ORIOLUS GALBULA. 



FAMILY. DENTIROSTRES. GENUS. ORIOLUS. 



THE GOLDEN ORIOLE. 



By William Mac Gillivray, A.M., F.R.S.E., M.W.S., &c. 



The Golden Oriole, which by Temminck is classed among the omnivorous 

 birds, and by Cuvier is referred to the Dentirostral Family of the Order Passeres 

 or Insessores, belongs to a genus formerly of great extent, but by modern ornitho- 

 logists reduced to a small group, of which the species present the following cha- 

 racters : — 



Bill rather long, stout, nearly straight, rather broad at the base, compressed. 

 Upper mandible having the dorsal outline slightly arched, the ridge narrow, the 

 sides flat and sloping at the base, slightly convex and more inclined towards the 

 end, the edges sharp, with a slight notch close to the small, slightly deflected tip. 

 Lower mandible with the angle moderately long and narrow, the sides nearly 

 erect, the edges sharp, the dorsal outline nearly straight. Mouth of moderate 

 width. Tongue slender, emarginate and papillate at the base, thin and horny 

 toward the tip, which is bifid. Nostrils oblong, bare in the anterior part of the 

 large nasal membrane, which is feathered. Eyes of moderate size ; eyelids 

 feathered. 



Head oblong, moderately large, the forehead slightly rounded. Neck rather 

 short. Body ovate, compact. Legs rather strong, short : tarsus short, com- 

 pressed, covered anteriorly with seven large scutella, posteriorly with two plates 

 united at a very acute angle, and several transverse rugae below. Toes of mo- 

 derate size, covered above with a few large scutella, papillate beneath ; the first 

 stout, of about the same length as the second ; the fourth a little longer, and 

 united at the base to the third, which is considerably longer. Claws of moderate 

 length, arched, compressed, laterally grooved, acute ; that of the hind toe much 

 stronger. 



Plumage generally blended, the feathers oblong and rounded. Short bristles 

 at the base of the bill. Wings rather long, of seventeen quills ; first primary 

 very short, being scarcely more than a third of the length of the third, which is 

 longest ; second shorter than fourth ; secondaries of moderate length, broad, and 

 rounded. Tail rather long, straight, slightly rounded, of twelve rather broad, 

 rounded feathers. 



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