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"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;…

"Cephalopterus ornatus, the Umbrella bird, is entirely black, with a huge expanded umbrella-like crest of bare-shafted incurved feathers, and a long flattened and feathered gular wattle." A. H. Evans, 1900

Amazonian Umbrella Bird

"Cephalopterus ornatus, the Umbrella bird, is entirely black, with a huge expanded umbrella-like crest…

"Agelaeus phoeniceus. Blackbird. marsh Blackbird. Red-winged Blackbird. Red-and-buff-shouldered marsh Blackbird. Male: Lesser wing-coverts scarlet, like arterial blood, broadly bordered by brownish-yellow, or brownish-white, the middle row of coverts being entirely of this color; sometimes the greater row, likewise, are mostly similar, producing a patch on the wing nearly as large as the red one; occasionally, there are traces of red on the edge of the wing and below; in some specimen the bordering is almost pure white, instead of buff." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-winged Blackbird

"Agelaeus phoeniceus. Blackbird. marsh Blackbird. Red-winged Blackbird. Red-and-buff-shouldered marsh…

"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…

"in full plumage: Rich azure-blue, the ends of the wing-quills blackish; throat, breast, and sides of the body chestnut; belly and crissum white or bluish-white. The blue sometimes extends around the head on the sides and often fore part of the chin, so that chestnut is cut off from the bill." Elliot Coues, 1884

Eastern Blue-Bird

"in full plumage: Rich azure-blue, the ends of the wing-quills blackish; throat, breast, and sides of…

"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…

"Bernicla brenta. Brant Goose. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelid and chin. Beast ashy-gray, beginning abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Common Brant

"Bernicla brenta. Brant Goose. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and…

"Clangula albeola. Buffle-head. Butter-ball. spirit-duck. Dipper. Bill with nostrils rather behind than before its middle line. Adult male: Head particularly puffy with much lengthened feathers of lateral and and hind parts, splendidly various with purple-violet and green iridescence; a large snowy patch on each side behind eye, blending on nape with its fellow. Bill dull bluish with dusky nail and base. Eyes brown. Feet pale flesh-color, with blackish claws. Upper parts at large black, fading to grayish-white posteriorly. Lower neck all around, under parts at large, scapulars in part, nearly all the wing-coverts, and most of the secondaries, white. Outer scapulars white, edged with black; inner secondaries velvet-black; sides and sometimes across lower belly shaded with dusky; lining of wings mixed dusky and white. Female much smaller than male; head scarcely puffy, but a thin compressed nuchal elongation of the feathers; dusky gray, with trace at least of the white space of the male, and common a white touch under eye. Bill dusky; feet livid bluish-gray, with dusky webs. above at large dusky-gray or blackish, with white speculum on outer webs only five or six secondaries; below white, shaded into dark along sides and across fore-breast and lower belly." Elliot Coues, 1884

Buffleheads

"Clangula albeola. Buffle-head. Butter-ball. spirit-duck. Dipper. Bill with nostrils rather behind than…

"Pyrrhula cassini. Cassin's Bullfinch. Above, clear ashy-gray; below, cinnamon-gray; rump and under wing- and tail-coverts white; wings and tail, crown, chin and face black; outer tail-feathers with a white patch, greater wing-coverts tipped and primaries edged with whitish; bill black; feet dusky." Elliot Coues, 1884

Cassin's Bullfinch

"Pyrrhula cassini. Cassin's Bullfinch. Above, clear ashy-gray; below, cinnamon-gray; rump and under…

