity of the running streams, which on being frightened from the low bushes, circled around, loudly uttering their peculiar cry, and rising higher and higher, until they reached the summit of some tree on the rocky hills. When settled, they continued their discordant notes, which somewhat resemble some of those of the common Cat-bird (_Mimus felivox_).”

The Prince Maximilian’s specimens of this bird were obtained on Maria’s river, one of the tributaries of the Upper Missouri, in the northern part of the possessions of the United States in Western America, and much farther north than it has been observed by either of the late naturalists. It probably inhabits a very extensive district, the limits of which cannot at present be conjectured.

The figure in the present plate is that of the adult male, and is about two-thirds of the natural size.

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Gymnokitta. De Wied in Bonap. Consp. Av., p. 382. (1850.)

General form, rather short, robust; bill, straight, wide at base, somewhat rounded and flattened at the point, ridge of the under mandible (or gonys) very distinctly ascending; wings, rather long, first quill very short, fourth, longest, but only slightly longer than the third and fifth; tail, moderate, containing twelve feathers; legs and feet, strong.

Gymnokitta cyanocephala. (De Wied).
Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus. De Wied, Travels in North America (1839,
Coblenz).
Cyanocorax Cassinii. McCall, Proc. Acad. Philada., V. p. 216. (1851.)

Form. Bill, straight, wide at base, blunt and rounded, and somewhat flattened towards the point; wings, rather long, secondaries, broad and mostly obtuse at their ends; tail, moderate, tarsi rather long, moderately robust, and with the toes distinctly scaled; claws, curved, rather strong and sharp.

Dimensions. Total length (of skin), about 10 inches; wing, 6; tail, 4½; bill, from gape, 1½ inches.

Colors. _Adult._—Throat, white, tinged with bluish running into stripes on the neck before. Entire other plumage, above and below, ashy-blue, much darker and clearer on the head, palest on the abdomen, tibiæ and under wing coverts. Cheeks and frontal feathers, pale ultramarine; bill and claws dark; irides, light-brown—sexes alike.

Hab. New Mexico, Nebraska. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.

Obs. This species does not resemble any other in such degree as to readily lead to confusion, and as yet stands alone in its genus.

The bird described by Col. McCall, as above, and to which he did us the honor to apply our name, he has since ascertained to be the present species, of which, at the time of the publication of his description, no specimen was exhibited in the nearly complete collection of Jays in the museum of the Philadelphia Academy, nor had it ever been mentioned by any American ornithologist. He observed it in the vicinity of Santa Fé, in considerable numbers.

Although as we have said above, nearly the whole of the valuable Zoological notes in the German edition of the Prince Maximilian’s Travels, are omitted in the English translation; two notices of the present species may be found in the latter, pp. 287, 297, the last of which is the description, and seems to have accidentally escaped the singular want of judgment which induced the omissions to which we allude.

PTILOGONYS NITENS.—Swainson.
The Black Flycatcher.
PLATE XXIX.—Adult Male and Female.

This gracefully formed, but sombre-colored little bird was first added to the Ornithological fauna of the United States, by our valued friend, Colonel George A. McCall, Inspector General in the Army of the United States, who observed it, and obtained numerous specimens, while on a tour of duty in California, in 1852. It had previously been known as a Mexican species, having been described by Mr. Swainson, in 1838, from specimens sent from that country.

This bird belongs to a small group of Fly-catchers, containing not more than five or six species, all of which are inhabitants of either Western North America, Mexico, or the southern portion of this continent. They appear to possess the habits of true Fly-catchers, and are remarkable for their slender but active forms, in which the long and ample tail and the elongated feathers of the head, capable of being erected into a handsome crest, are generally conspicuous. The best known North American species is _Ptilogonys obscurus_, La Fresnaye (which is _Ptilogonys Townsendii_, Audubon), a bird that is now brought from the far west by nearly all collectors.

Respecting the curious little species which is the subject of our present article, we have the pleasure of laying before the reader the following notes very kindly furnished by Col. McCall.

“The first opportunity that I had for observing the manners of this bird, was afforded me in 1852, while travelling from _Valle-cita_ to _El Chino_, in California. On that occasion, as I left the country bordering the desert, and began to ascend the hills, my route followed the course of a mountain brook, whose clear waters were at intervals shaded with gnarled and scrubby oaks. In approaching one of these clumps of trees, I remarked a number of dark-colored birds, which afterwards were found to belong to this species, darting upwards from the topmost branches, and after diving and pitching about in the air for a moment, returning again to the dead branches with the lively port that proved them to be engaged in the agreeable pastime of taking their insect prey. A nearer approach showed them to be light and graceful on the wing; but less swift and decided in their motions than most of the true Fly-catchers. There were about a dozen in company, and they presented a pleasing sight, as three or four together were constantly either pitching upwards to a considerable height in the air, or gliding silently back to their perches. In these ærial evolutions, the bright spot on the wing, which is formed by broad patches of white on the inner webs of six or seven of the quill feathers, and is visible only when the wing is spread, gleamed conspicuously in the sunshine, and formed a fine contrast with the glossy black of the general plumage. I sat upon my horse, watching their movements for some time, and I now perceived that two of their numbers were of a dusky hue, and without the wing spot to which I have referred; but I could discover no difference in their manners or their style of flight. I, therefore, had little doubt of their being adult females; for although at that period of the year, (June 20) the young birds might have been well grown, yet there is generally a want of decided character in the unpractised flight of young birds, which betrays them to the Sportsman’s eye. In fact, these birds agreed with Swainson’s description of the female in general terms; and my only regret is that I was not able to satisfy myself by dissection whether these to which I now refer were in reality adult females, or young males in their first plumage.

