BIRDS — ICTERIDAE — AGELAIUS. 



525 



List of specimens. 



AGELAIUS, Vieillot. 



Ji%elaXus, Vieillot, "Analyse, 1816." Type Oriolus phoeniceus, L. 



Ch. — First quill shorter than second ; claws short ; the outer lateral scarcely reaching the base of the middle. Cultnen 

 depressed at base, parting the frontal feathers ; length equal to that of the head, shorter than tarsus. Both mandibles of equal 

 thickness and acute at tip, the edges much curved, the culmen, gonys, and commissure nearly straight or slightly sinuated ; the 

 length of bill about twice its height. Tail moderate, r ounded, or very slightly graduated. Wingspointed, reaching to end of 

 lower tail coverts. Colors black with red shoulders in North American species. 



The nostrils are small, oblong, overhung by a membranous scale. The bill is higher than 

 broad at the base. There is no division between the anterior tarsal scutellae and the single 

 plate on the outside of the tarsus. 



The Agelaius iderocephalus of North America (type of genus XanthocepJialus) differs from true 

 Agelaitis in a nearly even tail. The claws are considerably larger, and the inner lateral reaches 

 to the middle of the middle claw. The first primary is longest. 



