228 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family STURNIDiE. — The Starlings. 



Char. General characters of tlie Icteridct, but with a rudimentary first primary, 

 inakin<j the total number ten. 



The introduction of this family into the present work is required by the 

 oicurrence of tlie typical species, Sturnus vuhjaris, in Greenland, although 

 it otherwise characterizes the Old World exclusively. There are several 

 subfamilies, principally African and East Indian {Lamprotornithina\ Ba- 

 phaii'tna^ Sturniacv, and Graculiiia), some of them of very brilliant plum- 

 age. 



The Sturnidce in many respects constitute a natural stage of transition 

 from the Ictcridm to the Corvidcc, through the Jays. 



Genus STURNUS, Linx^us. 



Stumiis, hiss. Syst. Nat., I, (ed. 10,) 1758, 167. (Type, ^S". vulgaris.) 



Gen. Char. Bill long, conical, much depressed; the culmen, gonys, and commissure 

 nearly straight^ the latter angulated at base. Wings, twice length of tail ; much pointed. 



StuTHus vulgaris. 



the primaries graduating rapidly from the second, the first being rudimentary, the secon- 

 daries much shorter. Tail nearly even ; the feathers acuminate. Tarsi short ; about equal 

 to middle toe ; lateral toes equal. Plumage coarse and stifi*, each feather distinctly outlined. 



The bill of Stv.rnus is very similar to that of Sturnella, although less in- 

 flected at the edges. The shorter tarsi, much longer wings, with the inner- 

 most secondaries much less than the primaries, etc., readily distinguish the 

 two families. 



