226 



CONIKOSTRES. 



SUB-FAMILY VI. 



ICTERIN^. 



The Ilang-nests. 



Gen. Charac. — Bill more or less lengthened, witli both mandibles straight or 

 slightly curved towards the tips, which are acute and entire ; the wings 

 lengthened and pointed; the tail long and generally wedge-shaped; the 

 tarsi as long as, or shorter than, the middle toe, and broadly scaled ; toes 

 moderate and formed for grasping. 



Fig. 94. — the red-eumped cassican. 

 (Cassicus hcemorrhous.) 



These are American birds^ in their manners ap- 

 proximating to the Starhngs^ livings like them^ in 

 flocks^ and constructing their nests near each other 

 with singular skill and artifice, and suspending them 

 from the horizontal branches of trees. Each nest 

 is about a yard long, and resembles an enormous 

 purse, with the lower end hemispherical and ten 



* 'iKTtpoQ, icteros ; a bird, mentioned by Pliny, of a yellowish- 

 green colour. 