"Pooecetes gramineus. Grass Finch. Bay-winged Bunting. Vesper-bird. Above, grayish-brown, closely and uniformly marked with dusky-centered brown-edged streaks, and further variegated by pale gray edging of the feathers. Crown quite like back, though the marking is in smaller pattern; superciliary line and eye-ring whitish. Under parts dull white, usually noticeably buff-tinged in the streaked areas, thickly streaked across breast and along sides with dusky-centered brown-edged streaks, anteriorly tending to concentrate in lateral chains bounding the white throat; above this chain a maxillary brown stripe; auriculars varied with light and dark brown. Quills fuscous, the longer ones with grayish-white edging, the secondaries and greater and median coverts with broad firm brown and white edges and tips; lesser coverts bright chestnut, whence the name "bay-winged". Outer-feather largely or wholly white, next pair or two airs largely white in decreasing amount. Upper mandible brown; lower, and the feet, flash-colored or yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bay-winged Bunting

"Pooecetes gramineus. Grass Finch. Bay-winged Bunting. Vesper-bird. Above, grayish-brown, closely and…

"Spiza americana. Black Throated Bunting. Above, grayish-brown, the middle of the back streaked with black, the hind neck ashy, becoming on the crown yellowish-olive with black touches. A yellow superciliary line, and maxillary touch of the same; eyelid white; ear-coverts ashy like the cervix; chin white; throat with a large jet-black patch. Under parts in general white, shaded with gray on the sides, extensively tinged with yellow on the breast and belly. Edge of wing yellow; lesser and middle coverts rich chestnut, other coverts and inner secondaries edged with paler. Bill dark horn-blue; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-throated Bunting

"Spiza americana. Black Throated Bunting. Above, grayish-brown, the middle of the back streaked with…

"Calamospiza bicolor. Lark Bunting. White-winged Blackbird. Black, with A large white patch on the wings; the quills and tail-feathers frequently marked with white; bill dark horn-blue above, paler below; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lark Bunting

"Calamospiza bicolor. Lark Bunting. White-winged Blackbird. Black, with A large white patch on the wings;…

"Plectrophanes nivalis. Snow Bunting. Snowflake. Pure white; the bill, feet, middle of back, scapulars, primaries except at base, most inner secondaries, bastard quills, and and several tail-feathers, black." Elliott Coues, 1884

Snow Bunting

"Plectrophanes nivalis. Snow Bunting. Snowflake. Pure white; the bill, feet, middle of back, scapulars,…

"The Otis Tarda, the Great Bustard, which, as a native only became extinct in Norfolk about 1838, used to extend from East Lothian to Dorset, bit is now merely an occasional visitor to Britain. The upper parts are mottled with rufous, buff, and blackish-brown, the head is blue-grey, with long white bristles at the base of the mandible, the lower surface is white, relieved in the male by a tawny gorget for a short time during the breeding season. The primaries are black, most of the secondaries and wing-coverts white. Some other Bustards seem to have similar vernal change of plumage. The female is smaller and has no bristles." A. H. Evans, 1900

Great Bustard

"The Otis Tarda, the Great Bustard, which, as a native only became extinct in Norfolk about 1838, used…

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching on rump and scapulars; below, white, always vermiculated transversely with fine wavy blackish lines; a broad black bar along side of head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white crescent on under eyelid, and bordered above by hoary white that also occupies the extreme forehead; wings and tail black, the former with a large white spot near base of the primaries, and white tips of most of the quills, the latter with the outer web of the outer feather edged, and all the feathers excepting the middle pair broadly tipped, with white, and with concealed white bases; bill and feet bluish-black; eyes blackish. Elliot Coues, 1884

Butcher-bird

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching…

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching on rump and scapulars; below, white, always vermiculated transversely with fine wavy blackish lines; a broad black bar along side of head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white crescent on under eyelid, and bordered above by hoary white that also occupies the extreme forehead; wings and tail black, the former with a large white spot near base of the primaries, and white tips of most of the quills, the latter with the outer web of the outer feather edged, and all the feathers excepting the middle pair broadly tipped, with white, and with concealed white bases; bill and feet bluish-black; eyes blackish. Elliot Coues, 1884

Butcher-bird Head

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canvas-back Head

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Canvas-backs Head

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canvas-backs

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

Fringilla coelebs. Chaffinch. A small finch with edges of the tail being white, white bars on wings, rump green, under parts reddish, and a bluish-gray cap.

