RING OUSEL. 101 



thos-e covering the scapulars having a clear streak 

 along the shaft of yellowish white, and the feathers 

 of the wings are more deeply margined with 

 gray. Underneath, the throat is yellowish white, 

 sparingly marked with brownish black, and on 

 the breast, belly, and vent, each feather is varied 

 with alternate bars of yellowish white and black- 

 ish brown, giving a spotted or mottled appearance. 

 In the very young plumage, the feathers covering 

 the scapulars have the central streak more dis- 

 tinct, finishing broader towards the tip of the 

 feather. The length is from ten inches to ten and 

 a half. 



Our next British form will be seen in the 

 family Oriolina>,, containing many birds of very 

 splendid plumage. It is among these that we 

 have the beautiful Irena of the Indian islands, 

 and the Sericulus of New Holland, while the 

 members of the typical genus, distributed over 

 the old world, are clothed in brilliant yellow, 

 broken and interrupted by bold markings of deep 

 black. In form, the true Orioles are rather 

 strongly made, and all possess considerable 

 powers of flight. A minute account of the habits 

 of any species is still wanted, and we only know 

 that they frequent countries moderately wooded, 

 appear in small flocks when the season of incuba- 

 tion has passed, feed on soft insects, caterpillars, 

 fruits and berries, and display considerable care 

 in the structure and mechanism of their nest. 



