ICTERID.K-TIIK ORIOLES. 207 



heail nn.l iiofk. wliicli arc frlosscd wiili imrplisli-violot. Female much duUor, of a liirlii 

 lirownisli aiil<'iioily : a very I'aiiit siipciciliary sliipt-. Lciiijth about 10 int'lit's; wiug, 



r).;;o; tail, -i.io. 



IIai',. Iliirli Criilral I'laius lo llii' I'acil'K.'; sotilli to Mexico. I'iMiiliina. Minn.; S. 

 Illiu<iis (U'aliasli Co.; U. liiiniWAV) ; Matanioias and Sau .\iUonio. Tcxa.s (bri'i'ds ; 

 DiiKSSKii, Iliis, lS(i!», 49;!); I'iati'au of Mexico (very abundant, and resident; Sf.Mi- 

 ciiuAST, M. I!. S. I, .Vi;!). 



Autuiiiiial s^iecimons tk) iioL oxliibit the liroiid nisty edges of featlievs seoii 

 in S. /(■rri'(/iiici(,'i. 



The tV'iiiiiles and iiiiiiiatm-e males diller IVoui the adult iiiale.s in nnich the 

 .same points as X y(/v«///«t'«.s', e.xcept that the " rusty" markings are less 

 prominent and mmv. grayisli. The dillerences generally between the two 

 species are very api)recial)le. Thus, 111 S. <ifiiniiirji/i((h(s, tlie bill, thougli of 

 tlie .same length, is much higher and broader at the ba.se, as well as niueh 

 le.ss linear in its upptn- outline ; the point, too, is less deeurved. The size is 

 every way larger. Tlie purplish gloss, which in fcrri((ji tie us is found on most 

 of tlie body e.Kcejit the wings and tail, is here confined to the head a:. I 

 neck, tiie rest of tiie body being of a richly lustrous and strongly marked 

 green, more distinct than tliat on the wings tuid tail of fc it la/ incus. In one 

 specimen only, from Santa liosalia, Me.xico, is there a trace of jnirple on 

 some of tiie wing and tail feathers. 



ILviilTs. Tills sjieeies was first given as a bird of our fauna by Mr. Au- 

 dulioii, in the suiiplemeutary pages of the seventh volume of his liirds of 

 America. He met with it on the prairies around Fort Union, .it tiie junc- 

 tion of the Yellowstone and the Mis.souri llivcrs, and in the extensive ravines 

 in that neighliorhood, in wliich were found a few d' artisli trees and tall 

 rough weeds or grasses, along the margin of scanty rivulets. In tliese h)cali- 

 ties he met witli small groups of seven or eigiit of lliese birds. Tliey were 

 in loose lloeks, and moved in a silent manner, permitting an ajjproach to 

 within .some fifteen or twenty ])aces, and uttering a call-note as Iiis i)arty stood 

 watciiing their movements. Perceiving it to be a sjjccies new to him, he 

 procured several s]X'cimens. He states that they did not evince the pertness 

 so usual to liirds of this family, but seemed rather as if dis.satisfied with their 

 abode. On the ground their gait was easy and brisk, lie iieard nothing 

 from them of the nature of a song, only a single f/nd; not unlike that of the 

 IJedwing, between wliloh birds and the C. fcrrugincus he was disposed to 

 place this species. 



Dr. Newberry found this lUackbird common botii in California and in 

 Oregon. He saw large tioeks of them at Fort Vancouver, in the last of Oc- 

 tober. They were flying from lield to field, and gathered into the large 

 sjiriiees about the fort, in the manner of other I'daekbirds when on the jwiiit 

 of migrating. 



Mr. Allen found this Hlackbird, though le.ss an inhabitant of the mar.shes 

 than the Yellow-headed, associating with them in destroying the farmers' 



