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"Zamelodia melanocephala. Black-headed Song Grosbeak. Adult male with the crown, sides of head, back, wings, and tail black; the back usually varied with whitish or cinnamon-brown, the wings spotted with white on the ends of the coverts, and usually also towards the ends of the quills, and with a large white patch at the base of primaries; several lateral tail-feathers with large white spots on inner webs near their ends. Neck all round, rump, and under parts rich orange-brown, changing to bright pure yellow on the belly and under wing-coverts; bill and feet dark grayish-blue. Size of the last. The female and young differ much as in the last species, but may be recognized by the rich sulphur-yellow under wing-coverts; the bill is shorter and more tumid, along culmen, .60 deep at base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-headed Song Grosbeak

"Zamelodia melanocephala. Black-headed Song Grosbeak. Adult male with the crown, sides of head, back,…

"Guiraca caerulea. Blue Grosbeak. Adult male: Rich dark blue, nearly uniform, but darker or blackish across middle of back; feathers around base of bill, wings and tail, black; middle and greater wing-coverts tipped with chestnut; bill dark horn-blue, paler below; feet blackish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Blue Grosbeak

"Guiraca caerulea. Blue Grosbeak. Adult male: Rich dark blue, nearly uniform, but darker or blackish…

"Fig. 62 Skull of common fowl, enlarged. from nature by Dr. R.W. Shufeldt, U.S.A. The names of bones and some other parts are printed, requiring no explanation; but observe the following points: The distinction of none of the bones composing the brain-case (the upper back expanded part) can be found in a mature skull. The brain is contained between the occipital, sphenoidals, squamosals, parietals and part of frontal; the ethmoidals belong to the same group of cranial bones proper. All other bones, excepting the three otic ear-bones, are bones of the face and jaws. The lower jaw, of five bones, is drawn detached; it articulates by the black surface marked articular with the prominence just above- the quadratic bone. Observe that from this quadrate a series of bones quadrato-jugal, jugal, maxillary-makes a slender rod running to the premaxillary; this is the zygoma, or jugal bar. Observe from the quadrate also another series, composed of pterygoid and palatine bones, to the premaxillary; this is the pterygo-palatine bar; it slides along a median fixed axis of the skull, the rostrum, which bears the loose vomer at its end. The under mandible, quadrate, pterygoid, and vomer are the only movable bones of this skull. But when the quadrate rocks back and forth, as it does by its upper joint, its lower end pulls and pushes upon the upper mandible, by means of the jugal and pterygo-palatine bars, setting the whole scaffolding of the upper jaw in motion. This motion hinges upon the elasticity of the bones of the forehead, at the thin place just where the reference-lines from the words "lacrymal" and "mesethmoid" cross each other. The dark oval space behind the quadrate is the external orifice of the ear; the parts in it to which the three reference-lines go are diagrammatic, not actual representations; thus, the quadrate articulates with a large pro-otic as well as with the squamosal. The great excavation at the middle of the figure, containing the cirlet of the unshaded bones, is the left orbital cavity, orbit, or socket of the eye. The mesethmoid includes most of the background of this cavity, shaded diagonally. The upper one of the two processes of bone extending into it from behind is post-frontal or sphenotic process; the under one (just over the quadrate) is the squamosal process. A bone not shown, the presphenoid, lies just in front of the oval black space over the end of basisphenoid. This black oval is the optic foramen, through which the nerve of sight passes from the brain-cavity to the eye. The black dot a little behind the optic foramen is the orifice of exit of a part of the trifacial nerve. The black mark under the letters "on" of the word "frontal" is the olfactory foramen, where the nerve of smell emerges from the brain-box to go to the nose. The nasal cavity is the black space behind nasal and covered by that bone, and in the oval blank before it. The parts of the beak covered by horn are only premaxillary, nasal, and dentary. The condyle articulates with the first cervical vertebra; just above it, not shown, is the foramen magnum, or great hole through which the spinal medulla, or main nervous cord, passes from the spinal column. The basioccipital is hidden, excepting its condyle; so is much of the basisphenoid. The prolongation forward of the basisphenoid, marked "rostrum," and bearing the vomer at its end, is the parasphenoid, as far as its thickened under border is concerned. Between the fore end of the pterygoid and the basisphenoidal rostrum, is the site of the basipterygoid process, by which the bones concerned articulate by smooth facets; further forward, the palatines ride freely upon the parasphenoidal rostrum. In any passerine bird , the vomer would be thick in front, and forked behind, riding like the palatine upon the rostrum. The palatine seems to run into the maxillary in this view; but it continues on to premaxillary. The maxillo-palatine is an important bone which cannot be seen in the figure because it extends horizontally into the paper from the maxillary about where the reference life "maxillary" goes to that bone. The general line from the condyle to the end of the vomer is the cranial axis, basis cranii, or base of the cranium. This skull is widest across the post-frontal; next most so across the bulge of the jugal bar." Elliot Coues, 1884

Skull of a Common Fowl

"Fig. 62 Skull of common fowl, enlarged. from nature by Dr. R.W. Shufeldt, U.S.A. The names of bones…

"Passerina cyanea. Indigo Painted Finch. Indigo-bird. Adult male: Indigo-blue, intense and constant on the head, glancing greenish with different lights on other parts; wings and tail blackish, glossed with greenish-blue; feathers around base of the bill black; bill dark above, rather paler below, with a curious black stripe along the gonys. Female: Above , plain warm brown, below whitey-brown, obsoletely streaky on the breast and sides; wing-coverts and inner quills pale-edged, but not whitish; no whitish wing-bars; upper mandible blackish, lower pale, with the black stripe just mentioned, - this is pretty constant feature, and will distinguish the species from any of our Eastern little brown birds." Elliot Coues, 1884

