318 



BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



"Sp. Chae. Feathers above dark brown, margined with brownish wliite, with a ter- 

 minal blotch of pale, reddish brown. Exposed portions of wings and tail v/ith trans- 

 verse bands, which, in the latter, are completely isolated from each other, narrow and 

 linear. Beneath yellow, with a Mack pectoral crescent. The yellow of the throat ex- 

 tending on the sides of the maxilla. Sides, erissum, and tibife very pale reddish brownv 

 or nearly white, streaked with blackish. Head with a light median and superciliary 

 stripe, the latter yellow in front of the eye ; a blackish line behind it. The transverse 

 bars on the feathers above (less so on the tail) with a tendency to become confluent near 

 the exterior margin. Length, 10 inches; wing.5.25; tail,3.25; bill.1.25." {Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Adult male. Wing, 4.40-5.10: tail. 3.30-3.50; culmen, 1.18-1.40; bill, from nostril. ,85-,90; 

 tarsus, 1.30-1.45; middle toe, 1.10-1.15. 



Adult female. Wing, 4.35-4.45; tail, 3.05-3.10; hill, from nostril, .80-85; tarsus, 1.25-1.35; 

 middle toe, 1.05-1.10. 



Adult males shot by the writer in Nevada, measured, when fresh, 

 as follows : Total length, 9.75-10.25 ; extent, 16.00-17.00 ; maxilla and 

 tip of mandible, black ; basal two thirds of the mandible, and pos- 

 terior three fourths of the maxillary tomium, pure pale blue ; iris; 

 brown; legs and feet uniform, delicate, pale, ashy lilaeeous. 



According to Mr. E. W. Nelson {Bull. Essex Inst. Vol. VIII., 1876, 

 p. iii), the Western Meadowlark is "a regular but rather rare sum- 

 mer resident upon prairies'' in the northeastern portion of the State, 

 and he conjectures that it "is probably a common summer resident 

 upon the prairies in the western portion." He records "a fine speci- 

 men" in the collection of Mr. A. W. Brayton, "taken near Chicago the 

 last of May, 1876," and among Mr. H. K. Coale's notes I find an 

 entry reading "Englewood, May, 1876," which, however, may possibly 

 refer to the same specimen. On the prairies of Kichland county I 

 have, on a few occasions, heard its unmistakable song, but have never 

 been able to obtain a specimen. 



Genus ICTERUS Bkisson. 



Icterus Bbiss. Orn. ii, 1760, 85. Type (by elimination), Oriolus icterus Limf. 

 Pendnlinus Vieill. Analyse, 1816, 13. Type, Oriolus spurius Linn. 

 YphautesyxEiiAj. Analyse, 1816, 33. Type, Oriolus t)altimore'Lvsn. [Coracias galhula) 

 Ltnn. 



"Gen. Chae. Bill slender, elongated, as long as the head, generally a little decurved. 

 ,ind very acute. Tarsi not lunger than the middle toe, nor than the head; elaws short, 

 much curved; outer lateral toe a little longer than the inner, reaching a Uttle beyond 

 base of middle toe. Feet adapted for perching. Tail rounded or graduated. Prevailing 

 colors yellow or orange, and black." (Hist. JV. Am,. B.) 



The two species occurring within the field of this work belong to . 

 two rather distinct subgenera, which may be defined as follows : 



1. Yphantes. Bill rather stout, conical, the outlines very straight; tail slightly 

 rounded, much shorter than the wing. 



2. Pendulinus. Bill slender, decurved at the tip; ta,il graduated, about as long as the 

 wing. 