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs. Chaffinch. A small finch with edges of the tail being white, white bars on wings,…

"Crown and nape, with chin and throat, black, separated by white sides of the head. Upper parts brownish-ash, with slight olive tinge, and a rusty wash on rump. Under parts more or less purely white or whitish, shaded on the sides with a brownish or rusty wash. Wings and tail like upper parts, the feathers moderately edged with hoary-white." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-capped Chickadee

"Crown and nape, with chin and throat, black, separated by white sides of the head. Upper parts brownish-ash,…

"Upper part ashy-gray, with scarcely a shade, and only on the rump, under parts similarly grayish-white, without a rusty tinge, the middle of the belly, the rest more heavily shaded. Wings and tail with comparatively little whitish edging - tail at least with no more than that of P. carolonensis. Sides of the head and neck white; top of the head, and the throat, black. A conspicuous white superciliary stripe in the black cap, usually meeting its fellow across the forehead." Elliot Coues, 1884

Mountain Chickadee

"Upper part ashy-gray, with scarcely a shade, and only on the rump, under parts similarly grayish-white,…

"Fulicia. Coot. Bill and frontal plate much as in the Gallinultes. Body depressed; the under plumage thick and duck-like, to resist water. feet highly natatorial' toes, including the hinder, lobate, being furnished with large semicircular membranous flaps. The Coots are eminently aquatic birds, swimming with ease, by means of their lobate feet, like phalaropes and grebes; but this ability results from very slight modification of a structure shared by the Rails and Gallinules. There are about ten species, of both hemispheres, distinguished, among other characters, by the size and shape of the frontal shield. That, for instance, is of an exotic species, much larger than that of Fulica americana, and differently shaped. One species is remarkable for having the forehead singularly carunculate; the others closely resemble our common species." Elliott Coues, 1884

Coot Head

"Fulicia. Coot. Bill and frontal plate much as in the Gallinultes. Body depressed; the under plumage…

"Black and White Creeper or Mniotilta varia. Black; edges of feathers of upper parts, coronal, superciliary, and maxillary stripes, tips of greater and median wing-coverts, outer edges of inner secondaries and inner edges of quills and tail-feathers, and spots on inner webs of lateral tail-feathers, white; under parts mostly white with black streaks on sides and crissum; bill and feet black. Similar: less black in proportion to the white, being mostly white below." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black and White Creeper

"Black and White Creeper or Mniotilta varia. Black; edges of feathers of upper parts, coronal, superciliary,…

"Common Brown Creeper. Upper parts dark brown, changing to rusty-brown on the rump, everywhere streaked with ashy-white. An obscure whitish superciliary stripe. Under parts dull whitish, sometimes tinged with rusty on the flanks and crissum. Wing-coverts and quills tipped with white, the inner secondaries also with white shaft-lines, which, with the tips, contrast the blackish of their outer webs. Wings also crossed with white or tawny-white, the anterior bar broad and occupying both webs of the feathers, the other only on the outer webs near their ends. Tail grayish-brown, darker along the shaft and at the ends of the feathers, sometimes showing obsolete transverse bars. Bill blackish above, mostly flesh-colored or yellowish below; feet brown; iris dark brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Common Brown Creeper

"Common Brown Creeper. Upper parts dark brown, changing to rusty-brown on the rump, everywhere streaked…

"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…

"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…

"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…

"Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew Jack Curlew. General tone of coloration scarcely rufous, the under parts, and the variegation of the upper, being whitish or ochraceous. No white on rump, tail, or lining of wings. Top of head uniform blackish-brown, with well-defined whitish median and lateral stripes (as in phaeopus, but neither longirostris nor borealis). Upper parts brownish-black, speckled with whitish, ochraceous or pale cinnamon-brown, in same pattern as in longirostris, but the dark in excess of the light colors, and these never strongly rufescent. Tail ashy-brown (not rufous), with numerous narrow blackish bars. Primaries fuscous, marbled or broken-barred with pale color (pattern as in longirostris, tone not strongly rufous). Lining of wings and axillars rufescent, but spotted or barred throughout with dusky. Under parts soiled whitish or somewhat ochraceous, only obscurely rufescent on crissum, if anywhere; the jugulum and fore-breast with dusky streaks which, as in other species, change to arrow-heads or incomplete bars on sides of breast and body. Bill blackish, some part of lower mandible pale; feet dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Hudsonian Curlew

"Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew Jack Curlew. General tone of coloration scarcely rufous, the…

"Zenaidura carolinensis. Carolina Dove. Mourning Dove. Wild Dove. Upper parts, including middle tail-feathers, grayish-blue shaded with brownish-olive, the head and neck ochrey-brown overlaid with glaucous-blue, the sides of the neck glittering with golden and ruby iridescence; a violet-black spot under the ear-coverts. Under parts glaucous-purplish, changing gradually to ochraceous on the belly and crissum, to bluish on the sides and under the wings, to whitish on the chin; the purplish tint spreading up on the sides and front of the head to blend with the glaucous-blue. Black spots on some of the scapulars and wing-coverts, most of which are colored to correspond with the back, the larger ones being rather bluish-plumbeous. Lateral tail-feathers plumbeous-bluish, crossed with a black bar, the outer four on each side broadly ended with white. Bill black; angle of mouth carmine; iris brown; bare skin around eye livid bluish; feet lake-red, drying dull yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carolina Dove

"Zenaidura carolinensis. Carolina Dove. Mourning Dove. Wild Dove. Upper parts, including middle tail-feathers,…

"Dafila. Pin-tail Ducks. Tail (in adult male) narrow, cuneate, when fully developed nearly as long as wing, the 2 central feathers long-exserted, linear-acute: in female and young the tail merely tapering, with acute feathers; tail-feathers 16, including the long middle pair. Bill shorter than head, longer than tarsus, nearly parallel sided, widening a little to the end, the nail small, the narrow nostrils high up in basal third of bill. Feathers of cheeks sweeping in strongly convex outline along side of upper mandible, beyond those on side of lower mandible. Wing acute, the 1st and 2d primaries subequal and longest, rest rapidly graduated. Neck unusually long and slender, and form less "stocky" than that of most ducks. Sexes and young very unlike in color, even to the wing-markings, as well as in shape of tail. Bill and feet dark. Under parts white or whitish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Pin-tail Duck Head

"Dafila. Pin-tail Ducks. Tail (in adult male) narrow, cuneate, when fully developed nearly as long as…

"Anus boscas. Mallard. Wild or Domestic Duck. Green-head. Bill greenish-yellow. Feet orange-red. Iris brown. Head and upper neck glossy-green, succeeded by a white ring. Breast purplish-chestnut. Lower back, rump, and tail-coverts glossy-black. Tail-feathers mostly whitish. Under parts from the breast, and scapulars, silvery-gray, finely undulated with dusky; crissum black. Speculum violet, purplish and greenish, framed in black and white tips of the greater coverts, and black terminal border. Feet and wings in the male, Bill blackish, blotched with orange, especially at base, tip and along edges. Entire body-colors with dusky-brown and tawny-brown; the tone paler and in finer pattern on the head, neck, and under parts than on the back." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wild Duck

"Anus boscas. Mallard. Wild or Domestic Duck. Green-head. Bill greenish-yellow. Feet orange-red. Iris…