Indigo-bird

"Passerina cyanea. Indigo Painted Finch. Indigo-bird. Adult male: Indigo-blue, intense and constant…

"Cardinalis virginianus. Cardinal Grosbeak. Cardinal Red-bird. Virginia Nightinggale. male, adult: Rich red, usually vermillion, sometimes rosy; pure and intense on crest and under parts, darker on back, where obscured with ashy-gray, as it is also on upper surfaces of wings and tail; the feathers of the wings fuscous on inner webs. A jet-black mask on the face, entirely surrounding the bill, extending on the throat. Bill coral-colored; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Cardinal Grosbeak

"Cardinalis virginianus. Cardinal Grosbeak. Cardinal Red-bird. Virginia Nightinggale. male, adult: Rich…

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak (lower) and a Northern Cardinal (upper) sit on branches among the flowers. "Zamelodia ludoviciana. Rose-breasted Song Grosbeak. Adult male with the head and neck all around and most of the upper parts black, the rump, upper tail-coverts and under parts white, the breast and under wing-coverts exquisite carmine rose-red; wings and tail black, variegated with white; bill white; feet grayish-blue; iris brown. Female above, streaked with blackish and olive-brown or flaxen-brown, with median white coronal and superciliary line; below, white, more or less tinged with fulvous and streaked with dusky; under wing-coverts saffron-yellow; upper coverts and inner quills with a white spot at end; bill brown." "Cardinalis virginianus. Cardinal Grosbeak. Cardinal Red-bird. Virginia Nightinggale. male, adult: Rich red, usually vermillion, sometimes rosy; pure and intense on crest and under parts, darker on back, where obscured with ashy-gray, as it is also on upper surfaces of wings and tail; the feathers of the wings fuscous on inner webs. A jet-black mask on the face, entirely surrounding the bill, extending on the throat. Bill coral-colored; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

A Northern Cardinal and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak Sitting on a Branch Among the Flowers

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak (lower) and a Northern Cardinal (upper) sit on branches among the flowers.…

"Icterus bullocki. Bullock's Oriole. Adult male: Similarly black and orange, the orange invading the sides of the head and neck and the forehead, leaving only a narrow space on the throat, the lores, and a line through the eye, black; a large continuous white patch on the wing, formed by the middle and greater coverts. Larger than Baltimore." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bullock's Oriole

"Icterus bullocki. Bullock's Oriole. Adult male: Similarly black and orange, the orange invading the…

"Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. Meadow-wink. Skunk Blackbird (Northern States), Reed-bird (Middle States), Rice-bird (Southern States). Male, in breeding plumage: Black; cervix buff; scapulars, rump and upper tail-coverts ashy-white; interscapulars streaked with black, buff, and ashy; outer quills edged with yellowish; bill blackish-horn; feet brown. The faultless full dress of black, white, and buff is worn only for a brief period; and even in spring and summer, most males are found to have yellowish touches in the black, especially of the under parts. The "delirious song" is only heard while the males re trooping their way to their breeding-grounds, and before the midsummer change of feather." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bobolink

"Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. Meadow-wink. Skunk Blackbird (Northern States), Reed-bird (Middle…

"Molothrus ater. Common Cowbird. Cuckold. male Adult: Lustrous green-black, with steel-blue, purple, and violet iridescence. head and neck deep wood-brown, with some purplish lustre. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Common Cowbird

"Molothrus ater. Common Cowbird. Cuckold. male Adult: Lustrous green-black, with steel-blue, purple,…

"Xanthocephalus icterocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Male: Black, including lores and small space around eye and bill; whole head otherwise, with the neck and breast, rich yellow, orange in high feather, the color extending interruptedly to or towards the belly; some feathers around vent, and the tibiae, usually yellow also. A large white patch on the wing, formed by the primary and many of the greater secondary coverts, interrupted by black of the bastard quills. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-headed Blackbird

"Xanthocephalus icterocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Male: Black, including lores and small space…

"Sturnella magna. Field Lark. Old-field Lark. Meadow Lark. The colors, as above described, rich and pure, the prevailing aspect brown; black streaks prevailing on brown; yellow of chin usually confined between rami of under mandible; black bars on wings and tail usually confluent along the shaft of the feathers, leaving the gray in scallops. Sexes are similar: Female duller colored, the yellow paler. " Elliot Coues, 1884

Meadow Lark Foot and Bill

"Sturnella magna. Field Lark. Old-field Lark. Meadow Lark. The colors, as above described, rich and…

"Icterus galbula. Baltimore Oriole. Golden Robin. Firebird. Hangnest. Adult male: Black and orange. Head and neck all round, and the back, black; rump, upper tail-coverts, lesser and under wing coverts, most of the tail-feathers, and all the under parts from the throat fiery orange, but of varying intensity according to age and season. Middle tail-feathers black; wings black, the middle and greater coverts, and inner quills, more or less edged and tipped with white, but the white on the coverts not forming a continuous patch; bill and feet blue-black, or dark grayish-blue." Elliot Coues, 1884

Baltimore Oriole

"Icterus galbula. Baltimore Oriole. Golden Robin. Firebird. Hangnest. Adult male: Black and orange.…

"Quiscalus purpureus. Purple Crow Blackbird. Common Crow Blackbird. Purple Grackle. Of medium size, with moderately keeled and graduated tail, shorter than wings. Sexes subsimilar. Bill usually less tapering and deflected at tip, but very variable. Adult Male: Iridescence very variable with season, age, and sexual vigor, as well as on different parts of the body; but always intense in healthy adults, and at its height during the love-ardor; variously purple, green, blue, violet, and bronzy; not he extensive green of the last species, nor usually the decided brassy of the next variety; wings and tail mostly purplish; dark purplish and steel-blue on head, neck, and breast; back more greenish or bronzy. Bill and feet ebony black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Purple Grackle

