280 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



[87.] 1. Agelaius phozniceus. (Vieillot.) Red-winged Maize-bird. 



Sub-family, Agelainae, Swains. Genus, Agelaius, Vieil. 



Red-winged Oriole. Penk. Arct. Zool., ii., p. 255, No. 140. 



Red-winged Starling (Slurnus predatorius). Wils., iv., p. 30, pi. 30, if. 1 and 2. 



Agelaius phceniceus. Vieil. Enc. Mith., ii., p. 714. Swains. Syn., No. 56. 



Oriolus phceniceus. Sab. Frankl. Journ., p. 673. 



Icterus phceniceus. Bonap. Syn., p. 52, No. 51. 



This shevvy, but destructive bird winters in vast numbers in the southern 

 districts of the United States, and in Mexico*, frequenting swampy places, and 

 roosting- at night among the reeds. It begins to enter Pennsylvania towards 

 the end of March, but seldom reaches the Saskatchewan before the beginning 

 of May, and it does not pass beyond the fifty-seventh parallel. On its first 

 arrival in the fur-countries it feeds on grubs ; but as soon as the grain sown 

 in the vicinity of the trading posts begins to germinate, it associates itself with 

 the Saffron-headed Maize-birds and Boat-tails, and is occupied the whole day 

 in tearing up and devouring the sprouting plants, returning to the work of 

 devastation as often as driven away. It breeds in swampy places, in Penn- 

 sylvania, in the beginning of May, and on the Saskatchewan about the 20th 

 of June. Its eggs are greenish-white, with a circle of spots and streaks of 

 dark liver-brown round the thick end, one or two scattered spots of the same, 

 and some faint blotches of purplish-grey. — R. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a male, killed on the Saskatchewan, May 3, 1827. 



Colour, a rich velvet-black : the scapulars, interscapulars, secondaries, greater wing 

 coverts, and upper and under tail coverts faintly edged with yellowish-brown. Lesser wing 

 coverts vivid scarlet ; the lower row buff-orange, with whitish tips. Bill and legs black. 



Form, typical. Ridge of the bill flattened, as if pared down by a knife, and rather con- 

 cave than straight : the tip of the upper mandible depressed. Wings moderate ; the second, 

 third, and fourth quills nearly equal ; the first shorter than these and longer than the fifth : 

 lesser quills truncate, and distinctly notched at the ends. Tail rounded, the three outer 

 feathers being graduated. Tarsi long ; claivs lengthened and slender. 



A female, killed in June, has the plumage much worn, the yellowish-brown edgings which 

 exist earlier in the season having mostly dropped off. Dorsal 'plumage and ear feathers 

 liver-brown, the latter bounded by pale orange, which is also the colour of a dotted super- 

 ciliary line. Lesser wing coverts reddish-brown, with reddish -orange borders. Under 



* Mr. Swainson has seen several specimens from Mexico. 



