BIRDS — ICTERIDAE— TKOPIALIS M1LITARI8. 



533 



TRUPIALIS, Bonaparte. 



Trupialis, BoNAr. Conspectus, 1850, 439. Type Slumiu mitilaris, L. 

 PtzUts, Cabanis, Mu8. Hein. 1851, 191. Type S/umiu hyca, Mul. 



Cu. — Form of Slumilta. Bill elongated ; lenglli about two and a lialf times tlic height. Feathers on top of liead witli bristly 

 shalls. Tail feathers broad, widening at the ends ; the inner corner rounded ofl°. Hind toe nearly as long as the middle. 

 Above banded ; lliroat and beneath red, without any crescent. 



This genus, formerly united with Siurnella, is very similar, having the same general appear- 

 ance The bill is higher at the base, and more like Jgtlaius; it is longer than the head, and 

 about eciual to the tarsus. The tarsus is longer than tlie middle toe, which is scarcely longer 

 than the hinder. The toes are much shorter, the claws shariK-r and more curved, than in Siur- 

 nella. The tail is differently formed, being rather broad and rounded, with feathers widening 

 externally at the tip, instead of being formed of narrow, lanceolate, acute feathers, with the 

 outer web the same throughout. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



TRUPIALIS MILITARIS, Bonap. 

 Red-breasted Lark. 



Sturntis mU'ilaris, LixN. Mantissa, 1771, 527. — Cmelik, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 803. (Falklands.) 



Trupialis mililaris, Bonap. Consp. 1850, 429. 



PtzUttloyca, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 191. 

 Sp. Ch. — Bill lunger than the head ; shaped like SftiriieHa. First quill between fourth and fifth in length. Tail slightly 

 graduated ; the lateral feathers about .20 of an inch shorter. Above dark brown, each feather edged with yellowish brown ; 

 the cjcposed surfaces of wings, tail coverts, and tail almost an olive brown ; the rump grayer ; all banded narrowly and trans- 

 versely with dark brown, of which color are the concealed portions of wing and tail. A spot in front of the eye, bend of 

 ibings, extreme shoulder, with the under parts, red. The fides of the head, neck, and body, with the hinder part of the 

 abdomen and under tail coverts, black, the feathers edged with gray, and showing indistinct transverse bands. The red of the 

 chin passing up on the side of the lower jaw. A faint median, and conspicuous superciliary stripe, with the under wing coverts, 

 white. Tibia brown. Length, 9.50 ; wing, 4.90 ; tail, 4.10. 



Hot. — West coast of South America, around to Falkland Islands. Perhaps in Brazil. Coast of California.' 



In this species the blackish on the .side of the neck extends inwards so as to leave a very narrow 

 streak of red just on the upper part of the neck. The red extends nearly as far back as the 