"Quiscalus purpureus. Purple Crow Blackbird. Common Crow Blackbird. Purple Grackle. Of medium size,…

"Corvus monedul. Jackdaw. The species throughout uniform lustrous black, including the bill and feet; nasal bristles about half as long as the bill, which exhibits the typical cultrirostral style. Nostrils large, but entirely concealed. Wings much longer than tail, folding about to its end. Several outer primaries sinuate-attenuate on inner webs. Tail rounded, with broad feathers, sinuate-truncate at ends, with mucronate shafts. Feet stout; tarsus more or less nearly equal to middle toe and claw, roughly scutellate in front, laminar behind, with a set of small plates between." Elliot Coues, 1884

jackdaw

"Corvus monedul. Jackdaw. The species throughout uniform lustrous black, including the bill and feet;…

"Corvus corax. American Raven. Feathers of throat somewhat stiffened, lengthened, pointed, lying loose from one another; those of neck with gray downy bases, as elsewhere on the body. Color entirely lustrous black, with chiefly purplish and violet burnishing." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Raven

"Corvus corax. American Raven. Feathers of throat somewhat stiffened, lengthened, pointed, lying loose…

"Picicorvus. American Nutcracker. General characteristics of the European Nucifraga. Bill slenderer, more acute, with more regularly curved culmen and commissure, and straight instead of convex and ascending gonys as a whole somewhat decurved. Nostrils circular, concealed by a full tuft of plumules. Wings long and pointed, folding to the end of the tail; 5th quill longest; 4th, 3d, 6th little less; 2d much shorter, 1st not half as long as 5th. Tail little over half as long as wing, little rounded. Tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw; the envelope divided into small plates on the sides behind the bottom. Claws very large, strong, acute and much curved, especially that of the hind toe; the lateral reaching beyond base of the middle claw. Coloration peculiar; gray, with black-and-white wings and tail. Habits much the same as those of Nucifraga; alpine and sub-boreal, pinicoline, and pinivorous. One species, confined to West Amer." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Nutcracker

"Picicorvus. American Nutcracker. General characteristics of the European Nucifraga. Bill slenderer,…

"Gymnocitta cyanocephala. Blue Crow. Male: Dull blue, very variable in intensity, nearly uniform, but brightest on head, fading on belly; the throat with whitish streaks; wings dusky on the inner webs. Bill and feet black. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Blue Crow

"Gymnocitta cyanocephala. Blue Crow. Male: Dull blue, very variable in intensity, nearly uniform, but…

"Pica. rustica hudsonica. Lustrous black, with green, purple, violet, and even golden iridescence, especially on the tail and wings. Below, from the breast to the crissum, a scapular patch, and a great part of the inner webs of the primary quills, white; some whitish touches on the throat; lower back showing gray, owing to mixture of white with black; bill and feet black; eyes blackish." Elliot Coues, 1884

magpie

"Pica. rustica hudsonica. Lustrous black, with green, purple, violet, and even golden iridescence, especially…

"Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay. Male: Purplish-blue, below pale purplish-gray, whitening on throat, belly, and crissum. A black collar across lower throat and up the sides of the neck and head behind the crest; a black frontlet bordered with whitish. Wings pure rich blue, with black bars, the greater coverts, secondaries, and tail-feathers, except the central, broadly tipped with pure white; tail much rounded, the graduation over an inch." Elliot Coues, 1884

Blue Jay

"Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay. Male: Purplish-blue, below pale purplish-gray, whitening on throat,…

"Cyanocitta stelleri macrolopha. Long-crested Jay. Upper parts sooty umber-brown, with a faint blue tinge, blackening on head and neck all around in decided contrast, passing on rump and upper tail-coverts into beautiful light cobalt-blue; passing on fore breast into the same blue which occupies all the under parts. Crest black, but faced on forehead with bluish-white, which, when the feathers are not disturbed, runs in two parallel lines from the nostrils upward - these colored tips of the feathers of firmer texture than their basal portions. One or both eyelids patched with white. Chin abruptly whitish, streaky. Exposed surfaces of wings rich indigo-blue, most intense on the inner secondaries, which, with the greater coverts, are regularly and firmly barred across both webs with black; the outer webs of the primaries lighter blue, more like that of the rump or under parts, Upper surface of tail rich indigo, like the secondaries, and similarly black-barred; these bands most distinct towards the end and on the outer webs of the feathers; tail viewed from below appearing mostly blackish. Iris dark. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues , 1884

Long-crested Jay

"Cyanocitta stelleri macrolopha. Long-crested Jay. Upper parts sooty umber-brown, with a faint blue…

"Perisoreus canadensis. Canada Jay. Whiskey Jack. Moose-bird. Gray whitening on head, neck, and breast; a dark cap on hind and nape, separated by a gray cervical collar from ashy-plumbeous back; wings and tail plumbeous, the feathers obscurely tipped with whitish. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canada Jay

"Perisoreus canadensis. Canada Jay. Whiskey Jack. Moose-bird. Gray whitening on head, neck, and breast;…

"Sturnus vulgaris. The Starling. Adult: General plumage of metallic lustre, iridescing dark green on most parts, more steel-blue on the under parts, and violet or purplish-blue on the fore parts; more or less variegated throughout with pale ochraceous or whitish tips of the feathers. Wings and tail fuscous, the exposed parts of the feathers somewhat frosty or silvery, with velvety-black and pale ochrey marginings, the former within the latter. Bill yellowish; feet reddish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Starling

