DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Ammodromus. Swainson, Zoological Journal, III. p. 348. (1827.)

Size small; bill lengthened, pointed; tip of upper mandible slightly curved downwards; wings very short; the first primary shorter than the succeeding four or five, which are nearly equal; tail moderate, or rather long, with its feathers narrow; tarsi and toes rather long, slender. An American genus, containing six or seven species.

Ammodromus ruficeps. Cassin, Proc. Acad., Philada., VI. p. 184. (Oct., 1852.)

Form. Bill shorter than usual in this genus; wings short, rounded; tail long; tarsi lengthened, slender.

Dimensions. Total length of skin, about 5¾ inches; wing, 2½; tail, 2¾ inches.

Colors. Head above chestnut-brown, which is also the prevailing color of the back and rump, the feathers of both the latter edged with pale cinereous, tinged with olive. Spot in front of the eye white, forming a partial superciliary line. A narrow stripe of black from each side of the lower mandible running downwards, above which is a stripe of white; intermediate space on throat nearly white; other under parts pale ashy, with a tinge of olive; quills brown; primaries edged externally with ashy; secondaries with pale chestnut-brown; tail reddish-brown, with crimped obscure transverse lines; bill dusky horn-color; feet pale.

Hab. California. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. Resembles in some measure A. palustris, but can be easily distinguished. It appears to be restricted to California, not having been observed in New Mexico or Texas. Ammodramus is the original orthography of the name of this genus given by Swainson as cited above, but that here given is universally adopted, and is much the most usual in generic names of similar derivation.

Plate 21
The Black-headed Oriole
Icterus melanocephalus (Wagler)

ICTERUS MELANOCEPHALUS.—(Wagler.)
The Black-headed Oriole.
PLATE XXI.—Adult Male.

Again we portray an inhabitant of the land of the Mesquite and Mimosa. This handsome, though plain Oriole, when compared with some of its brilliant relatives of the same countries, is found throughout nearly the whole of Mexico, and extends its range northwardly into Texas and New Mexico. Mr. Pease, who accompanied the Army of the United States under General Scott, in Mexico, in 1847, observed it at Jalapa, and in the neighborhood of the city of Mexico, in considerable numbers.

As a bird of Texas, this species was first brought to notice by Mr. Jacob P. Giraud, Jr., of New York, who received it in a collection of birds from that State, in 1834, and published a description of it in his “New Species of North American Birds,” p. 1 (1841). Since that time it has been found within the limits of the United States by several naturalists, but especially by Mr. John H. Clark, who, while attached as zoologist to the commission for running the boundary line between the United States and Mexico, neglected no opportunity of making investigations which have contributed much to the natural history of the regions necessarily passed through, and whose collection contained specimens of this species. To Mr. Clark we are indebted for the following note respecting this species:

“Approaching the lower Rio Grande from New Mexico, the Black-headed Oriole was first seen near Ringgold Barracks, but not in abundance; and, although of rich plumage, its quiet manners and secluded habits prevented it from being very conspicuous. It was noticed most frequently while feeding on the fruit of the hackberry; but whenever exposed in picking off the berries, it always showed signs of uneasiness, and would immediately seek refuge in places affording greater concealment.

“Usually, pairs were to be seen keeping close together, and they seemed to prefer the thick foliage which occurs on the margins of the ponds or in the old bed of the river. They did not appear to communicate with each other by any note; indeed, I was struck with their silence, though my opportunities for observation were limited. Their habits seemed to be very different from those of any other Oriole with which I am acquainted.”

This observation, by so accurate and careful an observer as Mr. Clark, deserves especial attention. It is quite probable that this bird is the type of a distinct group or sub-genus.

In the papers of Lieut. Couch, most kindly placed by him at our disposal, we find the following in relation to the bird now before us:—

“The Black-headed Oriole was seen for the first time on the third of March, 1853, at Santa Rosalio rancho, eight leagues west of Matamoras. It had paired, and both male and female were very shy and secluded, seeking insects on the nopal (a species of prickly pear), or among the low mimosa trees, never seeming to be at rest, but constantly on the look-out for their favorite food.

“At Charco Escondido, farther in the interior of Tamaulipas, this bird was well known to the rancheros, who were disposed to give it a bad reputation, stating that it often came to the rancho to steal the freshly-slaughtered beef, hung up to dry in the sun. Whether this was true or not, I had no opportunity of ascertaining; but my acquaintance with the Black-headed Oriole, at this place, I have a particular reason for remembering. Early one morning, an old man, who had daily called on me, with his wife and six nude pickaninnies, presented himself, and wished as usual to take me to a spot where great numbers of rare birds were to be found. Gladly assenting, we were out of sight of the rancho at sunrise of one of the magnificent mornings only known in tropical latitudes. It was the day after a severe norther, and the whole feathered kingdom was in motion. My guide soon called my attention to two calandrias, as these birds are called by the Mexicans, which were quietly but actively seeking their breakfast. The male having been brought down by my gun, the female flew to a neighboring tree, apparently not having observed his fall; soon, however, she became aware of her loss, and endeavored to recall him to her side with a simple pout pou-it, uttered in a strain of such exquisite sadness, that I could scarcely believe such notes to be produced by a bird, and so greatly did they excite my sympathy, that I felt almost resolved to desist from making further collections in natural history, which was one of the principal objects of my journey into the country.

“Another species that takes the place of this bird, west of Monterey, has a more powerful, varied, and artistic song, but I have never heard the lay of any songster of the feathered tribe expressed more sweetly than that of the present Oriole. At Monterey, it is a favorite cage-bird. The notes of the male are more powerful than those of the female.

“My stay in Mexico was not sufficiently protracted to enable me to study the habits of this interesting bird as fully as I could have wished. Generally, its flight is low and rapid, and it seemed to prefer the shade of trees. It was observed almost invariably in pairs, and the male and female showed for each other much tenderness and solicitude. If one strayed from the other, a soft pou-it, soon brought them again together.”

Nature has, for much the greater part, denied to birds of brilliant plumage any remarkable powers of melody, and there are many birds of great beauty, in which the voice is harsh and uninviting, if not absolutely disagreeable. Occasional exceptions occur, particularly in the families of Grosbeaks and Finches, species of which are capable of producing short, though expressive and musical notes, sometimes uttered in connection with each other, and forming a partial song. Such is the case, too, with a few of the Orioles; but we should infer from the interesting statement of Lieut. Couch, that the bird now before us is, at least, one of the most gifted of its family, and we shall look forward to his further investigations in Mexico, which he is now about commencing, hoping for additional information in relation to this remarkable species.

All the most celebrated songsters of the feathered kingdom are birds of very plain plumage. The Nightingale, famed in all ages, and universally admitted to be the most superior in vocal ability of all the birds of the world, would attract no attention whatever from the general observer, so modest and unpretending is its appearance. The Mocking Bird of the United States, properly regarded as second only to the Nightingale, is scarcely less so, and our other Thrushes, and the little Vireos, very respectfully to be mentioned as vocalists, partake of the same character.

Mr. Pease noticed the Black-headed Oriole not only at Jalapa, but also on the tierra caliente, between that city and Vera Cruz. At the season when observed by him, it fed principally on fruits, as noticed by Mr. Clark, which fact does not conflict with Lieut. Couch’s statement, that it is an insect-eater; as all the birds of the family to which this species belongs, subsist on both fruits and insects, or are what are termed omnivorous. At Jalapa, it was called by the Mexicans, Calandria iquimite, the latter word being the name of a tree, of the fruit of which it is said to be particularly fond.

Our plate represents the adult male, which is but little different from the female. The figure is two-thirds of the natural size.