BIEDS ICTERIDAE — SCOLECOPHAGTJS FERRUGINEUS. 
551 
SCOLECOPHAGUS, Swain son. 
Scolecophagus, Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831. Type Oriolus ferruginous, Gmelin. 
Ch.— Bill shorter than the head, rather slender, the edges inflexed as in Quiscalus, which it otherwise greatly resembles ; the 
commissure sinuated. Culmen rounded, hut not flattened. Tarsi longer than the middle toe. Tail even, or slightly rounded. 
The above characteristics will readily distinguish the genus from its allies. The form is 
much like that of Agelaius. The bill, however, is more attenuated, the culmen curved 
and slightly sinuated. The bend at the base of the commissure is shorter. The culmen is 
angular at the base posterior to the nostrils, instead of being much flattened, and does not 
extend so far behind. 
Comparative measurements. 
Catal. No. I 
Species. 
Locality. 
Length. 
Stretch of 
wings. 
Tail. 
& 
1.24 
1.11 
g 
0.25 
Hind toe 
and claw. 
Hind toe 
alone. 
ISill above. 
Specimen 
measured. 
1322 
[do. 
5322 
do. 
1358 
do. 
8706 
do. 
3915 
10294 
Scolecophagus ferrugineus 
Carlisle, Perm 
$ 
8.60 
U.32 
8.20 
9.12 
8.10 
9.00 
9.26 
14.75 
4.62 
4.72 
4.58 
4.25 
4.26 
4 25 
5.23 
4.03 
0.80 
0.34 
0.78 
0.94 
Skin 
Fresh.... 
Skin .... 
Fresh.... 
Skin .... 
Twenty miles below 
Sioux City. 
s 
1.20 
1.11 
0.82 
0.80 
0.89 
15.25 
13.75 
9 
3.65 
1.16 
1.10 
0.28 
0.74 
0.40 
0.78 
0.92 
Scolecophagus cyanoee- 
phalus. 
Fort Vancouver, W.T. 
<?? 
4.46 
1.30 
1.06 
0.27 
0.85 
0.38 
0.84 
0.90 
Fresh . . . 
Skin .... 
Skin .... 
9 
8.64 
8.52 
4.66 
3.91) 
3.94 
1.22 
1.19 
1.06 
1.05 
0.27 
0.28 
0.82 
0.80 
0.33 
0.40 
0.70 
0.75 
o.eo 
0.78 
Pembina, Minn 
SCOLECOPHAGUS FERRUGINEUS, Swainson. 
Rusty Blackbird. 
Oriolus ferrugineus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 393, No. 43.— Lath. Ind. I, 1790, 17G. 
Graeula ferruginca, Wilson, Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 41; pi. xxi; f. 3. 
Qjxiscalus ferrugineus, Bon. Obs. Wils. 1824, No. 4G.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 199.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834,315: 
V, 1839, 483; pi. 147.— Ib. Synopsis, 1839, 146.— Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 65; pi. 222. 
Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 286. — Bon. List, 1838. 
?? Oriolus niger, Gmelin, I, 1788, 393, No. 4, 5, (perhaps Quiscalus.) 
Scolecophagus niger, Bonap. Consp. 1850, 423. — Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 195. 
?? Oriolus fuscus , Gmelin, Syst. I, 1788, 393, No. 44, (perhaps Molothrus.) 
Turdus hudsonius, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 818. — Lath. Ind. 
Turdus noveboracensis, Gmelin, I, 1788, 818. 
Turdus labradorius, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 832.— Lath. Ind. I, 1790, 342, (labradorus). 
" Pendulinus ater, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet." 
Chalcophanes virescens, Wagler, Syst. Av. (Appendix Oriolus 9). 
? Turdus No. 22 from Severn river, Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 400. 
Sp. Ch. — Bill slender ; shorter than the head ; about equal to the hind toe ; its height not quite two-fifths the total length. 
Wing nearly an inch longer than the tail ; second quill longest ; first a little shorter than the fourth. Tail slightly graduated ; 
'•he lateral feathers about a quarter of an inch shortest. General color black, with purple reflections ; the wings, under tail 
coverts, and hinder part of the belly, glossed with green. Female dull brown. Length 9.50 ; wing, 4.75 ; tail, 4.00. 
Hub — From Atlantic coast to the Missouri . 
The female of this bird is of a dull plumbeous brown beneath, blacker above, the feathers 
