ICTERIDjE — ICTERINuE : OBI OLE S. 
407 
323. 
324. 
rately woven pensile nests. With the bill relatively longer, as well as slenderer and more acute 
than in most of the Icteridce; the feet weaker, exclusively fitted for perching. Three of our 
species are migratory birds, abundant in summer; the rest merely reach our southern border 
from tropical America. 
ICTERUS. (Gr. 'Urepos, ikteros, Lat. icterus, yellow. 
Fig. 262.) Orioles. Our single genus of the sub- 
family : characters practically the same. Bill averaging 
as long as head (inore or less) ; very acute, sometimes 
decurved. Feet fitted for perching, not for walking; 
tarsus not longer than middle toe and claw. Lateral 
toes, if not of equal lengths, outer longest (the rule in 
Frinqillidce; in Icteridce the reverse). Wings usually 
. , ; . w /I v ^ ^1 \ Fig. 262. - Bill of an Oriole, 
pomted and averagmg equal to (longer or shorter than) 
the rounded or graduated tail. A large and beautiful genus, the species of which vary much 
in details of form, but are not easily divided otherwise than specifically. The colors are strik- 
ing : the males black with orange or yellow, usually also with white ; in one species, black 
and chestnut. The sexes very unlike. The 9 9 of several species closely resemble one 
another, though the ^ $ are very difi'erent. Two Eastern species ; one Western ; the rest 
Southwestern. 
Analysis of Species. 
The cf black and chestnut : spurius, affinis. 
The black and orange: galbula, bullocJci, cucuUatus. 
The cf black and clear yellow : parisorum, mcdnboni, vulgaris. 
Feathers of throat soft and normal. 
cf black and chestnut ; $ olivaceous and yellowish. Length 7.00 or less spurius 324, 325 
cf black and orange, or flame-color. 
Tail rounded, not longer than wings. 
cf head and neck all around black ; white on wings in bars galbula 326 
cf crown and throat black, sides of head orange. White patch on wings .... bullocki 327 
Tail graduated ; outer feathers an inch shorter than middle ones; longer than wings. 
cf head orange, with black mask cucuUatus 328 
(f black and pure yellow. 
cf head, neck, breast and back black. Sexes unlike; length about 8.00 2^'^'>'''Sorum 329 
cf $ head, neck, and breast black; body yellow, greenish on back; length about 9.00 . auduboni 330 
Feathers of throat elongate and lanceolate. Sexes alike. Length about 10.00. 
cf $ Black and yellow, with white on wings vulgaris 323 
I. vulga'ris. (Lat. vulgaris, vulgar, common.) Troupial. Bill acute, attenuated, elongate, 
and somewhat decurved. Throat-feathers lengthened, loosened, and lanceolate. Bare space 
around eye. Adult $ 9 • Head and neck all around, fore breast, isolated dorsal area, wings 
and tail, black. Rump, upper tail-coverts, cervical collar, and under parts of the breast, rich 
yellow. Wings with white patch on coverts and much white edging of secondaries. Large : 
length about 10.00 ; wing and tail 4.50 ; bill over 1.00. A common and well-known species 
of Tropical America, said to have strayed to the Southern States. No late cases of so doing. 
(The species would be better enumerated next after No. 330.) 
I. spu'rius. (Lat. spurius, spurious; the species was formerly called "bastard Baltimore 
oriole," whence the undeserved name.) Orchard Oriole. Adult ^ : Black and chestnut. 
Head and neck all around, fore breast and back, black. Rump and upper tail-coverts, lesser 
and under wing-coverts, and whole under-parts from the breast, chestnut or chocolate-brown. 
Wings and tail black, former except as said, and some w^hite or whitish edging of the quills 
and tipping of the greater coverts, the latter forming a wing-bar ; outer tail-feathers sometimes 
with a touch of chestnut. Bill and feet blue-black. Length about 7.00 ; extent about 10.00 ; 
wing 3.00-3.25 ; tail nearly as long, much rounded, its graduation nearly 0.50 ; bill 0-70 along 
culmen, very slender and acute, somewhat decurved ; tarsus 0.90. 9 , adult : Smaller than the 
