522 



U. S. P, R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



DOLICHONYX, Swain son. 



Dolichcnyx, Swainson, Zool. Journ. Ill, 1827, 351. Type Emberiza oryzivora, L. 



Ch. — Bill short, stout, conical, little more than half the head ; the commissure slightly sinuated ; the culmcn nearly straight. 

 Middle toe eonsiderablj' longer than the tarsus (which is about as long as the head); the inner lateral toe longest, but not 

 reaching the base of the middle claw. Wings long, first quill longest. Tail feathers acuminately pointed at the tip, with the 

 shafts stiffened and rigid, as in the woodpeckers. 



The peculiar characteristic of this species is found in the rigid scansorial tail and the very long 

 middle toe, by means of which it is enabled to grasp the vertical stems of reeds or other slender 

 plants. The color of the known species is black, varied with whitish patches on the upper 

 parts. 



In coloration, this genus bears a close relation to Calamospiza, although the other differences 

 are very decided. Both are black, with white patches on the wings. Dolichonyx has, in 

 addition, a white patch on the rump and a yellowish one on the nape. 



But one species is at present known to naturalists. 



Comparative measurements. 



DOLICHONYX ORYZIVORUS, Swain son. 



Bobliuk; Reed Bird; Rice Bird. 



Emlemaori/siTO™, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 176G, 311.— Gm. I, 1788, 850.— Wilson, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 48; pi. xii ; 



f. 1,2. 

 Passerina oryzivora, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. XXV, 1817, 3. 

 Dolichonyx oryzivora, Swainson, Zool. Jour. Ill, 1827, 35].— Ib. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 278.— Bon. List, 1838.— Ib. 



Conspectus, 1850, 437.— Aud. Syn. 1839, 139.— Ib. Birds Ainer. IV, 1842, 10 ; pi. 211.— 



GossE, Birds Jam. 1847,229. 

 Icterus agripennis, Bonap. Obs. Wils. 1824, No. 87.— Aod. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 283 : V, 1839, 486 ; pi. 54.— Nutt. 



Man. I, 1832, 185. 

 Icterus (Emberizoides) agripennis, Bon. Syn. 1828, 53. 

 Dolichonyx agripennis, Rich. List, 1837. 

 Psarocolius caudacutus, Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827, 32. 



Sp. Ch. — General color of male in spring black ; the nape brownish cream color ; a patch on the side of the breast, the 

 scapulars and rump white, shading into light ash on the upper tail covers and the back below the interscapular region. The 

 outer primaries sharply margined with yellowish white ; the tertials less abruptly ; the tail feathers margined at the tips with 

 pale brownish ash. 



Female yellowish beneath ; two stripes on the top of the head, and the upper parts throughout, except the back of the neck 

 and rump, and including all the wing feathers generally, dark brown, all edged with brownish yellow, which becomes whiter 

 near the tips of the quills. The sides sparsely streaked with dark brown, and a similar stripe behind the eye. There is a 

 superciliary and a median band of yellow on the head. 



Length of male, 7.70 ; wing, 3.83 ; tail, 3.15. 



Hab. — Eastern United States to the high central plains. Seen 50 miles east of Laramie. 