"Aix sponsa. Wood Duck. Summer Duck. "The Bride." Adult Male: Bill pinkish-white, with lake-red base, black ridge, tip, and under mandible; iris and edges of eyelids red; feet orange, with black claws. Upper part of the head, including crest, glistening green and purple; a narrow white line over eye from bill to occiput, and another behind eye to nape, these white lines mixing in the crest. A broad white patch on the throat, forking behind, one branch mounting head behind eye, the other passing to side of neck. Sides and front of lower neck and fore breast rich purplish-chestnut, prettily marked with several chain of angular white spots. A large white black-edged crescent of enlarged feathers in front of the wing. Under parts pure white, the sides yellowish-gray vermiculated with black and white wavy bars; the enlarged flank-feathers broadly rayed with black and white; the lining of the wings white barred with grayish-brown, of which color is the crissum. Upper parts generally lustrous with bronzy-green and purple; scapulars and inner secondaries velvet-black, glassed with purple and green; a green speculum, succeeded by white tips of the secondaries; primaries frosted on outer webs near end. Adult female: Little or no crest, but lengthened feathers on nape; no enlargement or special colorings of feathers about the wings. Bill dusky: feet yellowish-dusky. Head and neck gray, darker on crown, the chin and parts about bill and eyes white. Fore neck, breast and sides of body yellowish-brown, mottled with dark gray, the breast spotted with brown, the belly white. Upper parts dark brown with considerable gloss; wings as in the male, but the velvety-black reduced." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wood Duck

"Aix sponsa. Wood Duck. Summer Duck. "The Bride." Adult Male: Bill pinkish-white, with lake-red base,…

"Dafila acuta. Pin-tail Duck. Sprig-tail. Bill black, with grayish-blue edge of upper mandible; feet grayish-blue; claws black; iris brown. Head and neck above rich dark brown, glossed with green and purple; side of neck with a long white stripe running up from the white under parts; back of neck with a black stripe passing below into the gray color of the back; the lower fore-neck, breast, and under parts usually, white, the sides finely waved with black, the crissum black, white-bordered. Fore back finely waved with narrow bars of black and white or whitish; the scapulars and long tertiaries firmly striped lengthwise with velvety-black and silvery-gray. Lesser wing-coverts plain gray; greater tipped with reddish-buff, framing the speculum anteriorly; this is of coppery-or purplish-violet iridescence, framed posteriorly with black sub-tips and white tips of the secondaries, internally with silvery and black stripes. Tail-feathers gray, the long central ones blackish; sides and roots of tail varied with blackish and buff. It is thus a very handsome duck in full plumage, aside from the trim and clipper-like build." Elliot Coues, 1884

Pin-tail Ducks

"Dafila acuta. Pin-tail Duck. Sprig-tail. Bill black, with grayish-blue edge of upper mandible; feet…

"Carpodacus purpureus. Purple Finch (better Crimson Finch). Rose-red, paler below, insensibly whitening on belly and crissum, brightest anteriorly, intensified to crimson on crown, darker and more brownish-red on back, where also streaked with brown. Wings and tail dusky, the quills edged and coverts tipped with browninsh-red. Lores and feathers about base of bill hoary-whitish. Bill and feet brown, the under mandible rather paler." Elliot Coues, 1884

Purple Finch

"Carpodacus purpureus. Purple Finch (better Crimson Finch). Rose-red, paler below, insensibly whitening…

"Ammodramus maritimus. Seaside Finch. Olive-gray, obscurely streaked on back and crown with darker and paler; below, whitish, often washed with brownish, shaded on sides with color of back, and with ill-defined dark streaks on breast and sides; maxillary stripes on the same; wings and tail plain dusky, with slight olivaceous edgings; wing-coverts and inner quills somewhat margined with brown; edge of wing bright yellow; a bright yellow spot on lore, and often often some vague brownish and dusky markings on side of head; bill plumbeous, or dark horn-blue; feet dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Seaside Finch

"Ammodramus maritimus. Seaside Finch. Olive-gray, obscurely streaked on back and crown with darker and…

