CHAPTER VI. 



Family Icteridse. American Starlings. 



This family is restricted to America where it 

 represents the Sturnida of the Old World. It 

 comprehends one hundred and fifty species, pro- 

 bably about fifty being genuine, and embraced in 

 fifty genera or subgenera. In many parts, they 

 resemble the Fringillid<z\ while, in others, they 

 grade towards the Corvidce. It is a matter of con- 

 siderable difficulty to find a character that will 

 relegate the Bobolink and the Cowbird to the Ic- 

 teridce rather than to the Fringillidce . This group is 

 conveniently divisible into three subfamilies. In 

 all, the sexes are conspicuously dissimilar in size ' 

 and color; and in this country they are all migra- 

 ting. 



Subfamily Agelaeinae. Marsh Blackbirds. 



This subfamily embraces birds which have 

 powerful feet adapted both for walking and for 

 grasping; wings more or less acuminate equalling 

 or surpassing the tail in length; bill conical, acute, 

 with its cutting edges more or less inflected. The 

 species are granivorous, gregarious, and terres- 

 trial to a greater or less extent, being chiefly pa- 

 lustrine. They possess moderate vocal powers, 

 and build rude and non-pensile nests. 



