318 



BIEDS OF ILLINOIS. 



"Sp. Char. Feathers above dark brown, margined with brownish white, with a ter- 

 minal blotch of pale, reddish brown. Exposed portions of wings and tail with trans- 

 verse bauds, which, in the latter, are completely isolated from each other, narrow and 

 linear. Beneath yellow, with a black pectoral crescent. The yellow of the throat ex- 

 tending on the sides of the maxilla. Sides, crissum. and tibiffi very pale reddish brown, 

 or nearly white, streaked with blackish. Head with a light median and superciliary 

 stripe, the latter yellow in front of the eye; a blackish line behind it. The transverse 

 bars on the feathers above (less so on the tail) with a tendency to become confluent near 

 the exterior margin. Length, 10 inches; wing,5.25; tail, 3.25; bill, 1.25." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Adult male. Wing. 4.40-5.10; tail, 3.30-3.50; culmen, 1.18-1.40; bill, from nostril. .85-.90; 

 tarsus, 1.30-1.45; middle toe, 1.10-1.15. 



Adult female. Wing. 4.35-4.45; tail, 3.05-3.10; bill, from nostril, .80-.85; tarsus, L25-1.35; 

 middle toe. 1.05-1.10. 



Adult males shot by the wTiter in Nevada, measured, when fresh, 

 as follows : Total length, 9.75-10.25 ; extent, lG.00-17.00 ; maxilla and 

 tip of mandible, black ; basal two thirds of the mandible, and pos- 

 terior three fourths of the maxillary tomium, pure pale blue ; iris, 

 brown ; legs and feet uniform, delicate, pale, ashy lilaceous. 



According to Mr. E. W. Nelson (Bull Essex Inst. Vol. VIII., 1876, 

 p. iii), the Western Meadowlark is "a regular but rather rare sum- 

 mer resident upon prairies" in the northeastern poiiion of the State, 

 and he conjectures that it "is probably a common summer resident 

 upon the prairies in the western portion." He records "a fine speci- 

 men" in the collection of Mr. A. W. Brayton, "taken near Chicago the 

 last of May, 1876," and among Mr. H. K. Coale's notes I find an 

 entry reading "Englewood, May, 1876," which, however, may possibly 

 refer to the same specimen. On the prairies of Eichland county I 

 have, on a few occasions, heard its unmistakable song, but have never 

 been able to obtain a specimen. 



Genus ICTERUS Beisson. 



Icterus Bbiss. Orn. li, 1760, 85. Type (by elimination), Oriolus icterus LiNN. 

 Pendulinus ViEiLL. Analyse, 1816, 13. Type, Oriolus spurius Linn. 

 IpAonies VleixI/. Analyse. 1816, 33. Type, Oriolus baltimorehiifi!. iCoracias galbula} 

 Linn. 

 "Gen. Chak. Bill slender, elongated, as long as the head, generally a little decurved, 

 and very acute. Tarsi not longer than the middle toe, nor than the head; claws short, 

 much curved; outer lateral toe a little longer than the inner, reaching a little beyond 

 base of middle toe. Feet adapted for perching. Tail rounded or graduated. Prevailing 

 colors yellow or orange, and black." (Hist. N, Am. S.) 



The two species occurring within the field of this work belong to 

 two rather distinct subgenera, which may be defined as follows : 



L Yphantes. Bill rather stout, conical, the outlines very straight; tail slightly 



rounded, much shorter than the wing. 

 2. Pendulinus. Bill slender, decuri-ed at the tip; tail graduated, about as long as the 



wing. 



