474 5 YS TEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — PA S SERES — OSCIXES. 



slightly less. As in the case of the eastern species, the Western Meadow Larks are affectionate 

 and faithful mates ; both sexes share the labors of nidification and incubation; the period of 

 the latter is 15 or Ifi days; the young leave the nest in two weeks or less, and run about before 

 they can fly, like young quails. 



Subfamily ICTERIN/E: American Orioles; Hang-nests. 



Non-gregarious, insectivorous, and frugivorous species, strictly arboricole ; of brilliant or 

 strikingly contrasted colors, and pleasing song ; distinguished as architects, constructing elabo- 

 rately woven pensile nests. Bill relatively longer, as well as slenderer and more acute than in 

 most Icteridce ; feet weaker, uon-gressorial, exclusively litted for perching. Three of our spe- 

 cies are migratory birds, abundant in summer; the rest merely reach our southern border from 

 tropical America, vA^here the subfamily focuses. Icterince number altogether about 40 spe- 

 cies, all referable to the genus Icterus, with the single exception of Gymnomystax melanic- 

 tems, a remarkable species with naked circumorbital region, commonly referred to AgelcBince, 

 but by Sclater brought under Icterince. In their modes of nidification Icterince agree with 

 Cassicince: and the extraordinary fabrics constructed by some members of both these sub- 

 families recall those of the Old World Ploceidce or Weaver-birds. To call our Icterince " Ori- 

 oles " is to misapply to them the name which belongs to Old World Oriolidce — an entirely 

 difi'erent family; but " Orioles " will they continue to be miscalled, to the end of ornithological 

 time. 



ICTERUS. (Gr. 'Urepos, ikteros, Lat. icterus, yellow. Fig. 320.) American Orioles. 

 Troupials. Hano-nests. Our single genus of the subfamily : characters practically the 

 same. Bill averaging as long as head (more or less) ; very acute, sometimes decurved. Feet 



fitted for perching, not for walking ; tarsus not longer 

 than middle toe and claw. Lateral toes, if not of equal 

 lengths, outer longest (the rule in Fringillidce ; in Icte- 

 ridce the reverse). Wings usually pointed and averag- 

 ing equal to (longer or shorter than) the rounded or 

 graduated tail. A large and beautiful genus of about 

 40 species, which vary much in details of form, but are 

 not easily divided otherwise than specifically. The 



colors are strikiue : ^ black with oranee or yellow, 

 Fig. 320.- BiU of an Oriole. „ , .,,.". . ,, , , , 



usually also with white ; in one species, bhick and chest- 

 nut. Sexes very unlike in some species, in others quite alike. ? 9 of several species closely 

 resemble one another, though $ ^ are very different. We have two eastern species ; one west- 

 ern ; three southwestern ; and one southern straggler. These seven species represent the three 

 current subgenera of the genus which, as Dr. Sclater observes, "may be used as a make- 

 shift " ; for when we come to consider the whole genus, we find the numerous species so vari- 

 ously interrelated that no satisfactory sections can be established. To iny eye. Icterus icterus 

 looks more different from all the rest than any of these are from one another. I also observe 

 that though Dr. Sclater and the A. 0. U. adopt the same three subgenera — Hyphantes (or 

 Yphantes), Pendulinus, and Icterus proper — these authorities disagree in the way they re- 

 spectively allocate the species under two of the three sections. My respect for the A. 0. U. 

 and B. 0. U. being equal, my patriotism must be allowed weight in a case in which I have no 

 prejudice and no preference. I accordingly follow the American method in the following sorry 



Analysis of Subgenera. 



Bill stoutly conic, straight ; its depth at base equal to half the leugtli of culmen Hyphantes 



(Species galbula and bullocki ; the cf black and orange.) 

 Bill slenderly conic, not quite straight ; its depth at base not equal to half the length of culmen . . . Pendulinus 



(Species spurius, cf black and chestnut ; and cucuUntit.'i. fj black and orange.) 



