306 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Subfamily ICTERIAN^. 



Section I C T E R I E /E . 



lu this section there are two American genera ; one found in the United 

 States, the other not. The diagnoses are as tolh)ws : — 



Size large (about 8 inches). Lower jaw not deeper tlian vipper anterior to nostrils. 



Tail moderate. Partly yellow beneath, olive-green above .... L-teria. 



Size smaller (about 6 inches). Lower jaw deeper than upper. Tail almost fan- 

 shaped. Partly red beneath, plumbeous-blue above .... O ranalellus} 



Genus ICTERIA, Vieill. 



Icieria., Vieillot, (_)is. Am. Sept. I, 180 7, iii and S5. (Type, Musdaqm viridis. Gm. 

 Turdus vircns, LiNN.) 



Gen. 



Char. Bill broad at base, but contracting rapidly and becominj; attenuated when 



viewed from above ; high at the base 

 (higher than broad opposite the nostrils) ; 

 the culraen and commissure much curved 

 from base; the gonys straight. Upper jaw 

 deeper than the lower; bill without notch 

 or rictal bristles. Nostrils circular, edged 

 above with membrane, the feathers close 

 to their borders. Wings shorter than tail, 

 considerably rounded ; first quill rather 

 shorter than the .si.\th. Tail moderately 

 graduated; the feathers rounded, but nar- 

 row. Middle toe without claw alicint 

 two thirds the length of tarsus, which has 



Icteria virens. 



the scutellse fused externally in part into one plate. 



The precise systematic position of the genus Idcria is a matter of nmch 

 contrariety of opinion among ornithologists ; but we have little hesitation in 

 including it among the /^i/lvicnlida'. It has been most frequently assigned 

 to the Virconidcc, but differs essentially in the deeply cleft inner toe (not 

 half united as in Vireo), the partially booted tarsi, the lengtliened middle 

 toe, the sliglitly curved claws, the entire absence of notch or hook in the bill, 

 and the short, rounded wing with only nine primaries. The wing of Virco, 

 when much rounded, has ten primaries, — nine only being met with when 

 the wing is very long and pointed. 



Of this genus only one species is known, although two races are recog- 

 nized by naturalists, differing in the length of the tail. 



1 Granaielbis. Dimns. Baird, Rev. Am. Birds, 18(j,5, 230. (Type, O. vennstus, DcBUS.) 



