546 



U. S. p. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



ICTERUS CUCULLATUS, Swain son. 



Hooded Oriole. 



Iclcrus aicullalus, Swainson, Pliilos. Mag. I, 1827, 436 —Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. V, May, I85I, UC, (first 



introduced into fana of United States.) — Cassin, 111. I, ti, 1853, 42 ; pi. viii. 

 Pendulinus cucullatus, Bon. Consp. 1850, 433. 



Sp. Cii. — Botli mandibles much curved. Tail much graduated. Wings, a rather narrow band across the back, tail, and a 

 patch starting as a narrow frontal band, involving the eyes, anterior half of clieek, chin, and throat, and ending as a rounded 

 patch on the upper part of breast, black. Rest of body orange yellow. Two bands on the wing and the edges of the quills 

 wliite. 



Female without the black patch of tlic throat ; the upper parts generally yellowish green, browner on the back. 



Length, 7.50; wing, 3.25. 



Hab. — Valley of Lower Rio Grande, soulhward. 



In this species the bill is slender towards the attenuated acute tijj ; both mandibles consider- 

 ably curved downwards. Third and fourth quills longest ; fifth scarcely shorter ; first less 

 than the sixth. Tail rather long, cuneate, tlie feathers much graduated; the outer an inch 

 shorter than the inner. 



The orange color varies in diff'erent parts of the body, being much redder on the head and 

 breast ; the orange feathers are white towards the base, and pass through yellow to the tints at 

 the tip. The tibia and under wing coverts are yellow. The tail feathers are black, though 

 their extreme concealed bases are light yellow ; each one has a slight brownish white tijJ. The 

 upper white baud on the wing is formed by the lower series of secondary covert feathers, 

 which are white to their bases ; the second band across the edges of the greater coverts is much 

 narrower. Tlie quills are entirely black. The black mark on the head has the eye in its 

 posterior upper corner. The black band on the back is about an incli long. The bill is blacky 

 but plumbeous at the base of the lower mandible. The eye is said to be brown. 



This species somewhat resembles /. mesomelas, (PsarocoUus mesomelas, Wagler, Isis, 1829, 

 Too) ; the latter, however, has a much stouter bill ; the colors clear yellow instead of orange^ 

 except on the head ; the wing coverts yellow, not black, and the wings without white ; the tail 

 feathers chiefly yellow, not black, &c. 



List of specimens. 



Locality. 



When collected 



Mar. 



1853 



Charco Escondido, 

 Tamaiilipas, Mc.\. 



Tamaulipas ' do 



...do ' April 



do I Mar.—, 1858 



Mexico 



Whence obtained. 



Lt. Couch , 



-do. 



do. 



do 



M. Verrcaux. 



Grig. 

 No. 



S3 



91 



159 



90 



Length. 



8.00 



7.50 

 7.75 

 7. 25 



Stretch 

 of wings. 



9.75 

 10.00 



Wing. 



10.00 3.25 



10. OU , J. 25 



3.00 

 3.25 



Remarks. 



Eyes dark brown. 



