306 Dr, A. Hall on the Mammals and Birds 



edged and tipped with lake ; greater and smaller wing coverts 

 black, broadly edged and tipped with white on the outer vanes; 

 tail coverts blackish brown, tipped with lake colour ; primaries, 

 secondaries and tail, blackish brown ; the primaries edged with 

 lake colour, the secondaries with white on the outer vanes ; the 

 outer vanes of the tail feathers edged with brownish lake. 



Ventral aspect. Chin, throat, breast, cheeks, and sides of the 

 belly, lake colour, fainter than on the back ; middle of the belly 

 and vent feathers, dusky grey. 



3rd primary longest; 2nd next; 1st shorter than the 4th. 

 Length 9 J inches; alar breadth 14 inches. 



The young bird is wholly dusky beneath and on the back, the 

 crown of the head and rump being olivaceous brown. The female 

 possesses the same characteristics. The young bird of the second 

 year has the inner parts and the rump with a lake tinge : which 

 is also conspicuous on the ventral aspect. 

 Genus Icterus. 

 Gen. char. Bill longer than, or as long as the head, conical, un- 

 notched, grooved internally,and slightly flattened towards the apex, 

 compressed in the middle ; nostrils basal, lateral ; tarsus equal to 

 or longer than the middle toe ; 3rd and 4th primaries longest. 

 Icterus phcenicius. Red-winged Blackbird. 

 Sturnus prcedatorius of Wilson. 

 Agelaius phoenicius. Baird ! 

 v.s.p. Bill, legs and feet black ; irides hazel ; eggs 3 to 5 

 white, tinged with blue, streaked with purple and dark brown. 



Whole dorsal and ventral aspects, including the primaries, 

 secondaries and tail, shining jet black ; small wing coverts and 

 shoulders rich scarlet, except the lower row, which fades to 

 orange. 



3rd primary longest ; 2nd and 4th equal ; 1st and 5th equal. 

 Length 4 J inches ; alar breadth 13 inches. 



The female has the dorsal aspect black, with grey edgings to 

 the feathers ; the ventral aspect greyish white, streaked with 

 black ; the throat occasionally with a scarlet tinge. The young 

 bird has the dorsal feathers edged with brownish ; a white line 

 over the eye ; the smaller wing coverts brownish red ; and the 

 ventral feathers black edged with grey. 



Sub genus Emherizoides. 

 Sub gen. char. In these the bill is short, conic, straight, not 

 dilated at the base, and not so pointed as in the Fringilla tribe. 



