ICTEIIID.E — THE ORIOI.HS. jyj) 



of its articuliitioii its sdhi,' is Inudly oxcuilcd, rcsi'iiililiii;,' very iiciuly i\n>. 

 song of tlio Wood Tlirusli. Mr, I!i(l,u\v;iy (IcsciUh's lis iiKMluliiUniis us ox- 

 prossud liy tlio syllalilcs t u ii;i-l n mj-l n itijidi-l il'lah-t il' loli-l n laj, ciicli imtc^ jiow- 

 erfiil iiiitl tlistiiict. Tlie (lill'd'cncc lictwi'cu the (illu-r luitcs of llic twn liiids 

 is .slili j^rc'iitui' tiiiin in tlicir sonji;, and ovt;n in eliiiracU'r tlii-si! aiv iiuL alike. 

 In the ne<jliilii liic cail-nnti' (if watchiiilness or alarm is a Imid, (U'cii-loiu'd 

 tiirh, similar to tin; rhinh of tin; I'.lackliird, l)iil nnicli loiidi'r and moro nu'tallic. 

 Tliat of synipatliy I'oi' the yonnj;, or anxiety wlien tiu! iicst is aii|iroacIi(Mi, is 

 11 loud, liiinid ////'/■, sliulitly rcsumlilin^f tliu coniiplainini; not(( oi' the (sastern 

 l>liiol»ird, and also o|' the Orchard Oriole. All of its notes are of a |io\ver 

 correspontliiin' to the si/e of the liird. 



Mr. lli(ij;\vay also notices inijiortant diiferenees in their llii^ht. That of 

 the ea.stern species is carried on hy an necasioiial spasmodic heat or jerk of 

 the wings, which are then extended, tlie hird sailing a short distance. The 

 llight of the western Lark is niiicli more irregular, the hird Hitting along hy 

 ii tremhling ilutter of the A\ings, never assuming tiies(i ]ieculiar features. 



An egg of this species, collected hy J)r. Cooper in Washington Territory, 

 June lit, 1856, niea.sures 1.20 inches in lengtli and .SlJ in lireadlh. It is of 

 an ohlong-oval shajie, ohtuscs ; the ground \\ iiite, s]iaringly sjjotted witli a 

 very dark pin'])le, most of the markings heing at the larger end. Three eggs 

 from Arizona, collected hy Dr. I'almer, measure 1. 10 incdies hy .SO. The 

 markings are of nuich lighter shades of lilac, jjurjile, and ])nrjdisli and red- 

 di.sh-lirown. The markings are more geiieridly diffused, liut jiredoniinate at 

 the huger end. An egg from the Vellow.stone, (Milleeled hy ^Mr. Audul)on, is 

 unusually pointed at one end, measures l.l:! inches hy ..S"J. The spots 

 are a dark pur]dish-hrown, intermingled with .suudler and lighter dottings 

 of reddish-l)rown. Kggs from California do not vary essentially in their 

 markings from tho.se of Arizona, and have an average measurement of 1.10 

 inches by .85. As a general rule, the mottling of the eggs of the western 

 bird is finer than that of the eastern. 



Subfamily ICTEBIN^. 

 Gknls icterus, Alct. 



Iflmii, Ruis.soN, R. A. ITfiO. — OiiAV, fJciii'iii. 



Xinillionitin, CiiviKl!, Li'v'. Anat. Coiiiii. 1800. — (liiAV, fliMiora. 



PcmbiUiius, Vliai.Lor, Aiinlysc, 181(i. 



Vplmiilin, VlKILI.oT, Aiiiilysi', 181G. — (!i;.\v, fli iutii. 



Okm. Ciiai!. Bill .slender, clonirntod, as Ioult as (lie liead, iiciici'ally a little donurved, 

 and very acMite. Tarsi not lonfjci- than the; niiddli" toe, nor than tlio head; elaw.s short, 

 nincli carved ; outer lateral toe a little longer than the inner, I'eachinir a little heyond base 

 of middle toe. Feet adapted lor perching. Tail ronnded or jrr.iduated. Prevailing colors 

 yellow or orange, and black. 



The species of this subfamily are all as strikingly characterized by 



