Part 75

California.

Psarocolius Gubernator, Wagler, Syst. Avium.

Crimson-winged Troopial, Icterus Gubernator, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 211.

216. 4. Agelaius phœniceus, Linn. Red-and-yellow-shouldered Marsh-Blackbird.--Red-winged Starling.

Plate LXVII. Male, Female, and Young.

Tail considerably rounded. Male with the plumage glossy black, the smaller wing-coverts scarlet, their first or posterior row buff-coloured, at the tip whitish. Female much smaller, with the upper parts dark brown, the feathers edged with light brown; some of the smaller wing-coverts tinged with red; wings and tail blackish-brown, the feathers margined with brownish-red, the first row of small coverts and secondary coverts narrowly tipped with whitish; a yellowish-brown band over the eye; lower parts longitudinally streaked with dusky and whitish, the fore neck strongly tinged with dull carmine. Young similar to the female, but without red on the small wing-coverts or throat, the latter part with the sides of the head being pale yellowish-brown.

Male, 9, 14. Female, 7-1/2.

Breeds from Texas throughout the United States, and northward to the Saskatchewan. Vast numbers spend the winter in the Southern and Western States.

Red-winged Starling, Sturnus prædatorius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 30.

Icterus phœniceus, Bonap. Syn. p. 52.

Agelaius phœniceus, Red-winged Maize-bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 280.

Red-winged Blackbird, Icterus phœniceus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 169.

Red-winged Starling or Marsh-Blackbird, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 348; v. v. p. 487.

GENUS IV. ICTERUS, Briss. HANGNEST.

Bill a little shorter than the head, conical, very slightly decurved, compressed, tapering to a very attenuated point; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, being very slightly convex, the ridge indistinct, narrowed at the base; the sides convex, the edges overlapping, the tip extremely sharp; gape-line ascending at the base, afterwards direct; lower mandible with the angle long and of moderate width, the dorsal line and that of the crura slightly concave, the sides erect at the base, convex towards the end, the edges slightly inflected, the tip extremely slender. Nostrils basal, elliptical, with a small operculum. Head ovate, of moderate size; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tarsus much compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes of moderate size, the hind toe much stronger, the lateral about equal, the third and fourth united at the base. Claws rather long, moderately arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. Plumage soft and blended. Wings of moderate length, with the outer four quills nearly equal. Tail of moderate length, rounded and slightly emarginate. Roof of the upper mandible with a broad median ridge, somewhat prominent at the base; tongue tapering to a deeply slit point; œsophagus wide, considerably dilated about the middle; stomach elliptical; intestine short, and of moderate width; cœca very small; cloaca globular.

217. 1. Icterus Baltimore, Linn. Baltimore Hangnest.--Golden Robin.

Plate XII. Adult and Young Male. Plate CCCCXXIII. Fig. 3. Female.

Second and third quills longest, fourth longer than first; tail slightly rounded. Male with the head, throat, sides, and hind part of the neck, with the fore part of the back, black; lower parts, rump, upper tail-coverts, and smaller wing-coverts rich orange, passing into orange-red on the breast; wings black, the secondary coverts largely tipped, and the quills margined with white; tail black, all the feathers tipped with rich yellow, the outer for half their length, the middle on a very small space. Female considerably smaller, with the upper part of the head, hind neck, sides of the neck at the middle, and anterior half of the back, brownish-black, the feathers edged with dull yellowish-green; hind part of the back light brownish-yellow, purer on the rump; tail yellowish-brown, the middle feathers darker; wing-coverts blackish-brown, quills dark brown, all margined with whitish; first row of small coverts and secondary coverts largely tipped with white; loral space, a band over the eye, and another beneath it, dull yellow; below the latter the cheeks spotted with dusky; lower parts yellowish-orange, duller than in the male, paler behind; some dusky streaks on the throat. Young similar to the female, but with the upper parts brownish-yellow, the head and back faintly spotted with dusky.

Male, 7-3/4, 12. Female, 7, 11.

In summer dispersed over the United States, to Nova Scotia. Columbia River. Texas. Abundant. Migratory.

Baltimore Oriole, Oriolus Baltimore, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 23.

Icterus Baltimore, Bonap. Syn. p. 51.

Baltimore Oriole or Golden Robin, Icterus Baltimore, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 152.

Baltimore Oriole, Icterus Baltimore, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 66; v. v. p. 278.

218. 2. Icterus Bullockii, Swains. Bullock's Hangnest.

Plate CCCLXXXVIII. Fig. 5. Male.

Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 1. Young Male. Fig. 2. Female.

First quill longer than fifth, the intermediate quills almost equal. Male with the upper part of the head, the hind neck, and the anterior portion of the back, with the loral space, some feathers at the base of the lower mandible, and a rather narrow longitudinal band on the fore neck, deep black; anterior part of the forehead, a band over the eye, the cheeks, sides of the neck, and the breast, rich orange-yellow, the rest of the lower parts paler; lower wing-coverts and anterior edge of the wing pale yellow; hind parts of the back and upper tail-coverts yellow tinged with green; wings brownish-black, with a large patch of white formed by the outer small coverts and the edges of the secondary coverts; quills edged with white; four middle tail-feathers black, the rest orange-yellow, with a dusky patch near the end. Female smaller, with the upper parts greyish-olive, lighter on the rump; on the head and upper tail-coverts tinged with yellow; loral space somewhat dusky; anterior part of the forehead, a band over the eye, the cheeks, and sides of the neck, with the fore part of the breast, light greenish-yellow; throat dull white, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white, slightly tinged with yellow; wings dark brown, the larger small coverts tipped with greyish-white; secondary coverts and quills edged with the same; tail dull olivaceous-yellow. Young like the female.