"Sturnus vulgaris. The Starling. Adult: General plumage of metallic lustre, iridescing dark green on…

"Pitangus derbianus. Derby Flycatcher. Under parts light wood-brown, with an olive tinge; wings and tail the same, but the feathers extensively bordered without and within with chestnut, forming a conspicuous continuous area on the wing-quills in the closed wing, and on most of the wing and tail-feathers more extensively than the brown portion of the inner webs. Below from the breast, including lining of wings, clear and continuous lemon-yellow. Whole chin and throat pure white, widening behind up under ear-coverts. Top and sides of head black, a circle of white from forehead over eyes to nape white, the enclosed black enclosing black a lemon and orange patch. Or, middle of crown yellow and orange, enclosed and partly concealed in black, this black enclosed in white, then the long and broad black bar on side of head, separating the white of side of crown from that of side of throat. The coronal feathers lengthened and erectile as in a king-bird, or more so; crown-patch of same character but more extensive. Bill and feet black; iris hazel Sexes alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Derby Flycatcher

"Pitangus derbianus. Derby Flycatcher. Under parts light wood-brown, with an olive tinge; wings and…

"Milvulus forficatus. Swallow-tailed Flycatcher. Scissor-tail. Crown patch orange or scarlet. General color hoary-ash, paler or white below; sides at insertion of wings scarlet or bloody-red, and other parts of the body variously tinged with the same, or a paler salmon-red. Wings blackish, with whitish edgings. Tail black, but several of the long feathers extensively white or rosy; these are narrow and linear, sometimes widening somewhat in spoon-shape." Elliot Coues, 1884

Swallow-tailed Flycatcher

"Milvulus forficatus. Swallow-tailed Flycatcher. Scissor-tail. Crown patch orange or scarlet. General…

Tyrannus carolinensis. King-bird. Bee-martin. No olive nor decided yellow. Only outer primaries obviously emarginate. Tail nearly even - if anything a little rounded. Blackish-ash, still darker or quite black on head, crown with a flaming spot. Below, pure white, the breast shaded with plumbeous. Wings dusky, with much whitish edging. Tail black, broadly and sharply tipped with white, the outer feather sometimes edged with the same. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

King-bird

Tyrannus carolinensis. King-bird. Bee-martin. No olive nor decided yellow. Only outer primaries obviously…

"Myiarchus crinitus. Great Crested Flycatcher. Decidedly olivaceous above, a little browner on head, where the feathers have dark centres; throat and fore pure dark ash; rest of under parts bright yellow, the two colors meeting abruptly; primaries margined on both edges with chestnut; secondaries and coverts edges and tipped with yellowish-white; tail with all the feathers but the central pair chestnut on the whole of the inner web (excepting perhaps a very narrow space next the shaft); outer web of outer feathers with yellowish; middle feathers, outer webs of the rest, and wings except as stated, dusky-brown. The foregoing phrases are intended to be chiefly antithetical to those used in describing cinerescens, below, No. 375. Other diagnostic points are: bill dark but not quite black, pale at base below; stout and comparatively short, hardly or not as long as tarsus, the latter perhaps never .90, the olive back, ash throat, and yellow belly severally pure in color; all tail-feathers but middle pair so extensively rufous on inner webs that a mere line, if any, of fuscous persists next the shaft (compare erythrocercus and cooperi), and this fuscous line,if any, running of same narrowness to ends of the feathers (compare cinerescens); never more than a trace of rufous on outer webs." Elliot Coues, 1884

Great Crested Flycatcher

"Myiarchus crinitus. Great Crested Flycatcher. Decidedly olivaceous above, a little browner on head,…

"Sayiornis fusca. Pewit Flycatcher. Water Pewee. Pewit. Phaebe. Dull olivaceous-brown, the head much darker fuscous-brown, almost blackish, usually in marked contrast with the back; below, solid whitish, or palest possible yellow, particularly on the belly; the sides, and the breast nearly or quite across, shaded with grayish -brown; wings and tail dusky, the outer tail-feather, inner secondaries, and usually the wing-coverts, edged with whitish; a whitish ring round the eye; bill and feet black. Varies greatly in shade; the foregoing is the average spring condition. As summer passes, the plumage becomes much-duller and and darker brown, from wearing of the feather; then, after the moult, fall specimens are much brighter than in spring, the under parts being decidedly yellow, at least on the belly." Elliot Coues, 1884

Pewit Flycatcher

"Sayiornis fusca. Pewit Flycatcher. Water Pewee. Pewit. Phaebe. Dull olivaceous-brown, the head much…

"Contopus virens. Wood Pewee. Olivaceous-brown, rather darker on head; with sides washed with a paler shade of the same, reaching nearly or quite across the breast; throat and belly whitish, more or less tinged with dull yellowish; under tail-coverts the same, usually streaked with dusky; tail and wings blackish, the former unmarked, the inner wing-quills edged, and the greater and middle coverts tipped, with whitish; feet and upper mandible black, under mandible usually yellow, sometimes dusky; iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wood Pewee

"Contopus virens. Wood Pewee. Olivaceous-brown, rather darker on head; with sides washed with a paler…

"Pyrocephalus rubineus mexicanus. Vermilion Flycatcher, Adult male: Pure dark brown, including stripe along side of head; wings and tail blackish with slight pale black. Female: Dull brown, including the little-crown; below, white, tinged with red, reddish or orange in some places; the breast and sides with slight dusky streaks." Elliot Coues, 1884