"Leucosticte tephrocotis. Swainson's Rosy Finch. Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. Sexes similar. Adult in breeding plumage or nearly so: Bill and feet black. Nasal plumules white. Frontlet black; rest of pileum hoary-ash, not descending below level of eyes and upper border of auriculars (for when the ash invades the sides of head to any extent, the bird takes the first step toward litoralis, in which the head is extensively hooded in ash). General color, sides of head included, chocolate or liver-brown of varying intensity, many feathers skirted with gray or whitish, especially the interscapulars, which also have dusky centres, and inclining to blackish on chin and throat. Hinder parts of the body above and below, including tail-coverts, rich rosy or carmine red, this color due to broad edgings of the dusky feathers of these parts. Wings and tail blackish, the wing-coverts and primaries edged with rosy, showing nearly continuous in the closed wing; edgings of inner secondaries rosy-white or white." Elliot Coues, 1884

Swainson's Rosy Finch

"Leucosticte tephrocotis. Swainson's Rosy Finch. Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. Sexes similar. Adult in breeding…

"Phoinikopteros ruber. American Red Flamingo. Adult: Plumage scarlet, the primaries and most of the secondaries black. Legs lake-red. Bill black on the terminal part, orange in the middle, the base and bare skin of head yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Flamingo

"Phoinikopteros ruber. American Red Flamingo. Adult: Plumage scarlet, the primaries and most of the…

"Colaptes auratus. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Pigeon Woodpecker. Flicker. Yucker. High-holder. Back and exposed surfaces of wing-coverts and secondaries olive-brown with numerous black bars. Rump snowy-white; upper tail-coverts white, mixed with black. Primaries blackish, with golden shafts, and glossed with golden underneath, at their bases paler and more tawny yellow. Tail-feathers above black, their shafts and under surfaces golden, blackened at ends, the outermost with a few touches of yellow or white. Top of head, with back and sides of neck, ash, with a scarlet nuchel band (in both sexes). Sides of head, whole chin, throat, and fore-breast lilac-brown, with broad black cheek patches, these 'moustaches' wanting usually in the female. A broad black pectoral semi-lune. Other under parts shading from a lighter shade of the color of the breast into creamy-yellow, marked with numerous circular black spots. Bill and feet dark plumbeous. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Flicker

"Colaptes auratus. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Pigeon Woodpecker. Flicker. Yucker. High-holder. Back and…

"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,…

"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…

"Gallinula. Gallinules. Water Hens. Mud Hens. Bill not longer than head, stout at base, tapering, compressed, the culmen running directly up on the forehead and expanding into a frontal plate of different shape in different species. Nostrils near middle of bill, linear. Feet large and stout; tibia naked below; tarsus moderately compressed, scutellate; toes very long, the outer longer than the inner, with an evident though slight marginal membrane; claws long, slender, little curved, acute. Wings short and rounded, but ample. Tail very short, of 12 weak feathers, with long ample under coverts, as in Rails. Plumage not rich blue." Elliot Coues, 1884

Gallinule

"Gallinula. Gallinules. Water Hens. Mud Hens. Bill not longer than head, stout at base, tapering, compressed,…

"Astragalinus lawrencii. Lawrence's Goldfinch. Gray, more or less tinged with yellowish, whitening on the belly and crissum; rump, a large breast-patch, and much of the back rich yellow; crown, face, and chin black; wings black, variegated with yellow, most of the coverts being of this color, and the same broadly edging the quills; inner secondaries edged with hoary gray; tail black, most of the feathers with large square white spots on the inner webs and whitish edging of the outer; bill and feet flesh-color more or less obscured." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lawrence's Goldfinch

"Astragalinus lawrencii. Lawrence's Goldfinch. Gray, more or less tinged with yellowish, whitening on…

"Astragalinus psaltria. Arkansaw Goldfinch. Upper parts uniform olive-green, without any black; below yellow; crown black, this not extending below the eyes; wings black, most of the quills and the greater coverts white-tipped, and the primaries white at base; tail black, the outermost three pairs of feathers with a long rectangular white spot on the inner web." Elliot Coues, 1884

Arkansaw Goldfinch

"Astragalinus psaltria. Arkansaw Goldfinch. Upper parts uniform olive-green, without any black; below…

