ICTERIIhE — THE UliloI.ES. J^Q 



Icterus bullocki, Bon. 



BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. 



Xanthornus Imllocli, Sw. Syn. Mex. liinls, Taylor's Phil. Mrg. I. 18i7, 436. Afjehnus 

 bullocki, UicH. U*'i». liiit. Assoc. I^:j7. Idtras bulhiki, H« N. lA>t. lf<:is. - Aid. Oin. 

 liiog. V, 1831», *J, i>ls. t irlxx:;vni and cctHXX.xiii. — Ib. IJi ds Atii. IV, 1^4-2, 43, j.l. 

 ccxviii. — Newbkkuy, liii>. P. K. H. VI, iv, 1857, 87. ltAii:i>, liinls N. Am. 18j8, 

 549. -M.vx. CiiKui. .1. VI, 1S5S, 2'>9. — Lonin Pr. It. A. Inst. IV, li'l. - Cooi-kk 

 & SUCKLEY, 209. — SCL.\TKU & S.VLVIX, Kx, Olli. I, 1S09, 18S (diaf^lKtsis). — CooiT.Jt, 

 Orii. Cal. I, 187<», 273. PsiirocoUiis uuriaiUis, Maxim. litist! Xoidani. I, l831t, 3(;7 

 (Fort Pienv, Neb.), llijiihaidcs b., Cas.s. Pr. A. N. S. 18G7, «J2. — IIkkk.m. X, .V, .".2 

 (nest). 



Sp. Ciiau. Tail very sliuhtly f^riuUiuttMl. Upper part of ilm head and neok, l>a<-k, 

 wings, two central tail-feathers, line from biise of bill thron<j:li the eye to tiie Vtlaek of the 

 nape, and a line from the base of the bill rnnnincr to a point on the throat, black. Under 

 i»arts o-enerallv, sides of head and neck, forehead and line over the eve. rest of tail- 

 featiiers, rump, and upper tail-coverts, yellow-oran<re. A broad band on the winus, 

 involvin<^ the greater and middle coverts, and the outer edges of the tpiills, white. 

 Young male with tlie black replaced by greenish-yellow, that on the throat peisistent ; 

 female without this. The first plumage of the young dilVers from that of bttJtimore in 

 being more whitish beneatli ; lighter olive above, and without dark spots on back; white 

 of middle and greater coverts connected by white edges of the latter. Length, about 

 7..")0 inches; wing, 3.S(>. 



Hab. High Central Plains to the Pacific ; rare on Upper Missouri; south into Mexico. 

 City of Mexico (Scl. & Salv. 18G9, 3(;2). 



A closely allied ^lexican species is /. ahcillci ot Lesson, differing princi- 

 pally in having tlie sides and rnnip black. 



Habits. Bidlock's Oriole, the western counterpart of the eastern Balti- 

 more, is found throughout the Pacific shore, from the great Central Plains to 

 the ocean, and from Washington Territory to ^le.xico. It is not given hy 

 Sumiclirast as occurring in Vera Cruz, where its place is taken, as a migrant, 

 hv the Baltimore. It was not noticed by ^Ir. Urcsser on the Bio (Irande, 

 but in Arizona it was found bv Dr. Coues to be a common sunnner resident. 

 It was there seen to frequent, almost exclusively, the willows and cotton- 

 woods of the creek-bottoms. To the small twigs of these trees its pensile 

 nests were usually attached. It is said to arrive in Arizona late in April, 

 and to remain tliere nearly through September. 



In the survey of the Mexican boundary Dr. Kennerly met with this 

 species in passing through Guadaloupe canon, where it was often seen, but 

 it was ol)served at no other point on the route. It seemed to prefer the 

 low bushes on the hillside to the large trees. In its motions it was quick 

 and restless, passing rapidly from bush to bush. 



In Washington Territory this species is stated by Dr. Suckley to be more 

 abundant in the sparsely wooded districts of the eastern base of the Cascade 

 Mountains than in the Coast Eange. He found it exceedingly abundant at 

 Fort Dalles and along the eastern base of ^It. Adams. They arrive about 