Vermilion Flycatcher

"Pyrocephalus rubineus mexicanus. Vermilion Flycatcher, Adult male: Pure dark brown, including stripe…

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and tawny; prevailing tone gray; black streaks sharp on the head and back, the colors elsewhere delicately marbled, including the four median tail-feathers; wings and their coverts with bars of rufous spots; lateral tail-feathers black, with large white (male) or small tawny (female) terminal spaces; a white (male) or tawny (female) throat-bar. Adult male: Assuming stone-gray as the ground-color of the upper parts: Crown with a purplish cast, heavily dashed lengthwise with black; back darker, with smaller streaks; tail beautifully marbled with slate-gray and black tending crosswise on the 4 middle feathers; scapulars with bold black centre-fields set in frosty marbling; hind neck with white specks, as if continued around from the white throat-bar. Primaries black, with a little marbling at their ends, fully broken-barred with tawny-reddish; no white spaces. Three lateral tail-feathers mostly black, with pure white terminal spaces 1-2 inches long. Under parts quite blackish, on the breast powdered over with hoary-gray, more posteriorly marbled with gray and tawny, tending crosswise. Lores and ear-coverts dark brown. It is only in perfect plumage that the colors are as slaty and frosty as described; ordinarily more brown and ochrey." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Whippoorwill

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and…

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and tawny; prevailing tone gray; black streaks sharp on the head and back, the colors elsewhere delicately marbled, including the four median tail-feathers; wings and their coverts with bars of rufous spots; lateral tail-feathers black, with large white (male) or small tawny (female) terminal spaces; a white (male) or tawny (female) throat-bar. Adult male: Assuming stone-gray as the ground-color of the upper parts: Crown with a purplish cast, heavily dashed lengthwise with black; back darker, with smaller streaks; tail beautifully marbled with slate-gray and black tending crosswise on the 4 middle feathers; scapulars with bold black centre-fields set in frosty marbling; hind neck with white specks, as if continued around from the white throat-bar. Primaries black, with a little marbling at their ends, fully broken-barred with tawny-reddish; no white spaces. Three lateral tail-feathers mostly black, with pure white terminal spaces 1-2 inches long. Under parts quite blackish, on the breast powdered over with hoary-gray, more posteriorly marbled with gray and tawny, tending crosswise. Lores and ear-coverts dark brown. It is only in perfect plumage that the colors are as slaty and frosty as described; ordinarily more brown and ochrey." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Whippoorwill

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and…

"Chordediles poptue. Night-hawk. Bull-bat. Above, mottled with black, brown, gray and tawny, the former in excess; below from the breast transversely barred with blackish and white or pale fulvous; throat with a large white (male) or tawny (female cross-bars tail blackish, with distant pale marbled cross-bars and a large white spot (wanting in the female) on one or both webs of nearly all the feathers toward the end; primaries dusky, unmarked except by one large white spot on outer five, about midway between their base and tip; secondaries like primaries, bit with whitish tips and imperfect cross-bars. Sexes nearly alike: Female with the white spaces on the quills, but that on the tail replaced by tawny or not evident." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Night-hawk

"Chordediles poptue. Night-hawk. Bull-bat. Above, mottled with black, brown, gray and tawny, the former…

"Chordediles poptue. Night-hawk. Bull-bat. Above, mottled with black, brown, gray and tawny, the former in excess; below from the breast transversely barred with blackish and white or pale fulvous; throat with a large white (male) or tawny (female cross-bars tail blackish, with distant pale marbled cross-bars and a large white spot (wanting in the female) on one or both webs of nearly all the feathers toward the end; primaries dusky, unmarked except by one large white spot on outer five, about midway between their base and tip; secondaries like primaries, bit with whitish tips and imperfect cross-bars. Sexes nearly alike: Female with the white spaces on the quills, but that on the tail replaced by tawny or not evident." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Night-hawk

"Chordediles poptue. Night-hawk. Bull-bat. Above, mottled with black, brown, gray and tawny, the former…

"Nephaecetes niger borealis. Northern Black Cloud Swift. Entire plumage sooty-black, with slight greenish gloss, little below than above, the feathers of head and belly with grayish edges. A velvety black area in front of eye; forehead hoary; eye-lids partly naked. Bill black; feet probably dusky-purplish in life." Elliot Coues, 1884

Northern Black Cloud Swift

"Nephaecetes niger borealis. Northern Black Cloud Swift. Entire plumage sooty-black, with slight greenish…

"Chaetura pelasgica. Chimney Swift. Chimney "Swallow". Sooty-brown, with a faint greenish gloss above; below paler, becoming gray on the throat; wings black; a velvety black space about eyes." Elliot Coues, 1884

Chimney Swift Head and Feather

"Chaetura pelasgica. Chimney Swift. Chimney "Swallow". Sooty-brown, with a faint greenish gloss above;…

"Fig 63 - Skull of a duck (Clangula islandica), nat. size; Dr. R.W. Shufeldt, U.S.A. a, premaxillary bone; b, partly ossified internasal septum; b', pervious part of nostril; c, end of premaxillary, perforated form numerous branches of second division of the fifth cranial nerve; d, dentary bone of under mandible; e, groove of nerves, etc.; f, a vacuity between dentary and other pieces of the mandible; g, articular surface; h, recurved "angle of the jaw;" i, occipital protuberance; j, vacuity in supraoccipital bone; k, muscular impression on back of skull; l is over the black ear-cavity; m, post-frontal process; n, quadrate bone; o, pterygoid; p, palatine; q, quadrato-jugal; r, jugal; s, maxillary; t, fronto-parietal dome of the brain-cavity; u; u, the lacrymal bone, immense in a duck, nearly completing rim of the orbit by approaching m; v, vomer; w, supra-orbital depression for the nasal gland; x, cranio-facial hinge; y, optic foramen; z, etc. interorbital vacuities." Elliot Coues, 1884

