BIEDS — STLVICOLIDAE — ^ICTERIA LONGICAUDA. 



249 



The graduation of the tail in this species amounts to ahout .40 of an inch or less. There is the 

 faintest possible trace of a whitish tip to the inner wehs of the lateral tail feathers. 



The female is smaller than the male, the markings less distinct, and the under mandible, 

 instead of being entirely bluish black, is brownish white, the edges darker. A specimen from 

 Gruatemala agrees exactly with females from the Atlantic States, except in having the lower 

 mandible rather purer white than in those before me, but the difference is not very great. 

 This character of bill corresponds with that of Icteria vdasquezii of Bonaparte, but as the long 

 tailed western species or race has the bill light colored also in the female and young, it is 

 difficult to say to which Bonaparte's species should be referred. It is possible that Guatemala 

 winter specimens belong to J. viridis, and Mexican summer ones to J. longicauda. 



List of specimens. 



lOTERIA LONGICAUDA, Lawrence. 



Iiong-tailed Chat. 



Icteria longicaudtt, Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. VI, Ap. 1853, 4. 

 i Icteria auricoUis, (Licht. Mus. Ber.) Bonap, Consp. 18S0,|331, 



Sp. Ch. Similar to I. viridis. Fourth quill longest ; third and fifth shorter ; first shorter than the seventh. Above ash 



color, tinged with olive on the back and neck ; the outer surface of the wings and tail olive. The under parts as far as the 

 middle of the belly bright gamboge yellow, with a tinge of orange ; the remaining portions white. The superciliary and 

 maxillary white stripes extend some distance behind the eye. Outer edge of the first primary white. Length, 7 inches ; wing, 



3,20; tail, 3,70, 

 Hnft.— High central plains of the United States to the Pacific ; south into Mexico. 



This Icteria appears to differ in some appreciable points from the common species of the 

 United States. The upper parts are less olivaceous, the forehead and even the crown decided 

 ash color, instead of olive. The white marks on the head are more extended, the superciliary 

 stripe broader and extending a quarter of an inch behind the eye. The maxillary white stripe 

 is broader, and reaches back to a distance equal to the length of the lower mandible, instead of 

 little more than half as far. The outer edge of the first primary is pure white instead of 

 olivaceous. The yellow of the breast is more orange. The proportions of the quills are 

 different, in having the fourth quill longest, the first shorter than the seventh. The tail also 

 is nearly half an inch longer. 



This description, based on No. 3978, from New Leon, agrees in the main with nearly all the 

 32 b ' 



