10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



March 27th. 

 Mr. Cassin, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Twenty-four members present. 



The following gentlemen were elected members : 



J. A. Heinrzelman, Amos It. Little, James C. Parrish, Clemmons 

 Hunt, R. Shelton Mackenzie, Charles B. Durborrow, John Turner, 

 Samuel E. Slayraaker, William E. Kehmle, Alfonso de Figaniere, 

 Thomas C. Stellwagen, M. D., and Charles S. Westcott. 



The following were elected correspondents : 



Robert Gray and William Sinclair, of Glasgow, Scotland; D. C. 

 Collier, of Central City, Colorado; and Rev. Joseph Blake. 



On report of the respective committees, the following papers were 

 ordered to be published : 



A STUDY OF THE ICTERIDAE. 

 BY JOHN CASSIN. 



1. Sub-family Agelaiinae. 

 1. Genus AGELAIUS, Vieillot. 

 (Genus Agelaius, Vieill, Analyse, p. 33, 1816.) 

 1. Agelaius. 



1. Agblaids phceniceus (Linnaeus.) 



Oriolus phceniceus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 161, (1766.) 



Sturnus praedatorius, Wils. Am. Orn. iv. p. 30, (1811. 

 Wilson Am. Orn. pi. 30. Aud B. of Am. pi. 67, Oct. ed. iv. pi. 216. 

 An abundant and well known species, diffused throughout the whole of 

 temperate North America. It is nearly related to the two species immediately 

 succeeding, from whicb it is, however, generally not difficult to distinguish, 

 though all of them much resemble each other whea in young plumage. 

 Numerous specimens are in the Acad. Museum, and in the Museum Smithsonian 

 Institution, Washington. Specimens from Yucatan, in the Smithsonian Museum, 

 have the bill more slender and present some other slight differences, and may 

 be distinct or referable to A. assimilis, Gundlach. 



2. Agelaius tricolor, Audubon. 



Agelaius tricolor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. p. 1. (1839.) 



Aud. B. of Am. pi. 388, Oct. ed.. iv. pi. 214. 



Numerous specimens in the Academy Museum, and in that of the Smithsonian 

 Institution. Resembles the preceding but is quite distinct specifically, and can 

 be distinguished readily by the different red of the shoulders, less rounded tail 

 and more slender bill, in the present bird. Abundant in the western countries 

 of North America. 



3. Agelaius assimilis, Gundlach. 



Agelaius assimilis. " Gundl. MSS.," Lembeye, Aves Cuba, p. 64, (1850.) 

 Agelaius assimilis, Gundl. Cabanis Jour. 1856, p. 12. 

 Lembeye, Aves Cuba, pi. ix. fig. 3. 



Restricted apparently to the Island of Cuba, but in the adult male much re- 

 sembling specimens from Yucatan. In this species the female is totally black 

 in which respect it differs from the two preceding species, though the adult 

 male is very similar to that of A. phceniceus. The young male resembles the 

 female, bnt is usually recognizable by the presence of more or less of the scarlet 

 of the shoulders. 



[March, 