“However, on my attempting to approach still nearer, these birds became alarmed, and winging their way to the hill-side, alighted on the scraggy bushes scattered among large projecting rocks, where they resumed their sport, rising lightly into the air and darting about after insects, which seemed to be abundant. I followed—but they were now on the _qui vive_, and, without permitting me to get within gun-shot, flew from bush to bush, as I advanced, keeping all the while in a loose irregular flock, and still pursuing their sport of fly-catching. In this way they continued to ascend the hills, until the broken character of the ground abruptly stopped my horse. Having, however, dismounted, I clambered over the rocks, and at last succeeded in killing two of them. These were alike in plumage—black, with the wing spot; and one of them, which I dissected, proved to be a male.

“As I journeyed on towards the Sierra Nevada, I met, during several days succeeding, these birds, either in small companies, or singly; and subsequently I found a few individuals between _El Chino_ and _Los Angeles_; but they were invariably black, with the white wing spot. And I never on any occasion, except the one I have referred to, saw one of those clad in dusky garments, which I had supposed were females.

“The localities in which I found these birds, were either on the mountainsides, or in the timbered borders of mountain streams.

“The measurements of the fresh specimen were as follows—length, 8 inches; wing, 3½; tail, 3½.

“The figure slender—the feet rather strong.”

This bird has also been noticed by Dr. Heermann, in various parts of California, and by Dr. Henry, and Dr. Kennerly, in New Mexico. To the former gentleman, we are indebted for the following contribution, intended for our present article:

“This bird is seldom found in the northern part of California, though I procured both adults and young on the Consumnes river, in 1851. Since then, however, a naturalist and friend of mine residing there has not seen a single other specimen, though giving much of his attention to ornithology, and to the migratory habits of such birds as pass through that section of country.

“I was therefore surprised to meet with this species after sixty miles of travel on the Colorado desert near the Little Lagoon. It was perched on a _Mesquite_ tree, jerking its tail almost incessantly, as do various other species of Fly-catchers, and dashing occasionally in irregular curves and angles high into the air in pursuit of insects. On approaching the Colorado, this Fly-catcher became quite abundant, as I frequently saw companies of twenty or thirty together, many of which would be on the wing at the same time, engaged at their usual employment. At Fort Yuma, this species was also met with in considerable numbers late in November, when they were migrating southward. Its note is a low, plaintive whistle. This bird undoubtedly incubates in California, as I have seen specimens which were certainly very young birds, though I have not been so fortunate as to discover its nest.”

Near Fort Webster, in New Mexico, Dr. Henry has seen this bird, though he considers it of rather rare occurrence. Dr. Kennerly noticed it in abundance during the months of February and March, on the route of Lieut. Whipple’s party, from the Big Sandy creek to the Great Colorado river.

Our plate represents the adult male and female about two-thirds of the size of life.

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Ptilogonys. Swainson, Zool. Jour. III. p. 164. (1827.)

Bill, moderate, wide at base, upper mandible curved towards the end, and distinctly notched; wings, moderate or rather long, first primary very short, or rudimentary; tail, long; legs and feet, moderate. General form, rather slender; head frequently with elongated crest-like feathers. Contains several species of birds, all of which are American.

Ptilogonys nitens. Swainson. Lardner’s Cab. Cy. Birds, Pt. III. p.
285. (1838.)

Form. Slender; crest-like feathers of the head much elongated; wings with the fifth and sixth quills longest and nearly equal; tail, long, graduated.

Dimensions. Total length (of skin) about 7½ inches; wing, 3¾; tail, 4 inches.

Colors. _Male._—Entire plumage glossy black, with a greenish lustre, except a spot on the inner web of each primary quill, occupying about the middle third of its length, which is pure white. Bill and feet, black.

_Female._—Entire plumage, except the tail, cinereous, tinged with olive on the back and abdomen; superior wing coverts, and inferior tail coverts, edged and tipped with white. Quills, dark-brown—secondaries edged with white; tail, black, without lustre. _Young_—like the female; but in the males, with the spot on the primaries discernable, though more or less obscure.

Hab. California, New Mexico and Mexico. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.

