154 ICTERIDHZ, AMERICAN STARLINGS.— GEN. 87. 
guishes them from all our other families whatsoever; but the distinctions from the 
Fringillide are not easily expressed. In fact, I know of no character that, for 
example, will relegate the bobolink and cowbird to the Jcteride rather than to the 
Fringillide, in the current acceptation of these terms. In general, however, the 
Icteride are distinguished by the length, acuteness and not strictly conical shape of 
the unnotched, unbristled bill, that shows a peculiar extension of the culmen on the 
forehead, dividing the prominent antiz (p. 29, § 52) of close-set, velvety feathers 
that reach to or on the nasal scale. 
Among our comparatively few species are representatives of each of the three 
subfamilies into which the group is conveniently and probably naturally divisible. 
In most of them, black is predominant, either uniform and of intense metallic lustre, 
or contrasted with masses of red or yellow. In nearly all, the sexes are conspic- 
uously dissimilar, the female being smaller, and plain brownish or streaky in the 
iridescent black species, olivaceous or yellowish in the brilliantly colored ones. 
All are migratory in this country. 
Subfamily AGELALIN_A. Marsh Blackbirds. 
Gregarious, granivorous species, more or less completely terrestrial, and chiefly 
palustrine, not ordinarily conspicuous vocalists, building rather rude, not pensile, 
nests, laying 4—6 spotted or curiously limned eggs. With the feet strong, fitted 
both for walking and for grasping swaying reeds, the wings more or less pointed, 
equalling or exceeding the tail in length, the bill conic-acute, shorter or little longer 
than the head, its cutting edges more or less inflected. *,* In gen. 87, 91, the 
tail feathers are acute; in 91, the wing is unusually rounded for this family ; in 87, 
88, the bill has an ordinary fringilline character. 
87. Genus DOLICHONYX Swainson. 
Bobolink ; Northern States. Reedbird; Middle States. Ricebird; South- 
ern States. g, in spring: black; cervix buff; scapulars, rump and upper 
tail coverts ashy white; interscapulars streaked with black, buff and ashy ; 
outer quills edged with yellowish; bill blackish horn; feet 
brown. in fall, 9 and young, entirely different in color ; 
yellowish-brown above, brownish-yellow below, crown and 
back conspicuously, nape, rump and sides less broadly, 
streaked with black ; crown with a median and lateral light 
stripe; wings and tail blackish, pale-edged; bill brown. 
The ¢ changing shows confused characters of both sexes ; 
but in any plumage the species may be recognized by the 
stiffish, extremely acute tail feathers, in connection with 
these dimensions; length 63-74; wing 34-4; tail 23-3; 
tarsus about 1; middle toe and claw about 14. Eastern 
United States, very abundant. In its black livery, only worn for a short 
time, the “bobolink” is dispersed over the meadows of the Northern States 
to breed, and is a voluble, spirited songster. After the midsummer change, 
the “reedbird” or “ricebird” throngs the marshes in immense flocks, with 
the blackbirds ; has simply a chirping note, feeds on the wild oats, becomes 
extremely fat and is accounted a great delicacy. The name “ortolan,” 
VIG. 97. Bobolink. 
ea a 