"Astragalinus mexicanus. Mexican Goldfinch. The upper parts continuously-black, and the black of the crown extending below the eyes, enclosing the olive under eyelid. Mexican border and southward. This bird looks quite unlike typical psaltria, but the gradation through var. arizonae is perfect; and mexicana, moreover, leads directly into var. columbiana, a Central American form in which the tail-spots are very small or wanting. The females of these several varieties cannot by distinguished with certainty." Elliot Coues, 1884

Mexican Goldfinch

"Astragalinus mexicanus. Mexican Goldfinch. The upper parts continuously-black, and the black of the…

"Philacte canagica. Painted Goose. Emperor Goose. Wavy bluish-gray, with lavender or lilac tinting, and sharp black crescentic mark; head, nape, and tail white, former often washed with amber-yellow; throat black, white-speckled; quills varied with black and white; eye brown; feet flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Emperor Goose

"Philacte canagica. Painted Goose. Emperor Goose. Wavy bluish-gray, with lavender or lilac tinting,…

"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,…

"Black Throated Green Warbler or Dendroica virens. Back and crown clear yellow-olive; forehead, superciliary line, and whole sides of head rich yellow (in high plumage, middle of back with dusky marks, and dusky or dark olive lines through eyes and auriculars, and even bordering the crown); chin, throat, and breast jet black, prolonged behind as streaks on the sides; other under parts white; usually yellow-tinged; wings and tail dusky, former with two white bars and much whitish edging, latter with outer feathers nearly all white; bill and feet blackish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black Throated Green Warbler

"Black Throated Green Warbler or Dendroica virens. Back and crown clear yellow-olive; forehead, superciliary…

"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…

"Hesperophona vespertina. Evening Grosbeak. General color sordid yellow, overlaid with sooty-olive shade, deepest on fore parts, quite black on crown, clearest below behind. forehead and line over eye, scapulars, and rump, yellow. Wings and tail black; several inner secondaries and inner half of the greater coverts white; lining of wings black and yellow. A narrow black line around base of upper mandible; tibiae black. Bill greenish-yellow; feet apparently dusky flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Evening Grosbeak

"Hesperophona vespertina. Evening Grosbeak. General color sordid yellow, overlaid with sooty-olive shade,…

"Pinicola enucleator. Pine Grosbeak. Light carmine or rosy-red, feathers of back with dusky centres; lower belly and under tail-coverts gray, and, in general, the red continuous only in highly plumaged specimens. Nasal tufts and lores blackish. Wings blackish; primaries with narrow white or rosy edging, inner secondaries more broadly edged with white, ends of greater and middle coverts white or rosy, forming conspicuous wing-bars. Tail like wings, with narrow edgings like those of primaries. Bill blackish, with or without paler base below; feet blackish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Pine Grosbeak

"Pinicola enucleator. Pine Grosbeak. Light carmine or rosy-red, feathers of back with dusky centres;…

"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." Elliot Coues, 1884

Rose-breasted Song Grosbeak

"Zamelodia ludoviciana. Rose-breasted Song Grosbeak. Adult male with the head and neck all around and…

"Bonasa umbella. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge;" "Pheasant;" Above, variegate reddish- or grayish-brown, the back with numerous, oblong, pale, black-edged spots. Below, whitish, barred with brown. Tail brown or gray, numerously and narrowly black-barred, with a broad subterminal black zone, and tipped with gray. The neck-ruffle of the male mostly glossy black, and very full; of the female smaller and more brown. The colors are endlessly varied as well as blended, and the prevailing tone of the brown birds of the East shades insensibly into the Western varieties." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ruffed Grouse Head

"Bonasa umbella. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge;" "Pheasant;" Above, variegate reddish- or grayish-brown,…

