HENSLOW'S BUNTING.
EMBERIZA HENSLOWII.
P L A T E L X X .
I OBTAINED the bird represented in this plate opposite Cincinnati, in
the State of Kentucky, in the year 1820, whilst in the company of Mr
ROBERT BEST, then Curator of the Western Museum. It was on the
ground, amongst tall grass, and exhibited the usual habits of its tribe.
Perceiving it to be different from any which I had seen, I immediately
shot it, and the same day made an accurate drawing of it.
In naming it after the Rev. Professor HENSLOW of Cambridge, a
gentleman so well known to the scientific world, and who has permitted
me so to designate it, my object has been to manifest my gratitude for the
many kind attentions which he has shewn towards me. Its history and
habits are unknown. In appearance it differs so little from the Buntings,
that, for the present, I shall refer it to that genus.
EMBERIZA HENSLOWII.
Plate LXX.
Bill short, robust, conical, acute; upper mandible straight in the
dorsal outline, angular, and encroaching a little on the forehead, broader
than the lower, acute and inflected on the edges; lower mandible also inflected
at the edges; the gap-line deflected at the base. Head rather
large, neck short, body full. Feet of ordinary length ; tarsus scutellate
before, acute behind; toes free, scutellate above ; claws slightly arched,
compressed, acute, that of the hind toe elongated.
Plumage compact, slightly glossed. Wings short, curved, the third
and fourth quills longest, the secondaries nearly as long as the primaries,
when the wing is closed. Tail short, graduated and deeply notched, of
twelve rather narrow very acute feathers.
Bill flesh-colour, darker above. Iris dark-brown. Feet flesh-colour.
The general colour of the upper parts is pale brown, the central part of
the feathers brownish-black, the margins of those of the back bright red.
Secondary coverts yellowish-red on the outer webs. Quills dark brown,
externally margined with light yellowish-brown. Tail-feathers dusky,
margined externally with yellowish-brown. The under parts pale yellowish
grey, the breast, sides, and throat, spotted with brownish-black.
Length 5 inches, bill along the ridge §, along the gap nearly £;
tarsus f, middle toe f, hind toe the same.
THE INDIAN PINK-ROOT OR WORM-GRASS.
SPIOELIA MARILANDICA, Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 139. Fig. 1. of the Plate—
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA, Linn. APOCINE^E, JUSS.
Stem tetragonal, all the leaves opposite, ovate, acuminate. Flowers
rich carmine, in a terminal spike. This plant is perennial, flowers in the
summer months, and grows in rich soil by the margins of woods, in the
Middle States. The roots are used as a vermifuge.
PHLOX ARISTATA, Pursk, Fl. Amer. vol. L p. 130. Fig. 2. of the Plate.—PENTANDRIA
MONOGYNIA, Linn. POLEMONIA, JUSS.
This species is characterized by its erect, feeble stem, its linear-lanceolate
leaves, lax fastigiate panicle, twin pedicels, oboval segments of the
corolla, pubescent curved tube, and long subulate calycine teeth. The
corolla is rose-coloured, but varies in tint, being sometimes nearly white,
and sometimes deep red. It is perennial, flowers in the summer months,
and occurs in the Middle and Atlantic States.