Duck Skull

"Fig 63 - Skull of a duck (Clangula islandica), nat. size; Dr. R.W. Shufeldt, U.S.A. a, premaxillary…

"Trochilus colubris. Ruby-throated Humming-bird. Tail forked, its feathers all narrow and pointed; no scales on crown; metallic gorget reflecting ruby-red. Above, golden-green; below, white, the sides green; wings and tail dusky-purplish. Female: Lacking gorget; throat white, speckled with dusky; tail double rounded, the central feathers shorter than the next, the lateral then graduated; all broader than in males to near the end, then rapidly narrowing with concave inner margin; tail with black bars, and the lateral feathers white-tipped; no rufous on tail in either sex." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ruby-throated Humming-bird

"Trochilus colubris. Ruby-throated Humming-bird. Tail forked, its feathers all narrow and pointed; no…

"Trogon ambiguus. Copper-tailed Trogon. Metallic golden-green; face and sides of head black; below from the breast carmine; a white collar on the throat; middle tail-feathers coppery-green, the outer white, finely variegated with black; quills edged with white." Elliot Coues, 1884

Copper-Tailed Trogon

"Trogon ambiguus. Copper-tailed Trogon. Metallic golden-green; face and sides of head black; below from…

Alcedo Ispida. European Kingfisher. Small bird, upper parts blue-green; under parts orange; rump and back azure-blue head large; rufous patch on ear; stripe on neck blue-green; bill long and black with some red at base; short tail.

Common Kingfisher

Alcedo Ispida. European Kingfisher. Small bird, upper parts blue-green; under parts orange; rump and…

"Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. Upper parts, broad pectoral bar, and sides under the wings, dull blue with fine black shaft lines. Lower eyelid, spot before eye, a cervical collar and under parts except as said, pure white; the female with chestnut belly-band and the sides of the same color. Quills and tail-feathers black, speckled, blotched or barred on the inner webs with white; outer webs of the secondaries and tail feathers like the back; wing-coverts frequently sprinkled with white. Bill black, pale at base below. Feet dark; tibiae naked below. A long, thin, pointed occipital crest; plumage compact and oily to resist water, into which the birds constantly plunge after their finny prey." Elliot Coues, 1884

Belted Kingfisher

"Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. Upper parts, broad pectoral bar, and sides under the wings, dull…

"Crotophaga ani. Smooth-billed Ani. Black Witch. Savanna Blackbird. Bill smooth or with a few transverse; culmen regularly curved. Color black, with violet and steel-blue reflections, duller below, the lanceolate feathers of the head and neck with bronze borders. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Smooth-billed Ani

"Crotophaga ani. Smooth-billed Ani. Black Witch. Savanna Blackbird. Bill smooth or with a few transverse;…

"Geococcyx californianus. Ground Cuckoo. Chaparral Cock. Road Runner. Snake Killer. Paisano. Most of the feathers of the head and neck bristle-tipped; a naked area around eye; crown crested; plumage course. Above, lustrous bronzy or coppery-green, changing to dark steel-blue on the head and neck, to purplish-violet on the middle tail-feathers; everywhere except on rump conspicuously streaked with white, mixed with tawny on the head, neck, and wings - this white and buff streaking consisting of the edges of the feathers, which are frayed out, fringe-like, producing a peculiar effect. Breast, throat and sides of neck mixed tawny-white and black; other under parts dull soiled whitish. Primaries white, tipped and with oblique white space on outer webs. Lateral tail-feathers steel-blue with green violet reflections, their outer webs fringed part way with white, their tips broadly white. Lower back and rump, where covered by the folded wings, dark colored and unmarked; under surface of wings sooty-brown. Bare space around eye bluish and orange. Bill dark horn-color; feet the same, the larger scales yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ground Cuckoo Head

"Geococcyx californianus. Ground Cuckoo. Chaparral Cock. Road Runner. Snake Killer. Paisano. Most of…

"Geococcyx californianus. Ground Cuckoo. Chaparral Cock. Road Runner. Snake Killer. Paisano. Most of the feathers of the head and neck bristle-tipped; a naked area around eye; crown crested; plumage course. Above, lustrous bronzy or coppery-green, changing to dark steel-blue on the head and neck, to purplish-violet on the middle tail-feathers; everywhere except on rump conspicuously streaked with white, mixed with tawny on the head, neck, and wings - this white and buff streaking consisting of the edges of the feathers, which are frayed out, fringe-like, producing a peculiar effect. Breast, throat and sides of neck mixed tawny-white and black; other under parts dull soiled whitish. Primaries white, tipped and with oblique white space on outer webs. Lateral tail-feathers steel-blue with green violet reflections, their outer webs fringed part way with white, their tips broadly white. Lower back and rump, where covered by the folded wings, dark colored and unmarked; under surface of wings sooty-brown. Bare space around eye bluish and orange. Bill dark horn-color; feet the same, the larger scales yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ground Cuckoo

"Geococcyx californianus. Ground Cuckoo. Chaparral Cock. Road Runner. Snake Killer. Paisano. Most of…

Morte D'Arthur is an illustration that was created by English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. It depicts an Arthurian romance written by Sir Thomas Malory. This drawing seems to depict a woman wearing a black cape looking at a book.

