ICTEUID.E — THE UUlOLES. 147 



Family ICTERID^. — The Ohioles. 



Cn.VR. Primarios nine. Tarsi sciitcUate anteriorly ; plated behind. Bill long, generally 

 eqnal to the head in- lun<'er, strai<;ht or yentlv eurved, conical, without anv notch, the 

 commissure bending downwards at an obtuse angle at the base. Gonys generally more 

 than half the euhncn. no bristles about the base of bill. Basal joint of the middle toe 

 free on the inner side ; united half-way on the outer. Tail rather li>ng. rounde<l. Legs 

 stout. 



Tliis fainilv is strictlv confined to tlie Xew World, and i.s elosolv related 

 in many of its members to the Frin<iiUi(.la\ Both have the anj'idated com- 

 missure and the nine primaries ; the l)ill is, however, usually much longer ; 

 the rictus is completely witliout bristles, and the tip of the bill without 

 notch. . 



The affinities of some of the genera are still closer to the family of 

 SturnUlcv or Starlings, of which tlie Stnnius vuUjaris may be taken as the 

 type. The latter family, is, lio\\'ever, exclusively Old World, except for the 

 occurrence of a species in Greenland, and readily distinguished by the con- 

 stant presence of a rudimentary outer primary, making ten in all. 



There are tliree subfamilies of the Ictcrith:, — the Af/e/aincv, the Ickrino', 

 and the QuUca/inoj} which may be diagnosed as follows, although it is 

 difficult to define them with precision : — 



Agelainae. Bill shorter than, or about equal to, the head ; thick, conical, both mandibles 

 about equal in depth ; the outlines all more or less straight, the bill not decurved at tip. 

 Tail rather short, nearly even or slightly rounded. Legs longer than the head, adapted 

 for walking ; claws moderately curved. 



Icterinae. Bill rather blender, a^jc^.it as long as the liead; 'either straiuht or decfirved. 

 Lower mandible less thick than the npper ; the commissure not sinuated. Tarsi not 

 longer than the head, nor than middle toe; legs adapted lor perching. Claws much 

 curved. 



Quiscalihae. Tail lengthened, considerably or excessively graduated. Bill as long as, 

 or longer than, the head; th«* culmen cur\ed towards the enil. the tip bent down, the 

 cutting edges inflexed, the commissure sinuated. Legs longer than the head, fitted for 

 walking. 



•o* 



* It is an interesting fact in regard to the species of Icterida\ that, as a general nde, female 

 birds of West Indian representatives of the Afjchriiuv and QiiismUmv are usually, or iK^'rhai)s 

 universally, luiiformly black, where the continental are brown, cither concolored or streaked. We 

 know of no exception to the first part of this statement as to A'phiius, Xcsopmr, Scolecopltagns, 

 and Quiscalus. The smaller North American species of Qid-icahis have the females duller, but 

 not otherwise veiy different from the males, except in size. The females of the large Quiscfdus, 

 all continental, are much smaller than the males, and totally different. In IdcrKs all the species 

 in which the female is very difieri'nt m color from the male are Xorthern Mexican or continental 

 North Amerii'an (pttsfulnfus, spun'us, balfimorc, Jndlocki, ciirnlJafu.H, etc.>. Most West Indian 

 Icterus also exliibit no ditierence in the sexes, dominiccnsia, hffpomcla% xanthomu.s, honance, etc. ; 

 in one alone {feucopferifx) is the difference appreciable. The South American species have the 

 females pretty generally similar to the males, but smaller, as is the ca.se in the entire family. 



