318 BIRDS OK ILLINOIS. 



"8r. CnAii. FriilliiTH aliovo durk brown, miir((iii<'<l wltli lirowiiihli wliiti-. with a lor- 

 miiiiil MnU-li nf piiK', ri'ildixli lirowii. Exr'>s''<l linrllons of winic>' <>nil tall with tninK- 

 vprm- Imiulx. which, In th<" lultiT, lire fiimpli'ti-ly l«olnt«<l from ■'ii«'h nihiT, narrow ami 

 Ihii'ar. Bunvatli yi-llow, with a black pectoral crcHcont. The yellow of the throat cx- 

 Icndlni; on the kIcIch of the maxilla. Sliles, crlHHiim. and tibin" very pale reddlhh brown, 

 or nearly wbito. streaked with blai'klAli. Head with a licbt median and xupiTcillnry 

 Klripi>. the latter yellow In front of tlii' eye: a blackish line behind it. The trnn»ver»<! 

 iMirw on the feathers aliovc (Ichh so on the taili with a tendency to become confluent near 

 •he exterior niarcln. I,,enBth. 10 inches; wlnR.5.1!S: tall. 3.25: blll.I.2S.' i//i»(. .V. .4i<i. «.i 



Ailiiltmnli'. WinK. 4.40-6.10: tail. :).»0-».,W: culnn'ii. 1.1k^I.4U: bill, from noHtril. .8I>-.90; 

 tarsus, l.;»-1.4.';: middle toe. 1.10-1.15. 



Arliill/evitili: Wing, 4.S.V4.45: tall. :t.05-:t.in: bill, from nostril, .80-.85: tarsus, 1.2r.-I.3.^: 

 middle toe. l.avi.ln. 



Ailiilt males shot Ky tlu' wiitiT in Nevada, lueasuretl, wlieii fri'sli, 

 as follows : Total length, 9.7r)-lU.-25 ; extent, 16.00-17.00 ; maxilla an.l 

 tip of niaiulilile, hlack ; basal two thirds of tiie mandihle, and pos- 

 terior t href fourths of the maxillary tomium, pure pale hhie; iris, 

 browii ; legs and feet unifonii, delicate, pale, ashy lilaceous. 



According to Mr. E. W. Nelson {Bull. E.tsi:r I)i.tt. Vol. YIII., 1876, 

 J), iii), the Western Meadowlark is "a regular but rather rare sum- 

 mer resident upon prairies" in the northeastern portion of the State, 

 and he conjectures that it "is probably a common summer resident 

 upon the prairies in the western portion." He records "a fine speci- 

 men" in the collection of Mr. A. W. Brayton, "taken near Chicago the 

 last of May, 1876," and among Mr. H. K. Coale's notes I find an 

 entry reading "Englewood, May, 1876," which, however, may possibly 

 refer to the same specimen. On the prairies of Hiciiland county I 

 have, on a few occasions, heard its unmistakable song, but have never 

 been able to obtain a specimen. 



Genvs icterus Brisson. 



Icterus Briss. Oru. ii, liiW, W, Type (by elimination), Oriolus ictenix Link. 

 Pendnlinus ViEiLl.. Analyse, 181t>, 13. Type, Oriolus spurius LlNN. 

 yjjAaiifps ViElLL. Analyse, 1816, 33. Type, Oriolus baltimorelAVH. iCoracinsgalbula) 

 LmN. 



"Gen. Cbab. Bill slender, elonitnted, as long as the head, geneniUy n little decurved, 

 ,ind very lu'ute. Tarsi not longer than the middle toe, nor than the hi-nd: claws short, 

 much cur\'ed: outer lateral toe a little longer than the Inner, reaching a little beyond 

 base ot middle toe. Feet adapted for perching. Tail rounded or Kra<luated. Prevailing 

 colors yellow or orange, and black." (//i.«^ .A". Am. lij 



The two species occurring within the field of this work belong to 

 two rather distinct suligenera, whicli may be defined as follows: 



1. Yphsntes. Hill rather stout, conical. Ihe outlines very straiglit: tail slightly 



rciundcd. much shorter tluui the wing. 

 1^ Pendulinns. Bill slender, deeurved ut the tip: mil graduated, about as long as the 



wing. 



