ICTERID^ — STURNELLIN^ : MEADOW STAMLINGS. 405 
intemipteclly to or towards the belly; some feathers around vent, and the tibiae, usually yellow 
also. A large white patch on the wing, formed by the primary and many of the greater second- 
ary coverts, interrupted by black of the bastard quills. Bill and feet black. Length 10.00- 
11.00; extent IG. 50-17.50; wing about 5.50; tail 4.50 ; bill 0.75-1.00 ; tarsus 1.25. In less 
perfect dress, the yellow overcast with dusky. 9 , adult : Dark brown, including back of head 
and neck ; line over eye, throat and breast dull yellow, with dusky maxillary streaks ; usually 
there are whitish feathers in the yellow, and sometimes the same in the black of breast. No 
white wing-patch. Bill dark brownish horn-color ; feet blackish. Much smaller. Length 
8.00-9.50; extent scarcely 14.00; wing under 5.00; tail under 4.00. Nestlings are snufty- 
brown ; the sprouting wing-feathers black, already showing white ; feet flesh-color. It is use- 
less to pursue the endless color varia- 
tions ; the species is unmistakable. 
Western U. S. and British Provinces 
to 58° ; E. regularly to Illinois, Iowa, 
Wisconsin, etc., casually to Pennsyl- 
vania, Massachusetts and Greenland ; 
S. into Mexico ; migratory, very abun- 
dant. Its distribution is general on the 
prairies, but irregular ; it flocks about 
ranches and settlements, and collects in 
cofonies to breed in marshy spots, any- 
where in its general range. Nest a 
light but large thick-brimmed fabric 
of dried reeds and grasses, slung to 
growing ones, 5-6 inches in diameter, 
about as deep ; eggs 3-6, 1.00-1.15 
long by 0.75 broad ; grayish-green, 
spotted, as in Scolecophagus, with red- Fig. 260. — Yellow-licaded Blackbird, reduced. (Sheppard 
dish-brown, not scrawled as in J. ^eZ^ews. Nichols sc.) 
A fine large species, conspicuous by its yeUow head among the several blackbirds that troop 
together in the West. 
23. Subfamily STURNELLIN/E : Meadow Starlings. 
If the marsh blackbirds, orioles, and crow blackbirds be respectively entitled to represent 
subfamilies of Icterida, the meadow starlings seem to be equally entitled to such distinction ; 
and I find that by making Sturnella (with Triipialis) the type of a subfamily, the AgelmncB are 
susceptible of better definition. The characters are included under head of the type genus. 
102. STURNEL'LA. (Irregular dimin. of Lat. siwmws, a starling. Fig. 261.) Meadow^ Larks. 
(Name "lark" objectionable and misleading, but apparently ineradicable.) A remarkable 
genus of Icter'idce. Bill along culmen longer than head, shorter than tarsus ; depth at base 
about i the length ; outlines about straight above and below, and along commissure to the 
strong bend near its base. Culmen flattened throughout, extending broad and far into feathers 
of forehead ; laterally, the frontal feathers reaching the narrow scaled nostrils. Inner lateral 
toe rather longer than outer, claM^ of neither reaching base of middle claw. Hind toe long, Mdth 
a great claw twice as large as the middle one. Feet very large and stout, reaching beyond the 
end of the tail when outstretched : eminently fitted for terrestrial locomotion. Wings short and 
much rounded; little difference in lengths of lst-5th quills ; enlarged inner secondaries nearly 
covering them in closed wing. Tail very short, rounded, of narrow, acute feathers. Feathers 
of crown stiffish, bristle-tipped. No other genus approaches Sturnella, excepting Trupialis, 
