322 BULLETIN 50, UNiTBD STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF AGELAIUS. 



a. General color uniform black. 



b. Lesser wing-coverts red, orange, yellow, or tawny, 

 c. Lesser wing-coverts red or orange. 

 d. Plumage with a strong bluish green gloss; lesser wing-coverts dull crimson; 

 middle coverts white or (in winter only) light brownish buff. (California 

 and Oregon, west of Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains. ) 



Agelaius tricolor, adult male (p. 324) 

 dd. Plumage without distinct gloss; lesser wing-coverts scarlet, orange-red, or 

 oTsaige; middle coverts buff, ochraceous, tawny, or partly (sometimes 

 wholly) black. 

 e. Middle wing-coverts mostly black; or else wing 130 or more. {Agdam 

 gubemator. ) 

 f. Lesser wing-coverts usually rich vermilion or scarlet; middle coverts 

 mostly black; culmen, -from base, averaging not more than 21.8. 

 g. Larger, with relatively shorter tail, bill, and toes (wing averaging 

 136.9, tail 93.2, culmen 21.3, depth of bill at base 12.7, tarsus 32.5, 

 middle toe 22). (Southwestern portion of Mexican plateau.) 



Agelaius gubemator gubemator, adult male (p. 326) 

 gg. Smaller, with relatively longer tail, bill, and toes (wing averaging 

 125.2, tail 91.9, culmen, from base, 21.8, depth of bill at base 11.4, 

 tarsus 30, middle toe 21.8). (California and western Oregon.) 

 Agelaius gubemator califomious, adult male (p. 327) 

 ff. Lesser wing-coverts usually orange or orange-red; middle coverts mostly 

 buff; culmen, from base, averaging 23.1. (Southeastern portion of 

 Mexican plateau. ) . . .Agelaius gubemator grandis, adult male (p. 329) 

 ee. Middle wing-coverts entirely buff, ochraceous or tawny, or if partly 

 tipped with black the wing less than 130 (usually less than 127). 

 /. Larger, the wing averaging more than 120.6. 



g. Larger (wing averaging 126, culmen, from base, averaging 23.8, depth 

 of bill at base averaging 13.5). (Interior of British America; 

 Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, etc., during migration). 



Agelaius pbceuiceus fortis, adult male (p. 338) 



gg. Smaller (wing averaging less than 126, culmen, from base, usually 



averaging more than 22.9, depth of bill at base averaging notmore 



than 12.7). 



h. Middle wing-coverts paler buff; bill stouter (depth at base averaging 



12.7) . (United States and more southern British Provinces east 



of Eocky Mountains, except Florida and Gulf coast. ) 



Agelaius phoeniceus phoenicens, adult male (p. 330) 

 hh. Middle wing-coverts deeper buff, ochraceous or tawny; bill more 

 slender (depth at base averaging less than 12.7.) 

 i. Wing and tail longer (wing averaging 125.5, tail 93.5, culmen, 

 from base, 23.9, depth of bill at base 12.4, tarsus 30.5, middle 

 toe 21.8.) (Southern Arizona, lower Colorado Valley in Cali- 

 fornia, southwestern New Mexico, and south through Mexican 

 States of Sonora and Sinaloa to Tepic. ) 



Agelaius phoeniceus sonoriensis, adult male (p. 337) 

 a. Wing and tail shorter ( wing averaging not more than 123.2, tail 

 not more than 91.7). 



