Audubon's Birds. John James Audubon

Wren

      Cistothorus palustris

      Plate 100

      Swallows

      No bristles at the base of the bill. Wings extremely long, narrow, pointed, somewhat falciform; secondaries very short. Tail generally emarginate, of twelve feathers. Mouth extremely wide; oesophagus rather wide, without crop; stomach elliptical or rounded, muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium. Four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest in holes in banks, buildings, or trees, or attached to the surface of these objects. Eggs: from four to six, white, plain, or spotted.

      Purple Martin

      Progne subis

      Plate 22

      Swallows

      Family VII

      Muscicapinæ. Flycatchers

      Bill depressed, triangular, compressed at the end, upper mandible notched, lower with the point slightly ascending. Head rather large, depressed; neck short; body rather slender. Feet generally short; tarsus short, slender, with very broad scutella. Toes: four, free; the hind toe not proportionally large; claws arched, compressed, and acute. Plumage soft and blended; wings long, with the first quill generally long, the outer three longest. Tail various.

      Fork-tailed Flycatcher

      Tyrannus savana

      Plate 168

      Flycatchers

      Tongue flattened, sagittate, bristly at the tip, oesophagus wide, without crop; stomach elliptical, moderately muscular, with the lateral muscles distinct, the epithelium thin, dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine short. Trachea simple, inferior laryngeal muscles, forming on each side a large pad, but not divisible into several portions as in the singing birds. Nests regularly formed, cup-shaped. Eggs from four to six.

      Say’s Phoebe

      Sayornis saya

      Plate 359

      Flycatchers

      Family VIII

      Sylvicolinæ. Wood Warblers

      Bill short or of moderate length, rather slender and conical, considerably broader than high at the base, gradually compressed toward the end. Upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight until near the end, the point very narrow, the notches very slight. Lower mandible with the angle rather short and narrow, the dorsal line straight, the edges somewhat involute, the tip acute.

      Canada Warbler

      Wilsonia canadensis

      Plate 5

      Wood Warblers

      Head moderate, ovate; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length; tarsus longer than the middle toe, slender, much compressed, with eight anterior scutella, of which the upper are blended; toes rather small, or of moderate size, bind toe proportionally stout, outer adherent for a short way at the base; claws moderate, much compressed, arched, acute. Plumage generally soft and blended. Wings of moderate length.

      Northern Paula

      Parula americana

      Plate 15

      Wood Warblers

      Tail of moderate length, of twelve feathers. Tongue of moderate length, sagittate, tapering. Oesophagus of moderate width, without dilatation, proventriculus bulbiform; stomach of moderate size, rounded or elliptical, moderately muscular, with the muscles distinct; epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide. Trachea simple; with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.

      Hooded Warbler

      Wilsonia citrina

      Plate 9

      Wood Warblers

      Family IX

      Certhianæ. Creepers

      Bill of moderate length or rather long, slender, slightly arched, much compressed, acute; upper mandible with its dorsal outline convex or arched, the ridge narrow, the notches slight or obsolete, lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the dorsal line straight or slightly decurved, the edges inclinate, the tip acute. Head moderate, ovate; neck short.

      House Wren

      Trogrodytes aedon

      Plate 83

      Creepers

      Body slender. Feet of moderate length, or rather short; tarsus about the same length as the middle toe, compressed, with eight anterior scutella, toes of moderate length and much compressed, hind toe proportionally long, outer adherent at the base; claws rather long, extremely compressed, arched, and acute. Wings short or of moderate length. Tail of twelve feathers, generally much rounded.

      Carolina Wren

      Thryothorus ludovicianus

      Plate 78

      Creepers

      Tongue slender, emarginate and papillate at the base, very narrow, tapering to a lacerated point. Oesophagus of moderate width, without crop; proventriculus bulbiform; stomach of moderate size, oblong, or elliptical, moderately muscular, with the muscles distinct; epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.