( 77 ) 
72 ^ Black-Headed Indian Icterus. 
T his Bird is figured of its natural Size ; it is fiiaped pretty much like a Thrujh^ 
but hath the Bill fomething fi^ronger in Proportion. 
The Bill is of a hrownifli White, or dirty Flefli Colour j the Head and under Side of 
the Neck is Black j the Head hath a Purple GlofSj and the Yellow indented with the 
Black on the Sides of the Neck, as the Figure thews: The whole Body, the covert Fea¬ 
thers of the Wings, without and within, and ahnoil the whole Tail, is of a bright 
fine Yellow-colour: The greater or outermofi: Quill Feathers are Black, their Edges near 
their Roots being a little Yellow j the Remainder of the Quills next the Body are tipp’d 
with Yellow, which Colour extends a little Way along their outer Webs j the Tips of 
the covert Feathers, where they fall on the greater Quills, are Yellow, which form a dif- 
tinift Spot of Yellow a little above the Middle of the Wing, as do the Tips of the inner 
Quills in the lower Part; there is a little Mixtm-e of Yellow and Black on the Ridge of 
the Wings in the upper Part 5 the Tail is compofed of twelve yellow Feathers of equal 
Length, the two middlemofi; only having a black Bar a-crofs each of them of about an 
Inch Width toward their Tips, the Tips themfelves for a fmall Space being Yellow: The 
Legs and Feet are of a dull blueifii Black-colour; it hath four Toes on each Foot, 
fiianding after the ufual Manner; the Claws are black, and pretty ftrong. 
Mr. Jofeph Dandridge, Moorjields^ obliged me with this Bird : He received 
it from a Relation of his at Bengal^ in the Eajl-Indies: I have given it the 
Name of ISlerus, from its Likenefs to a Bird which pafles from hotter Countries into 
the Southern Parts of Europe in the Summer, which Aldrovand has pronounced 
the IBerm of Pliny ; but have call’d mine, by Way of Difi:in< 5 lion, black-headed, 
feeing the other hath the Head all Yellow, except a black Line on each Side from the 
Corners of the Mouth to the Eyes; the Coverts of the Wings in that are Black, and in 
mine Yellow; the whole Bodies in both arc wholly Yellow, and they are both found in 
Bengal, fo may equally claim the Name of Indian. They who would fee the Difie- 
rence between this and the other, may find that defcribed very v/ell in Willoughby ^ 
Ornithology, p. 198. by the Name of the WitwalP, and as ill by Albin, in Lis Hiftory 
of Birds, Vol.'^. p. 19. where he calls it the 2?//(5wB/r^/from ; he acknowledges 
he faw only a Picture of it. I have by me Drawings of both thefe Kinds from 
Nature, after very perfedl Specimens. The Bird here figured will, I believe, be per- 
fedtly new to the Curious in thefe Parts of the World, I find no Figure or Mention of 
it in any Natural Hiftoriaii or Voyager. 
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