BIRDS — ICTEEIDAE — AGELAINAE, 521 



Family ICTEEIDAE. 



Ch. — Primaries nine. Tarsi scutellate anteriorly ; plated behind. Bill long, generally equal to the head or longer, straight 

 or gently curved, conical, without any notch, the commissure bending downwards at an obtuse angle at the base. Gonys 

 generally more than half the culmen. Basal joint of the middle toe free on the inner side; united half-way on the outer. 

 Tail rather lorfg, rounded . Legs stout . 



This family is strictly confined to the New World, and is closely related in many of its 

 members to the Fringillidae. Both have the angulated commissure and the nine primaries ; 

 the bill is, however, usually much longer ; the rictus is completely without bristles, and the 

 tip of the bill without notch. 



The affinities of some of the genera are still closer to the family of Slurnidae or Starlings, of 

 which the Sturnus vulgaris may be taken as the type. This family is, however, exclusively 

 Old World, and readily distinguished by the constant presence of a rudimentary outer primary, 

 making ten in all. 



There are three sub-families of the Icteridae — the Agelainae, the Icterinae, and the Quiscalinae. 



Sub-Family AGELAINAE. 



Ch. — Bill stout, conical, and acutely pointed, not longer than the head ; the outlines nearly straight, the tip not decurved. 

 Legs adapted for walking, longer than the head. Claws not much curved. Tail moderate, shorter than the wings ; nearly even. 



The Agelainae, through Molothrus and Dolichonyx, present a close relation to the Fringillidae 

 in the comparative shortness and conical shape of the bill, and, in fact, it is very difficult to 

 express in brief words the distinctions which evidently exist. Dolichonyx may be set aside as 

 readily determinable by the character of the feet and tail. The peculiar sub-family character- 

 istics of Molothrus will be found under the generic remarks respecting it. 



The following diagnosis will serve to define the genera : 



A. Bill shorter than the head. 



Dolichonyx. — Tail feathers with rigid stiffened acuminate points. Middle toe very long, 



exceeding the head. • 



Molothrus. — Tail with the feathers simple ; middle toe shorter than the tarsus or head. 



B. Bill as long as the head. Feathers of crown soft. Nostrils covered by a scale which is 

 directed more or less downwards. 



Agelaius. — First quill shorter than the second and third. Outer lateral claw scarcely 



reaching to the base of middle ; claws moderate. 

 Xanthocephalus. — First quill longest. Outer lateral claw reaching nearly to the tip of 



the middle. Toes and claws all much elongated. 



C. Bill as long as, or longer than, the head. Feathers of crown with the shafts prolonged 

 into stiffened bristles. Nostrils covered by a scale which stands out more or less horizontally. 



Stuenblla. — Tail feathers acute.' Middle toe equal to the tarsus. 

 Tkupialis. — Tail feathers rounded. Tarsus longer than the middle toe. 



June 34, 1858. 



66 b 



