STARLINGS — BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 



285 



FAMILY STURNIDiE: STARLINGS. 



GENUS STURNUS. 



[493.] Sturnus vulgaris Linn. Stakling. 



Primaries ten, but first quill minute ; bill straight, nasal feathers erect or 

 inclined backward ; nostrils with conspicuous nasal scale. Adults in sii7n- 

 mer : glossy greenish or purplish black, speckled with huffy brown and 

 whitish ; wing- and tail feathers largely edg-ed with brownish buff ; bill 

 yellow. Adults in winter : upper parts light brown; under parts whitish, 

 spotting- often so conspicuous as to obscure the underlying- green and 

 purple. Length: 7.50-8.00, wing- 5.00-5.10, tail 2.()0-2.1)0,'bill .1)5-1.00. 



Distribution. — Europe and Asia ; accidental in Greenland. Introduced 

 about New^ York city and in the vicinity of Portland. Oregon. 



Nest. — In holes in trees or about buildings. Eggs : 4 to 7, pale green- 

 ish blue or bluish white. 



FAMILY ICTERIDJE: BLACKBIRDS. ORIOLES. ETC. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Bill short and conical. 



.Km\ Maj 2. Tail feathers stiff and pointed. 

 0\ rmh Dolichonyx, p. 286. 



Fig. 350. 2'. Tail feathers normal. Fig. 351. 



8. Four outer primaries cut out . . Callothrus, p. 288. 



3. Primaries normal Molothrus, p. 287. 



Fig. 35-->. 

 r. Bill not short and conical. 



2. Tail feathers stiff and pointed. 



Sturnella, p. 292. 

 2'. Tail feathers not stiff and pointed. 



3. Tail graduated and folded laterally. 



Quiscaliis. p. oOl 



3'. Tail niainly even, not fohh'd laterally. 



\ 

 Fig. .35,5. 



4. Feet weak, for perching Icterus. p. 203 



4'. Feet strong, for walking. a 



5. Claws of side toes reaching beyond middle toe ; ,' ^ 



males in summer black witli yellow heads. •^^"^^-:^ 

 Xanthocephalus, p. 2ss. 