Morte D'Arthur

Morte D'Arthur is an illustration that was created by English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. It depicts…

"Coccygus americanus. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Bill black, extensively yellow below and on the sides of upper mandible. Feet dark plumbeous. Above, satiny olive-gray. Below, pure white. Wings extensively cinnamon-rufous on inner webs of the quills. Central tail-feathers like the back; the rest black with large white tips, the outermost usually also edged with white. Very constant in color, the chief variation being in extent and intensity of the cinnamon on the wings, which sometimes shows through when the wings are closed, and even tinges the coverts. Young differ chiefly in having the white ends of the tail-feathers less trenchant and extensive, the black not so pure; this state approaches the condition of erthrophthalmus, but does not match it." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Yellow-billed Cuckoo

"Coccygus americanus. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Bill black, extensively yellow below and on the sides of…

"Coccygus americanus. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Bill black, extensively yellow below and on the sides of upper mandible. Feet dark plumbeous. Above, satiny olive-gray. Below, pure white. Wings extensively cinnamon-rufous on inner webs of the quills. Central tail-feathers like the back; the rest black with large white tips, the outermost usually also edged with white. Very constant in color, the chief variation being in extent and intensity of the cinnamon on the wings, which sometimes shows through when the wings are closed, and even tinges the coverts. Young differ chiefly in having the white ends of the tail-feathers less trenchant and extensive, the black not so pure; this state approaches the condition of erthrophthalmus, but does not match it." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

"Coccygus americanus. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Bill black, extensively yellow below and on the sides of…

"Picus major. European Spotted Woodpecker. Bill more or less nearly equal to head in length, stout, straight, truncate at tip, bevelled toward end, with sharp culmen and distinct lateral ridges on upper mandible; at base rather broader than high, with large nasal tufts hiding the nostrils; culmen, commissure and gonys straight or nearly so. Feet with the outer posterior longer than outer anterior toe; inner anterior intermediate between these. Wing long, pointed by the 4th, 3d, and 5th quills; 2d decidedly shorter (shorter than 7th, except in P. borealis); 1st fairly spurious. Species of medium and small size. All black and white (one brown-backed), the back striped or barred, the wings with numerous small round white spots on the quills; Male with red on the head." Elliot Coues, 1884

European Spotted Woodpecker

"Picus major. European Spotted Woodpecker. Bill more or less nearly equal to head in length, stout,…

"Campephilus principalis. Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Glossy blue-black; a stripe down side of neck, one at base of bill, the scapulars, under wing-coverts, end of secondaries and of inner primaries, the bill and nasal feathers white; feet grayish-blue; iris yellow. A long pointed crest, in the male scarlet faced with black, in the female black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ivory-billed Woodpecker

"Campephilus principalis. Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Glossy blue-black; a stripe down side of neck, one…

"Picus borealis. Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. Body spotted and crosswise banded, but not streaked. Head black on top, with a large silky white auricular patch embracing the eye and extending on the side of the neck, bordered above in the male by a scarlet stripe not meeting its fellow on the nape; nasal feathers and those on the side of the jay white; black of the crown connected across the lores with a black stripe running from the corner of the bill down the side of the breast in black spots continued less thickly along the whole side and on the crissum; under parts otherwise soiled white. Central tail-feathers black; others white, black-barred. Back and wings barred with black and white, the larger quills and many coverts with the white bars resolved into paired spots. Female lacking the red cockade. A peculiar isolated species; wings longer and more pointed than usual in this genus." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

"Picus borealis. Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. Body spotted and crosswise banded, but not streaked. Head…

"Picus scalaris nutalli. Nuttall's Woodpecker. Similar; rather larger' more white, this prevailing on the back over the black bars; nape chiefly white; nasal tufts white; lateral tail-feathers, especially, sparsely or imperfectly barred. The Californian coast race, differing decidedly in some respects, and constantly; but connected with general series of ladder-backs. Barring restricted to the back proper, the hind neck being black, succeeded anteriorly by a white space adjoining the red, wanting in scalaris, where red joins black. Red chiefly confined to the occiput, the rest of the crown black, spotted with white. Lateral tail-feathers white, not barred throughout, having not 1-3 black bars, all beyond their middles, all but the terminal one of these broken. White postocular stripe running into the white nuchal area, but cut off from the white of the shoulders. White maxillary stripe enclosed in black as in scalaris, but this black continuous with the cervical black patch, which is not the case in scalaris. No Smoky-brown state of the under parts observed." Elliot Coues, 1884

Nuttall's Woodpecker

"Picus scalaris nutalli. Nuttall's Woodpecker. Similar; rather larger' more white, this prevailing on…

"Picus villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. Spotted and lengthwise streaked, but not banded. Usually 9-10 long; outer tail-feathers wholly white. Back black, with a long white stripe down the middle. Quills and wing-coverts with a profusion of white spots; usually 6-7 pairs on the primaries, several on all the secondaries, and one or more on each of the coverts. Four middle tail-feathers black; next pair black and white; next two pairs white, as stated. Under parts white. Crown and sides of head black, with a white stripe over and behind the eye; another from the nasal feathers running below the eye to spread on the side of the neck; a scarlet nuchal band in the male, sometimes broken in two, wanting in the female. Young with the crown mostly red or bronzy, or even yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Hairy Woodpecker

"Picus villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. Spotted and lengthwise streaked, but not banded. Usually 9-10 long;…

"Picus pubescens. Downy Woodpecker. Usually 6-7 long; outer tail-feathers barred with black and white. Exactly like P. villosus, except in these respects. Length 6.00-7.00; entent 11.00-12.00; wing 3.50-4.00; tail under 3.00; bill about .66; whole foot 1.25." Elliot Coues, 1884

Downy Woodpecker

"Picus pubescens. Downy Woodpecker. Usually 6-7 long; outer tail-feathers barred with black and white.…

