PASSERES. — STURNID^. 



BANANA-BIRD* 



Icterus leucopteryx. 



Oriolus icterus^ Linn. 



Oriolus Meocicanus, Leach. — Zool. Misc. i. pi. 2. 



Icterus leucopteryx^ Wagl. 



This pretty bird is a general favourite ; social 

 and confiding in his manners, without being saucy, 

 he frequents the fruit trees which are invariably 

 planted around a Jamaican homestead. On an 

 elevated tvdg he sits and cheers his mate with his 

 clear, melodious song, which he trills forth with 

 much energy. Sometimes his notes have consider- 

 able variety, and may properly be called a song ; 

 at others he whistles a quick repetition of two 

 clear notes which much resemble the words Tom 

 Paine, Tom Paine, if we attempt to enunciate them 

 in whistling. Again, it is a single note quickly 

 repeated, as when we whistle to call a dog. Besides 

 these, the Banana bird has other sounds, which 

 are very deceiving, and seem the result of imita- 

 tion. 



Fruit is his principal diet; a ripe banana, or 

 orange, a papaw, or a bunch of pimento, presents 

 temptations to him ; but perhaps still more ac- 



* Length 8| inches, expanse 13, flexure 4^, tail 3^, rictus 1, tarsus 1, 

 middle toe -^. Intestine 9 inches; two caeca, minute, ^ inch long. 

 Irides dark hazeh 



