474 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



453. Icterus spurius (Linnaeus). 



Two specimens : Dibulla and Fundacion. 



The Orchard Oriole is evidently a rare winter visitor in this region. 

 The first specimen was a female, shot at Dibulla on February 25, 1914, 

 and showing moult in progress on the crown and throat. A fine male 

 was taken at Fundacion on October 15, 191 5. This is a very inter- 

 esting specimen, showing the completion of the postnuptial moult in 

 the adult bird. The rectrices are about two-thirds grown, and the 

 wings retain only the two outermost primaries of the old dress. Be- 

 low the bird is exactly like spring specimens, but above it is very dif- 

 ferent, the hind crown, back of the neck, and back being heavily 

 overspread with buffy brown feather-tips, almost concealing the black 

 color underneath; the secondaries are broadly edged externally with 

 rusty chestnut, passing into buffy grayish terminally; and the rectrices 

 are also slightly tipped with buffy grayish. 



454. Icterus icterus ridgwayi Hartert. 



Icterus vulgaris (not of Daudin) Salvin and Godman, Ibis, 1879, 200 (Valle de 



Upar).— Sclater, Ibis, 1883, 369 (Valle de Upar, in range). — Sclater, Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mus., XI, 1886, 382 (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Valle 



de Upar). 

 Icterus icterus (not Oriolus icterus Linnaeus) Hartert, Ibis, 1893, 297 (" Santa 



Marta"; crit.). — Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.. XIII, 1900, 162 (Salvin 



and Godman's reference). — Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, II 



1902, 263 (Valle de Upar, in range). 

 Xanthomas icterus ridgwayi Hartert, Nov. Z06L, IX, 1902, 299 (" Santa 



Marta " ; crit). 



Eight specimens: Rio Hacha and Fonseca. 



Dr. Hartert, in describing this form from Curacao, suggested that 

 Santa Marta examples might be found to belong to it, which proves 

 to be the case upon comparison. A series from Tocuyo, in west- 

 central Venezuela, likewise belong here, but another from the State of 

 Carabobo are much nearer typical icterus, as defined by Dr. Hartert. 

 /. i. ridgtvayi not only has a larger, relatively slenderer bill than the 

 typical race, but is larger in all other dimensions, sex for sex, and 

 averages paler in coloration also. Females of either form may gen- 

 erally be distinguished from males by their smaller size and less bril- 

 liant colors. Immature birds (i.e., those in first nuptial plumage) 

 may be told by their browner, more worn wings (excluding the ter- 

 tiaries). 