"Picoïdes. Three-toed Woodpeckers. Three-toed: the hallux (1st toe) absent, the 4th toe reversed as usual in the family. Bill as in Picus proper, about as long as the head, stout, straight, with bevelled end and lateral ridges, and nasal tufts hiding the nostrils; very broad and much depressed at base, with the lateral ridges very low down, in most of their length close to and parallel with commissure; nostrils very near commissure; gonys about as long as from nostrils to end of bill. Wings very pointed; 1st quill spurious; 2d between 6th and 7th in length. Crown with a square yellow patch in the male; sides of head striped, of body barred, with black and white; under parts otherwise white; quills but not coverts with white spots; tail-feathers unbarred, the outer white, the central black. All the species of this genus are unquestionably modified derivatives of one circumpolar stock; the American seem to have become completely differentiated from the Asiatic and European, and further divergence seems to have perfectly separated arcticus from americanus; but dorsalis and americanus are still linked together. Elliot Coues, 1884

Three-toed Woodpeckers

"Picoïdes. Three-toed Woodpeckers. Three-toed: the hallux (1st toe) absent, the 4th toe reversed…

"Sphyropicus varius. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Male: Crown crimson, bordered all around with black; chin, and breast black, enclosing a large crimson patch on the former (in the male; in the female this patch white); sides of head with a white line starting from the nasal feathers and dividing the black of the throat from a trans-ocular black stripe, this separated from the black of the crown by a white post-ocular stripe; all these stripes frequently yellowish. Under parts dingy yellow, brownish and and with sagittate dusky marks on the sides. Back variegated with black and yellowish. Wings black with a large oblique white bar on the coverts; the quills with numerous paired white spots on the edges of both webs. Tail black, most of the feathers white-edged, the inner webs of the middle pair, and the upper coverts, mostly white. Bill brownish; feet greenish-plumbeous; iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

"Sphyropicus varius. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Male: Crown crimson, bordered all around with black;…

"Sphyropicus thyroides. Brown-headed Woodpecker. Black-breasted Woodpecker. Red-throated Woodpecker. Williamson's Woodpecker. Adult: Glossy black, including all the tail-feathers. Belly gamboge yellow. A narrow scarlet patch on the throat. Upper tail-coverts, a broad oblique bar on the wing-coverts, a post-ocular stripe, a stripe from nostrils below eye and ear, and small, in part paired, spots on the quills, white. Lining of wings, sides of body, flanks and crissum varied with white, leaving the black in bars and cordate spots. Bill slate-color; feet greenish-gray; iris reddish-brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Brown-headed Woodpecker

"Sphyropicus thyroides. Brown-headed Woodpecker. Black-breasted Woodpecker. Red-throated Woodpecker.…

"Centurus carolinus. Red-bellied Woodpecker. Whole crown and nape scarlet in the male; nape only so in the female. Sides of head, and under parts, grayish-white, usually with a yellow shade, reddening on the belly; tail black, one or two outer feathers white-barred; inner web of central feathers white with black spots, outer web of the same black with a white space next the shaft for most of its length; white predominating on the rump. Bill and feet dusky plumbeous. Iris red." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-bellied Woodpecker

"Centurus carolinus. Red-bellied Woodpecker. Whole crown and nape scarlet in the male; nape only so…

"Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. Tricolor. Adult: Beautifully tricolor with "the red, white, and blue." Back, wings and tail glossy blue-black; secondaries, upper tail-coverts, under wing-coverts, under parts from the breast, and ends of some outer tail-feathers, white. Whole head, neck and fore breast crimson, usually black-bordered where adjoining the white. The white of hte wings and rump is pure; that of belly usually tinged with ochraceous or reddish; the white quills have black shafts. The red feathers are stiffish and somewhat bristly in their colored portions. The gloss is sometimes green instead of blue. Bill and feet dusky horn-color. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-headed Woodpecker

"Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. Tricolor. Adult: Beautifully tricolor with "the…

"Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. Californian Woodpecker. Glossy blue-black; rump, bases of all the quills, edge of the wing, and under parts from the breast, white; sides with sparse black streaks; forehead squarely white, continuous with a stripe down in front of hte eyes and thence broadly encircling the throat, there becoming yellowish; this cuts off the black around base of bill and on the chin completely; crown in the male crimson from the white front, in the female separated from the white by a black interval; frequently a few red feathers in the black breast-patch, which is not sharply defined behind, but changes by streaks into the white of the belly. Bill black; eyes white, often rosy, creamy, yellowish, milky, bluish, or brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Californian Woodpecker

"Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. Californian Woodpecker. Glossy blue-black; rump, bases of all the quills,…

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and tail, flanks and crissum, green-black with intense bronzy lustre, especially on the back - this iridescence like that of Quiscalus aneus almost. Face dark crimson, in a patch of velvety feathers around bill and eyes. A narrow distant collar around back of neck, and breast, hoary bluish-gray, gradually brightening behind on the under parts to intense rose-red or lake, delicately pencilled in hair lines with the hoary-gray. No white on wings or tail, their under surfaces simply black. Bill blackish; feet greenish-plumbeous. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lewis' Woodpecker Head

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and…

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and tail, flanks and crissum, green-black with intense bronzy lustre, especially on the back - this iridescence like that of Quiscalus aneus almost. Face dark crimson, in a patch of velvety feathers around bill and eyes. A narrow distant collar around back of neck, and breast, hoary bluish-gray, gradually brightening behind on the under parts to intense rose-red or lake, delicately pencilled in hair lines with the hoary-gray. No white on wings or tail, their under surfaces simply black. Bill blackish; feet greenish-plumbeous. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lewis' Woodpecker

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and…