OF ORNITHOLOGY 69 



(with its few varieties) is called indiscriminately the Starling 

 and the Meadow Lark ; but by whichever name it goes it is 

 always distinguishable by its yellow breast and streaked back, 

 and by its bill which is always equal to or much longer than 

 its head, coupled with the peculiar stiffness of its tail feathers. 

 These birds are well-known features of our meadows all the 

 Spring, Summer, and Autumn. 



Genus, Sturnella, The Meadow Larks (3 species). 



Sub-family c ICTERIN-ffi Orioles 



This is another sub-family created for a single genus, yet of 

 sufficient prominence and distinction to be so treated. The 

 Orioles are not, however, with a single exception, as familiar 

 universally as many others of the family. The Orchard Ori- 

 ole, for instance, will often escape most careful search even in 

 localities where it is a common summer resident, and must be 

 searched for carefully to be detected at all. While the Black- 

 birds and the Grackles are eminently gregarious, the Orioles 

 and the Starlings are not so strictly speaking. Again, in the 

 two former groups the bill and the legs are both stout and 

 strong ; in the two latter (especially in the Orioles) they are 

 weak and slender. In the Orioles the bill is not longer than 

 the head, and the claws are strongly curved as is not the case 

 in the other three sub-families. The plumage, also, serves to 

 distinguish them. 



Genus, Icterus, The Orioles (8 species). 



Oriolus might, by some, be regarded as a sub-genus, br- 

 others a distinct genus, but we see no reason to use the name 

 at all at present, it is misleading and involves species in other 

 sub-families. We simply note it to answer an otherwise per- 

 tinent inquiry. 



Sub-family d QUISCALIN.ffi Grackles 



The Grackles strongly resemble the true Blackbirds, and 

 their predominant color is black. The peculiar gloss of the 



