182 Catalogue of the Birds of Illinois. 



an indefatiguable songster, whose notes, while kicking melody or sweetness, 

 are, however, not unpleasing, and are variously interpreted as " Dick- 

 cissel," "Judas Iscariot," &c., whence some of its various local names. The 

 male having a yellow breast, adorned with a black shield-shaped spot, and 

 thereby much resembling the Meadow Lark in color, while its haunts are the 

 same, it is not unfrequently known as the " Little Field Lark." Its eggs, of a 

 uniform pale blue, without markings of any kind, very closely resemble those of 

 the common Bluebird (Skilia sialis.) 



Family ICTERID^.— American Starlings. 



Genus Dolichonyx, Swainson. 



/ *127. Z). or</2(>orMs (Linn.) Sw. Bob-o-link. Summer sojourner north- 



ward; transient southward. The m.ale in spring plumage frequently called 

 "Skunk Blackbird." 



Genus Molothkus, Swainson. 



^H-l ^^ *128. M. ater (Bodd.) Gray. Cow Blackbird. Resident southward; 

 summer sojourner northward. Sometimes known as "Clod-hopper," from the 

 habit, which it possesses in common with other "blackbirds," of following the 

 ploughman. The only one of- our birds which never builds a nest, but habitu- 

 ally deposits its eggs in the nests of other birds. 



Genus Xanthocephalus, Bonaparte. 



*129. X. icierocephalus {Bp.)'Ba,u'd. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Summer 

 sojourner; occasionally resident southward, confined to the prairie districts. 



Genus Agel^us, Vieillot. 



*130. A. pJioenicetis (Linn.) Vieill. Red-winged Blackbird. Resident 

 southward; summer sojourner northward. 



Genus Sturnella, Vieillot. 



//// *13L S. magna (Linn.) Sw. Meadow Lark. Resident; universally dis- 

 tributed. 



*132. S. neglecta, Aud. Western Meadow Lark. Resident. Strictly a 

 prairie bird; closely resembling the preceding in all respects except voice, the 

 notes being all exceedingly different, and the song very far superior. 



Genus Icterus, Brisson. 



'• *133. I. galhula (Linn.) Cones. Baltimore Oriole. Summer sojourner. 

 The most common appellation of this familiar and brilliant species is " Hang- 

 ing-bird" but it is also known as the " Hang-nest," " Golden Oriole," " Golden 

 Robin," "Fire-bird," &c. 



*134. /. spurius (Linn.) Bp. Orchard Oriole. Summer sojourner. More 

 abundant south than the preceding. 



Genus Scolecophagus, Swainson. 



135. S. ferrugineus (Gmel.) Sw. Rusty Blackbird. Transient, some- 

 times wintering southward. 



