ZOOLOGY. 
207 
Several Towhe buntings have been obtained by me west of the Cascade mountains. In habits 
hey almost precisely resemble the species found in the Atlantic States, affecting principally 
brushy openings and swamp thickets. A specimen, marked 156, got by me at Fort Dalles, has 
on its label “Iris Orange.”—S. 
Family ICTERIDAE.—The Trupials. 
AGELAIUS PHOENICEUS, Vieillot. 
Swamp Blackbird ; Red-wing Blackbird. 
Oriolusphoeniceus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 161.— Gmelin, I, 1788, 386.— Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 428. 
Jlgelaius phoeniceus, “ Vieillot, Anal. 1816.”— Swainson, F. Bor.Am. 11,1831,280.— Bonap. List. 1838 .—Ib. 
Consp. 1850, 430.— Add. Syn. 1839, 141 .—Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 31 ; pi. 216.— Baird, 
Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 526. 
Icterus phoeniceus, Licht. Verz. 1828, No. 188 .—Bon. Obs. Wils. 1824, No. 68 .—Add. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 348 ; 
V, 1839, 487 ; pi. 67. 
Psarocolius phoeniceus, Wagler, Syst. Nat. 1827, No. 10. 
Icterus (Xanthomas ) phoeniceus, Bonap. Syn. 1828, 52.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 167 ; 2d ed. 179. 
Sturnus preedatorius, Wilson, Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 30 ; pi. xxx. 
Red-winged oriole, Pennant, Arctic Zool. II, 255. 
Sp. Ch.—T ail much rounded ; the lateral feathers about half an inch shorter. Fourth quill longest; first about as long 
as the fifth. Bill large, stout; half as high, or more than half as high as long. 
Male. —General color uniform lustrous velvet black, with a greenish reflection. Shoulders and lesser wing coverts of a 
bright crimson or vermilion red. Middle coverts brownish yellow, and usually paler towards the tips. 
Female. —Brown above, the feathers edged or streaked with rufous brown and yellowish; beneath white, streaked with 
brown. Fore part of throat, superciliary, and median stripe strongly tinged with brownish yellow. Length of male, 9 to 
9.50 ; extent, 14 ; wing, 5; tail, 4.15. Female smaller. A winter specimen measured only 8.25—12.75; probably of a late 
brood. 
Hab. —United States, from Atlantic to Pacific. 
The red-wing blackbird is not so abundant in this Territory as in more open countries, and 
s commonly to be found only about cultivated tracts. In the route of the expedition, after 
leaving Fort Vancouver, we saw none until reaching the farms at Fort Colville, near the 49th 
parallel, none apparently inhabiting the bare and mountainous prairie regions east of the Cascade 
mountains. During winter at Vancouver I found this species only , remaining in small flocks 
about stables and haystacks. They rarely visit the extensive salt meadows near the mouth of 
the Columbia, but are more common about Puget Sound—mostly near settlements, as usual. 
Compared with the immense numbers, of five different species, seen in California, blackbirds 
are only stragglers in this Territory.—C. 
The swamp blackbird is quite common west of the Cascade mountains, preferring, as in other 
situations, the reedy borders of small lakes for its habitat. It arrives from the south in March. 
A specimen of A. gubernator is mentioned by Baird in the General Report as having been 
collected by Dr. Townsend on the Columbia river. I suspect that it is very rarely found so far 
north, having never obtained it in Washington Territory myself, and I have never heard of any 
being found there but the specimen above mentioned. It is there replaced by the red wing.—S- 
