188 
ICTERUS SPURIUS. 
with black and olive on the upper parts of the hack; 
and with reddish bay and yellow on the belly, sidt’Si 
and vent, scattered in the most irregular manner, not 
alike in any two individuals ; and, generally, the t»'0 
middle feathers of the tail are black, and the othet* 
centred with the same colour. When this bird 
approaching to its perfect plumage, the black spread^ 
over the whole head, neck, upper piirt of the back) 
breast, ivings, and tail ; the reddish bay, or brigl't 
chestnut occupying the lower part of the breast, th* 
belly, vent, rump, tail-coverts, and three lower rok^ 
of the lesser wing-coverts. The black on the head i* 
deep and velvety; that of the wings inclining to browo! 
the greater wing-coverts are tipt with white. In tb®. 
same orcharil, and at the same time, males in each oi 
these states of plumage may be found, united to then 
respective plain-coloured mates. I may .add, that 5'!’^ 
Charles W. Pealc, proprietor of the museum in Phil*'*'' 
dclphia, who, as a practical naturalist, stands desct' 
vedly tirst in the lirst rank of American connoisseur'^' 
and who has done more for the promotion of tb*® 
sublime science than all our speculative theorists 
gcther, has e.\-pres.sed to me his ])erfcct conviction 
the changes which these birds pass throu""!! ; havinl’ 
himself examined them both in spring and tou ards th« 
latter part of summer, and having at the jiresent tiin"; 
in his possession thirty or forty individuals of t*'”* 
species, in .almost every gradation of change. , 
In all these, the manners, mode of building, fe® J 
and notes are, generally speaking, the same, differing 
no more than those of any other individuals helougin? 
to one common species. The female appears aln'**.'” 
nearly the same. 
I have said that these birds construct their 
very difiereutly from the Baltimores. They are | 
particularly fond of frequenting orchards, that scarce .f 
one orchard in summer is without them. They usuahj 
suspend their nest from the twigs of the apple treC' 
and often from the extremities of the outward branchej^’ 
It is formed exteriorly of a particular species of 
