Family	CHESTNUT-COLLARED LARK-BUNTING. [Chestnut-collared Longspur.]
Genus	PLECTROPHANES ORNATUS, Towns. [Calcarius ornatus.]

Mr. TOWNSEND procured a single male of this new species, respecting which he has sent me the following notice. "It is by no means a common bird; keeps in pairs, and appears to live exclusively upon the ground; is remarkably shy, and although I saw the female several times, I was unable to procure it."

PLECTROPHANES ORNATA, Chestnut-collared Lark-Finch, Towns., Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia, vol. vii. p. 189.

CHESTNUT-COLLARED LARK-BUNTING, Emberiza ornata, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v.p. 44.


Adult Male in spring.

Bill short, conical, pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, the sides convex, the edges a little inflected, the tip slightly declinate; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line ascending and very slightly convex, the edges inflected, the tip acute; the gape-line ascends a short way at first, and is afterwards nearly straight, and there is a small narrow prominence on the palate.

Head of moderate size, ovate; neck short; body full. Feet of moderate size; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with seven scutella, behind with two longitudinal plates meeting so as to form a very thin edge; hind toe stout, lateral toes nearly equal; claws long, slender, compressed, little curved, that of the hind toe elongated.

Plumage soft, full, blended, on the back somewhat compact. Wings rather long and pointed, the first quill longest; tail rather long, nearly even.

Bill yellow, with the tips dusky. Feet and claws yellowish flesh-colour. The upper part of the head, a streak and some spots behind the ear, and the breast, black; a broad band over the eye, the throat and sides of the neck, the abdomen, lower tail-coverts, and three lateral tail-feathers white, the latter edged externally with dusky. There is a broad transverse band of yellowish-red on the hind neck; the upper parts are yellowish-grey, the feathers dusky in the centre; the quills and larger coverts dusky, with yellowish-grey margins, as are the four middle tail-feathers.

Length to end of tail 5 1/4 inches; bill along the ridge (4 1/2)/12; wing from flexure 3 2/12; tail 1 10/12; tarsus 11/12; hind toe (4 1/4)/12, its claw 5/12.