Obs. A remarkable resemblance exists between the bird now before us and two other species of Fly-catchers of another genus, _Fluvicola comata_ (Licht.), and _Fluvicola nigerrima_ (Vieill), both of which are natives of South America, and we have seen the latter also from Mexico. The three birds resemble each other in general form in a very considerable degree, and in colors are almost absolutely the same, the prevalent black of the plumage differing only in shade. Generic and specific distinctions can, however, readily be made out on comparison of specimens. _Fluvicola_ has the bill longer and not so wide at the base and with much stronger bristles; the wings are differently constructed, the first primary being long and well developed, not short or rudimentary as in _Ptilogonys_. In those two species of _Fluvicola_, which differ from each other materially only in size, the white spot is more at the base of the wing feathers than in _Ptilogonys nitens_, in which it occupies the middle third of the primaries. _Fluvicola comata_ is the same as _Blechropus cristatus_, Swainson, in Naturalist’s Library, Flycatchers, p. 99, plate 7. No other species of _Ptilogonys_ is black.

TROGLODYTES MEXICANUS.—(Swainson.)
The White-throated Wren.
PLATE XXX.—Adult Male.

In the United States, the little House Wren is associated with so many pleasing recollections, and possesses such pre-eminently social and familiar habits, that one almost expects in all birds bearing the name of wrens, to find similarity of disposition, and perhaps similar regard from the people of other lands. But this is by no means the case. There is really but one House Wren, and that is the little fellow who comes punctually in the early spring, and evidently without a doubt of his being welcome to take possession of the box or other habitation of the previous season, perhaps of many seasons. And forthwith he commences housekeeping, which usually, if no accidental discouragements intervene, is very successful, as one may judge from the number of little heads soon to be seen by peeping in at the door of his domicile.

The Wren is, in this country, nearly as much of a household bird as the Robin, of Europe, and more than any other, not even excepting the Martin, is universally regarded with favor. He is, however, the only one of the numerous species of American Wrens that shows any disposition to cultivate the acquaintance of mankind, or at all to accept of any proffered hospitalities. Though the Carolina Wren and Bewick’s Wren both venture occasionally into the garden or orchard, they are comparatively shy and apprehensive, apparently, of there being danger in too great familiarity.

The large species represented in our present plate is a native of Mexico and California, and lives exclusively in localities remote from the habitations of man. Though known as a bird of Mexico, it is not represented as an abundant species in that country, and within the limits of the United States has been observed only by Dr. Heermann, and Dr. Kennerly.

In his notes on the Birds of California, in the Journal of the Philadelphia Academy, II. p. 263, Dr. Heermann’s observations on the present bird are as follows, and contain the first notice of this species as an inhabitant of the United States:

“I first met with this bird in the fall of 1851, on the Consumnes river, but in the spring of 1852, I procured three specimens on the Calaveras river. It is an active bird, having a loud sprightly song, that is heard at a considerable distance, and which it repeats at short intervals. I found it occupied in searching for insects between and under the large boulders of rock which, along some portions of this river, are thrown together in confused masses, as if by some terrific convulsion of nature.”

Dr. Kennerly, during the survey recently completed by Lieut. Whipple’s party, noticed this Wren in New Mexico, and obtained specimens now deposited in the National Museum at Washington city. For our present article he has very kindly favored us with the following note:

“This active little bird was observed only among the hills along the head waters of Bill Williams’ fork. In the most rugged and inaccessible places it was generally found busily engaged in searching for food, rapidly passing around and among the rocks with great activity, and accompanying its movements with its short and peculiar chirp. It is so constantly in motion that specimens can only be obtained with difficulty.”

This species was described by Mr. Swainson, from specimens sent to Europe from Real del Monte, in Mexico, and we have seen others from various parts of that country.

The figure in the plate now before the reader, is that of an adult male, and is about two-thirds of the size of life.

The plant represented is _Nemophila insignis_, a native of California.

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Troglodytes. Vieill, Nouv. Dict., XXXIV. p. 505. (1819.)
Troglodytes mexicanus. (Swainson.)
Thryothorus mexicanus. Swainson, Zool. Ill., 2d series, I. p. (none),
pl. 11.

Form. Bill, long, slender and curved; wings, short, rounded, with the fourth and fifth quills longest; tail, rather long; legs and feet, moderately strong; claws, large.

Dimensions. Total length (of skin) about 5½ inches; wing, 2½; tail, 2 inches.

Colors. Throat and neck before, silky-white. Entire upper parts, reddish-brown, with minute circular or irregularly shaped spots of pure white, which are inserted in others of very dark-brown, nearly black; quills, dark-brown, spotted on their outer webs with ferruginous; tail, bright ferruginous, with about eight regular transverse bands of black. Entire under parts (except the throat and neck before, as above), bright ferruginous, rather darker than that of the tail, nearly every feather having a small irregularly shaped spot of white, joined to another of black; bill, light at the base, darker towards the tip. Sexes very nearly alike.

Hab. California, New Mexico, Mexico. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.

Obs. This very handsome Wren is not properly to be regarded as a true _Troglodytes_, but belongs to a small group or sub-genus, to which M. Cabanis has given the name _Salpinctes_. It does not particularly resemble any other species.

SYNOPSIS
OF
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.