)2. 
EE —— 
ICTERIDA — STURNELLINA): MEADOW STARLINGS. 405 
interruptedly to or towards the belly; some feathers around vent, and the tibie, usually yellow 
also. A large white patch on the wing, formed by the primary and many of the greater second- 
ary coverts, interrupted by black of the bastard quills. Bill and feet black. Length 10.00- 
11.00; extent 16.50-17.50; wing about 5.50; tail 4.50; bill 0.75-1.00; tarsus 1.25. In less 
perfect dress, the yellow overcast with dusky. 9, adult: Dark brown, including back of head 
and neck ; line over eye, throat and breast dull yellow, with dusky maxillary streaks; usually 
there are whitish feathers in the yellow, and sometimes the same in the black of breast. No 
white wing-patch. Bill dark brownish horn-color; feet blackish. Much smaller. Length 
8.00-9.50; extent scarcely 14.00; wing under 5.00; tail under 4.00. Nestlings are snufty- 
brown; the sprouting wing-feathers black, already showing white; feet flesh-color. It is use- 
less to pursue the endless color varia- 
tions ; the species is unmistakable. 
Western U. 8. and British Provinces 
to 58°; E. regularly to Illinois, Iowa, 
Wisconsin, ete., casually to Pennsyl- 
vania, Massachusetts and Greenland ; 
S. into Mexico ; migratory, very abun- 
dant. Its distribution is general on the 
prairies, but irregular; it flocks about 
ranches and settlements, and collects in 
colonies to breed in marshy spots, any- 
where in its general range. Nest a 
light but large thick-brimmed fabric 
of dried reeds and grasses, slung to 
growing ones, 5-6 inches in diameter, 
about as deep; eggs 3-6, 1.00-1.15 
ES hd | 
, 
long by 0.75 broad; grayish-green, t nn 
spotted, as in Scolecophagus, with red- Fic. 260. — Yellow-headed Blackbird, reduced. (Sheppard 
dish-brown, not scrawled as in Ageleus. el. Nichols sc.) 
A fine large species, conspicuous by its yellow head among the several blackbirds that troop 
together in the West. 
\ 
"4 
23. Subfamily STURNELLINA: Meadow Starlings. 
If the marsh blackbirds, orioles, and crow blackbirds be respectively entitled to represent 
subfamilies of Icteride, the meadow starlings seem to be equally entitled to such distinction ; 
and I find that by making Stwrnella (with Trupialis) the type of a subfamily, the Agel@ine are 
susceptible of better definition. The characters are included under head of the type genus. 
STURNELILA. (Irregular dimin. of Lat. stwrnus, a starling. Fig. 261.) Mrapow Larks. 
(Name ‘‘lark” objectionable and misleading, but apparently ineradicable.) A remarkable 
genus of Icteride. Bill along culmen longer than head, shorter than tarsus; depth at base 
about 4 the length; outlines about straight above and below, and along commissure to the 
strong bend near its base. Culmen flattened throughout, extending broad and far into feathers 
of forehead ; laterally, the frontal feathers reaching the narrow scaled nostrils. Inner lateral 
toe rather longer than outer, claw of neither reaching base of middle claw. Hind toe long, with 
a great claw twice as large as the middle one. Feet very large and stout, reaching beyond the 
end of the tail when outstretched ; eminently fitted for terrestrial locomotion. Wings short and 
much rounded; little difference in lengths of lst-5th quills; enlarged inner secondaries nearly 
covering them in closed wing. Tail very short, rounded, of narrow, acute feathers. Feathers 
of crown stiffish, bristle-tipped. No other genus approaches Sturnella, excepting Trupialis, 
