ZOOLOGY. 207 



Several Towhe buntings have been obtained by me west of the Cascade mountains. In habits 

 hey almost precisely resemble the species found in the Atlantic States, affecting principally 

 brushy openings and swamjj thickets. A specimen, marked 156, got by me at Fort Dalles, has 

 on its label "Iris Orange." — S. 



Family ICTE HID AE .— T h e Trupials. 

 AGELAIUS PHOENICEUS, Vieillot. 



Swamp Blackbird ; Red-ivlu^ Blackbird. 



Oriolus phoeniceus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 161.— Gmelin, I, 17«JS, 336.— Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 42S. 

 Jlgdaius phoeniceus, " Vieillot, Anal. 1816."— Swainson, F. Bor.Ara. II, 1831, 280.— Bonap. List. 1838.— Ib . 

 Consp. 1850, 430.— AtiD. Syn. 1839, 141.— Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 31 ; pi. 216.— Baird, 

 Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 526. 

 Icterus phoeniceus. Light. Verz. 1828, No. 188.— Bon. Obs. Wils. 1824, No. 68.— Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 348; 



V, 1839,487; pi. 67. 

 PsarocoUus phoeniceus, VVagler, Syst. Nat. 1827, No. 10. 



Icterus {Xanthomas) phoenicew, Bonap. Syn. 1828, 52. — Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 167 ; 2d ed. 179. 

 Sturnus pradatorius, Wilson, Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 30 ; pi. xxx. 

 Eed-winged oriole, Pennant, Arctic Zool. II, 255. 

 Sr. Ch. — Tail much rounded ; the lateral feathers about half an inch shorter. Fourth quill longest; first about as long 

 as the fifth. Bill large, stout ; half as high, or more than half as high as long. 



Male, — General color uniform lustrous velvet black, with a greenish reileclion. Shoulders and lesser wing coverts of a 

 bright crimson or vermilion red. Middle coverts brownish yellow, and usually paler towards the lips. 



Female. — Brown above, the feathers edged or streaked with rufous brown and yellowish; beneath white, streaked with 

 brown. Fore part of throat, superciliary, and median stripe strongly tinged with brownish yellow. Length of male, 9 to 

 9.50; extent, 14 ; wing, 5; tail, 4.15. Female smaller. A winter specimen measured only 8.25 — 12.75; probably of a late 

 brood. 

 Hab. — United States, from Atlantic to Pacific. 



The red-wing blackbird is not so abundant in this Territory as in more open countries, and 

 s commonly to be found only about cultivated tracts. In the route of the expedition, after 

 leaving Fort Vancouver, we saw none until reaching the farms at Fort Colville, near the 49th 

 parallel, none apparently inhabiting the bare and mountainous prairie regions east of the Cascade 

 mountains. During winter at Vancouver I found this species only, remaining in small flocks 

 about stables and haystacks. They rarely visit the extensive salt meadows near the mouth of 

 the Columbia, but are more common about Puget Sound — mosth' near settlements, as usual. 

 Compared with the immense numbers, of five different species, seen in California, blackbirds 

 are only stragglers in this Territory. — C. 



The swamp blackbird is quite common west of the Cascade mountains, preferring, as in other 

 situations, the reedy borders of small lakes for its habitat. It arrives from the south in March. 



A specimen of A. gubcnmtor is mentioned by Baird in the General Report as having been 

 collected by Dr. Townsend on the Columbia river. I suspect that it is very rarely found so far 

 north, having never obtained it in Washington Territory myself, and I have never heard of any 

 being found there but the specimen above mentioned. It is there replaced by the red wing. — S- 



