228 



NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family STURNID^. — The Starlings. 



Char. General characters of the Icterida;, but with a rudimentary first primary, 

 making the total number ten. 



The introduction of this family into the present work is required by the 

 occurrence of the typical species, Sturnus vulgaris, in Greenland, although 

 it otherwise characterizes the Old World exclusively. There are several 

 subfamilies, principally African and East Indian {LamprotornithincB, Bu- 

 phagince, Sturnince, and Graculinm), some of them of very brilliant plum- 

 age. 



The Stiirnido} in many respects constitute a natural stage of transition 

 from the Ideridce to the Corvidce, through the Jays. 



Genus STURNUS, Linn^us. 



Sturnus, Linn. Syst. Nat., I, (ed. 10,) 1758, 167. (Type, S. vulgaris.) 



Gen. Char. Bill long, conical, much depressed; the culmen, gonys, and commissure 

 nearly straight^ the latter angulated at base. Wings, twice length of tail ; much pointed, 



V J- 



Sturnus vulgaris. 



the primaries graduating rapidly from the second, the first being rudimentary, the secon- 

 daries much shorter. Tail nearly even ; the feathers acuminate. Tarsi short ; about equal 

 to middle toe ; lateral toes equal. Plumage coarse and stiff, each feather distinctly outlined. 



The bill of Sturnus is very similar to that of Stiirnella, although less in- 

 flected at the edges. The shorter tarsi, much longer M'ings, with the inner- 

 most secondaries much less than the primaries, etc., readily distinguish the 

 two families. 



