ICTEEID^, AMEEICAN STAELINGS. — GEN. 91, 92. 



157 



^•'^t:T-v 



^ I 



Y-Ts 





V 



91. Genus STURNELLA Vieillot. 



*.^* Plumage highly variegated ; each feather of the back blackish, with a terminal 

 reddish-brown area, and sharp brownish-yellow borders ; neck similar, the pattern 

 smaller ; crown streaked with black and brown, and with a pale median and super- 

 ciliary stripe ; a blackish line behind eye ; several lateral tail feathers white, the 

 others, with the inner quills and wing coverts, barred or scalloped with black, and 

 brown or gray. Edge of wing, spot over eye, and under parts generally, bright 

 yellow, the sides and crissum flaxen-brown, with numerous sharp blackish streaks, 

 the breast with a large black crescent (obscure in the young) ; bill horn color, of 

 peculiar shape ; feet light brown, very large and strong, reaching beyond the very 

 short tail. Length 10-11 ; wing 5 ; tail 3 J- ; bill \ ; ? smaller (9^ ; wing 4J- ; tail 

 3), similar in color ; young not particularly different, 

 j Af- Fieldlark. (Plate vi, figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, la, 2a, 3a, 4a.) The colors, as 

 above described, rich and pure, the prevailing aspect brown ; yellow of chin 

 -^ usnally confined between rami 



^2: 



^■f) of under mandible ; black bars 

 on wings and tail usually con- 

 fluent along the shaft of the 

 feathers, leaving the gray in 

 scallops. Eastern United 

 States, everywhere abundant 

 in open country ; imperfectly 

 migratory ; partially gregari- 

 ous when not breeding; 

 strictly terrestrial ; an agreeable vocalist ; nest of dried grass, on the 

 ground, eggs 4-6, white, speckled Avith reddish. WiLS., iii, 20, pi. 19; 



AuD., iv, 70, pi. 223; NuTT., i, 47; Bd., 535 magna. 



Var. NEGLECTA. The colors duller and paler, the prevailing aspect gray ; yellow 

 of chin usualljr mounting on sides of lower jaw ; black on wings and tail usually 

 resolved into distinct bars alternating with gray bars. Western U. S. Song 

 said to be different. Aud., vii, 339, pi. 487 ; Bu., 537 ; Coop., 270. 



Obs. It does not appear that the Eed-breasted Lark, TrupiaUs militaris, was 

 ever taken in this country. It is a South American species resembling ours, but 

 with red in place of the yellow. Bd., 633. 



Fig. 99. Fieldlark. 



^ 



Subfamily IGTERINJE. Orioles. 



Non-gregarious, insectivorous and frugivorous species, strictly arboricole, of 

 brilliant or strikingly contrasted colors, and pleasing song, distinguished as archi- 

 tects, building elaborately woven pensile nests. With the bill relatively longer, 

 slenderer and more acute than in most of the last subfamilj-, and the feet weaker 

 exclusively fitted for perching. Three of our species are abundant migratorj' birds 

 in summer ; the rest merely reach our southern border from tropical America. 



92, Genus ICTERUS Brisson. 



* The $ black and chestnut. 

 a I ^, Orchard Oriole. $ black, h)wcr back, rump, lesser wino- coverts and 



