ISG AGEL/EUS PHCENICEUS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 



ii few feet of one's bead. The animals appear to rather like the birds, 

 and suffer tliein to i)erch in a row upon their back-bones, doubtless find- 

 ing the scratching of their feet a comfortable sensation, to say nothing 

 of the riddance from insect parasites. 



A singular point in the history of this species is its unexplained dis- 

 appearance, generally in July, from many or most localities in which it 

 breeds. Where it goes, and for what purpose, are unknown ; but the 

 fact is attested by numerous observers. Sometimes it reappears in 

 September in the same places, sometimes not. Thus, in Northern Da- 

 kota, I saw none after early in August. 



AGEL^^US PHCENICEUS, (Linn.) Vieill. 

 Eed-winged Blackbird. 



a. phceniceus. 



Oriolus phceniceus, Linn., Svst. Nat. i, 1766, 161.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 386.— Lath., 

 IncL Oru. i, 1790, 428. 



Agelmis jfhccniceus, Vieill., "Analyse, 1816."— Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxiv, 539. — 

 Gray, Geu. of B. ii, 347 ; List of Brit. B. 186.'5, 92 (said to be accidental in 

 Eusrland).— Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 280.— Bp., List, 1838, 30; Consp. i, 

 1850, 430.— AuD., Syn. 1839, 141 ; B. Am. iv, 1842, 31, 216.— Gm., B. L. I. 1844, 

 141._WooDii., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 80.— Scl., P. Z. S. 1857, 205 ; 1859, 58, 381 ; 

 Cat. 1862, 133 (Orizaba; Guatemala).— Scl. & Salv., Ibis, i, 1859, 19 (Guate- 

 mala).— Duess., Ibis, 180T), 492 (Texas).- Maxim., J. f. O. vi, 1858, 263.— Bd., 

 B. N. A. 1858, 526; Mes. B. Surv. ii, 1859, pt. ii, 18.— Kenn., P. R. R. Rep. x, 

 1859, iv, 30.— Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. vii, 1859 (Bahamas).— Coop. »S: Suck., 

 N..H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 207.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 169.-Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 

 1866, 90.— Lawr., Auu. L^c. N. Y. ix, 1868, 104 (Costa Rica).— Sumich., Mem. 

 Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 553 (Orizaba).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 261.--Trippe, Pr. Es.s. 

 Inst, vi, 1871, 117 (Minnesota).- Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 284 (Florida); 

 iii, 1872, 178 (Kansas to Utah).— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 465.— 

 Merr., ibid. 1872, 686.— Snow, B. Kaus. 1873, 8.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 

 90 (Arizona) ; Key, 1872, 156, pi. 4.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 159, pi. 33, f. 

 1, 2, 3 ; and of late authors generally. 



Icterus phamcens, Daiid. — Light., Verz. 1823, No. 128.— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 68; 

 Syn. 1828, 52.— Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 169.— Aud., Orn, Biog. i, 1831, 348; v, 1839, 

 487 ; pi. 67. 



Psarocolius phaniceus, Wagl., Syst. Av. 1827, No. 10. 



Sturnus prcdatorius, Wils., Am. Orn. iv, 1811, 30, pi. 30, fig. 1. 



b. assimilis. 



Agdaius assimilis, Gundl., J. f. O. iv, 12 ; Pr. Bost. Soc. vi, 316 (Cuba, breeding). 

 AgelcEus phceniceus var. assimilis, B. B. <fe R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 159. 



c. gubernator. 



Psarocolius gubernator, Wagl., Isis, 1832, 281. 



Agdaius gubernator, Bp., Comp. and Geog. List, 18.38,30; Cousp. i, 1850,430. — Aun., 

 Svu. 1839, 141 : B. Am. iv, 1842, 29, pi. 215.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 89 (Cali- 

 fornia).— Scl., P. Z. S. 1857, 127, 213; 1859, 365; Cat. 1862, 136 (Xalapa).— 

 Newr., p. R. R. Rej). vi, 1857, 86 (California).— Bd., ibid, ix, 529.— Kenn., ihid. 

 X, 1859, pt. iv, 31.— 1Ieer:\i., ibid. pt. vi, 53.— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 263. 



Icterus gubernator, Nutt., Man. i, 2d ed. 1840, 187. 



Agclams phwniceus var. gubertiator, Coues, Key, 1872, 156.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 

 163, pi. 33, i; 4, 8. 



d. tricolor. 



Icterus tricolor, Nutt., Mau. i, 2d ed. 1840, 186.— AuD., Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 6, pi. 388. 



AgelcBus tricolor, Bp.. Comp. and Geog. List, 1838, 30; Consp. i, 1850, 430. — Aud., Svn. 

 1839, 141; B. Am. iv, 1842, 27, pi. 214.— Woodil, Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 80.— Newr., 

 P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 86.— Bd., ibid, ix, 1858, 530; Mex. B. Surv. ii, 1859, pt. ii, 

 18 (Colorado River).- Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866.— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 265.— 

 B. B. &. R., N. A. B., ii, 1874, 165, pi. 33, f. 5, 6, 7. 



Agelceus phceniceus var. tricolor, Coues, Key, 1872, 156. 