"Canace canadensis. Canada Grouse. Spotted Grouse. Spruce Grouse. Spruce "Partridge." Adult: Head smooth, but feathers susceptible of erection into a slight crest. A colored comb of naked skin over the eye, bright yellow or reddish when fully injected. Tail slightly rounded, of 16 feathers, a scant inch broad to their very ends. Tarsi full-feathered to the toes, which are naked, scaly, and fringed. Tail black, broadly tipped with orange-brown; its upper coverts without decidedly white tips. Under parts glossy black, extensively varied with white; under tail-coverts; sides and breast with white bars or semicircles; white spots bounding the throat; white spots on lore. Upper parts wavy - barred black and gray, usually also with some tawny markings on the back and wings." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canada Grouse

"Canace canadensis. Canada Grouse. Spotted Grouse. Spruce Grouse. Spruce "Partridge." Adult: Head smooth,…

"Bonasa umbella. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge;" "Pheasant;" Above, variegate reddish- or grayish-brown, the back with numerous, oblong, pale, black-edged spots. Below, whitish, barred with brown. Tail brown or gray, numerously and narrowly black-barred, with a broad subterminal black zone, and tipped with gray. The neck-ruffle of the male mostly glossy black, and very full; of the female smaller and more brown. The colors are endlessly varied as well as blended, and the prevailing tone of the brown birds of the East shades insensibly into the Western varieties." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ruffed Grouse

"Bonasa umbella. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge;" "Pheasant;" Above, variegate reddish- or grayish-brown,…

"Pediaecetes phasianellus Columbianus. Common Sharp-tailed Grouse. Upper parts closely and pretty evenly variegated with blackish-brown, reddish-brown, and grayish-brown, the pattern smallest on the rump and lower back, where the blackish is mostly in sharp-angled stars; the reddish most conspicuous on the upper back, and both the lighter colors everywhere finely sprinkled with blackish. Wing-coverts like the upper back, but with numerous conspicuous rounded white spots, one on the end of each feather. Crown and back of neck nearly like the back, but in smaller pattern, and the markings mostly transverse. An illy-defined white area on each side of the neck, over the tympanum, and slight whitish stripe behind the eye. Throat fine light buff, usually immaculate, but sometimes finely speckled quite across. Under parts white, more or less tinted with buff towards the throat; the breast with numerous regular dark-brown U-shaped spots, one on each feather; similar but smaller, sharper, and fewer such spots thence scattered over most of the under parts, only the middle of the belly being left unmarked. Long feathers of the sides under the wings matching the upper wing-coverts nearly; under wing-coverts and axillaries pure white, not marked; flanks with bars or U-spots of dark brown. Legs grayish-white, unmarked. Quills of the wings fuscous; outer webs of the secondaries with equidistant, squarish, white or tawny spots, the secondaries tipped and imperfectly twice or thrice barred with white, gradually becoming sprinkled with the varied colors of the back, so that the innermost of them are almost precisely like the greater coverts. Four middle tail-feathers variegated, much like the back; others white, or grayish-white, on the inner webs, the outer webs being mottled; a few under tail-coverts spotted, the rest white; upper tail-coverts nearly like the rump. Iris light brown; bill dark horn-color; part of under mandible flesh-colored; claws like bill; toes on top light horn-color, the soles darker." Elliot Coues, 1884

Sharp-tailed Grouse

"Pediaecetes phasianellus Columbianus. Common Sharp-tailed Grouse. Upper parts closely and pretty evenly…

"Cupidonia cupido. Pinnated Grouse. Prairie Hen. Above, variegated with black, brown, tawny, or ochrey, and white, the latter especially on the wings; below, pretty regularly barred with dark brown, white,and tawny; throat tawny, a little speckled, or not; vent and crissum mostly white; quills fuscous, with white spots on the outer webs; tail fuscous, with narrow or imperfect white or tawny bars and tips; sexes alike in color but female smaller, with shorter neck tufts." Elliott Coues, 1884

Prairie Hen

"Cupidonia cupido. Pinnated Grouse. Prairie Hen. Above, variegated with black, brown, tawny, or ochrey,…