BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDT.E AMERICA. 283 



Maine, I sijec, May 4, 1889). — Braislin, Auk, xv, 1898, 55 (Brooklyn, New 

 York, breeding); xvi, 1899, 192 (Brooklyn, etc.)-— Morris, Auk, xvi, 1899, 85 

 (Springfield, Massachusetts; 100 liberated). — Bishop, Auk, xviii, 1901, 194 

 (North Haven, Connecticut, 1 spec, Dec. 3, 1900). 

 . S[tunius] vulgans Gray, Gen. Birds, ii, 1847, 337. — Bonaparte, Consp. Av., i, 

 1850,. 421.— CouEs, Key N. Am. Birds, 2d ed., 1884, 427; 5th ed., i, 1903, 503, 

 pi. 1 and fig. 3.— RiDGWAY, Man. N. Am. Birds, 1887, 365. 



Sl\\irnus\ vulgaris Cabanis, Mus. Hein., i, 1851, 202 (Germany). 



Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris H.ARTEnT, Vog. Palaearkt. Fauna, i, Nov., 1903, 4 (mon- 

 ogr.). — ScHALOw, Vogel der Arktis, 1904, 243 (c. and w. Greenland). 



Stiirnus varius Meyer, Taschonl:). Vog. Deutschl., i, 1810, 208. — Brehm, Lehrb. 

 Eur. Vog., i, 1823, 282. 



Twdiis solitariiis Montague, Orn. Dirt., Suppl., art Thrush, 1813. 



Shniius solitariiis Leach, Syst. Cat. Mam., etc., Bril. Mas., 1816, 18. 



Sturnus domesticus Brehm, Isis, 1828, 1282. 



Sternus nitens Brehm, Isis, 1828, 1282. 



Sturnus pundatus Brehm, Isis, 1828, 1282. 



Sturnus sylvestris Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., 1831, 398. 



Sturnus septentrionalis Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., 1831, 400. 



Sturnus hollandise Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., 1831, 1016. 



Sturnus guttatus Macgillivray, Hist. Brit. Birds, i, 1837, 595. 



Sturnus longirostris Brehm, Naumannia, 1855, 282 . 



Sturnus tcnuii-ostris Brehm, Naumannia, 1855, 282. 



Sturnus europxus Blasius, Journ. fiir Orn., 1863, Nachtr., p. 60. 



(?) Sturnus faeroensis Fielden, Birds of the Faeroe Islands, 1872, 47. — Grum- 

 NACK, Journ. fur Orn., 1876, 216.— Seebohm, Ibis, 1880, 133. 



Family PLOCEID/E. 



THE WEAVER BIRDS. 



Ten-priniaried, conirostral, Acutiplantar Oscines with the tenth 

 (outermost) primary ol^vioiisly present lint small or rudimentary. 

 (Otherwise very closel}^ resembling the Fringillid?p and Icteridte.) 



AYhether the single character of possessing one more ob^nous pri- 

 mary quill than the Fringillidte and Icteridae be considered as suffi- 

 cient to warrant the separation of the present group as a distinct 

 family is perhaps a matter admitting of difference of opinion, but 

 is one regarding which I prefer not to commit myself at present, hav- 

 ing neither the nuiterial nor opportunity for sufficient consideration 

 of the (juestion. Certain it is that the so-called Ploceidae resemble 

 so closely in general appearance, both as to external structure and 

 coloration, the true Fringillida' or Icterida^ that were it not for the 

 difference in the numl)er of de"v:eloped primaries nt) one, ])robably, 

 would for a moment think of separating them. The range of varia- 

 tion in form, colors, and habits is nearly as great as in the Fringil- 

 lida^ and Icteridse, although terrestrial forms are apparently wanting, 

 ^hiny, notably the wax-bills (genera EstHlda, Lagonosticta , etc.), the 

 woaver-fuiches (genera Mwvia, Sporseginthus, Spermestes, etc.), and 

 the so-called Java Sparrow (JPadda oryzivora) are conspicuously finch- 

 like in appearance. Others, again, especially among the African 



