[42] Icterus wagleri, Sclater, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1857, 7.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 545, pl. lvii, f. 2.—Ib. Mex. B. II, Birds, 19, pl. xix, f. 2.—Cass. Pr. 1867, 55. Psarocolius flavigaster, Wagler, Isis, 1829, 756 (not of Vieillot). Pendulinus dominicensis, Bp. Consp. 1850, 432 (not of Linn.).
Sp. Char. Bill much attenuated and considerably decurved. Tail considerably graduated. Head and neck all round, back (the color extending above over the whole interscapular region), wings, and tail, including the whole of the lower coverts and the tips of the upper, black. Lesser and middle upper, with lower wing-coverts, hinder part of back, rump, and under parts generally (except tail-coverts), orange-yellow. Length, 9.50; extent, 12.00; wing, 4.50; tail, 4.25; tarsus, 1.15.
Young or female. Above yellowish-green; more yellow on head; throat black; sides of neck and body beneath dull yellow. Wings dark brown, the coverts edged with white; middle tail-feathers brownish-black; outer yellowish-green. Length about 8 inches.
Younger birds are entirely dull olive-green above; beneath greenish-yellow.
Hab. Northeastern Mexico to Rio Grande Valley; south to Guatemala. Oaxaca, Jan. and March (Scl. 1859, 381); Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 20); Vera Cruz, hot region, resident (Sumichrast, M. B. S. I, 552).
A close ally, and perhaps only a race, of this species, is the I. prosthemelas, Strickl., which differs in smaller size, and in having the lower tail-coverts yellow instead of black (see synoptical table, p. 778).
Habits. This fine species appears to be an abundant bird from Northern Mexico throughout that republic and Central America to Costa Rica. I am not aware that any specimens have been procured actually within our territory. It was met with at Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, Mexico, by Lieutenant Couch, where only a single specimen was obtained. It was taken at the rancho of Ojo Caliente, or Hot Springs. It was quite shy and difficult of approach. Like all the other Orioles, it appeared to be quite fond of the palm-tree known as the Spanish bayonet. It is given by Sumichrast as occurring in the department of Vera Cruz, where it appears to be confined to the hot region. It is quite common in the district of Cordova, to the height of about three thousand feet.
Mr. Salvin states this to be the only Icterus found by him about Dueñas, where it was not uncommon. In a letter written by this naturalist, published in the Ibis of October, 1859, he mentions having taken the nest and eggs of this species. The structure, though of the same character,—a hanging nest,—is very different from that of I. gularis, the common species on the Yzabal road. The nest has none of the depth of the other, but is comparatively shallow.
[43] Quiscalus baritus (Linn.), Cass. Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila., 1866, p. 405. (Gracula barita, Linn. S. N. I, 165, 1766). Q. crassirostris, Swainson.
[44] Quiscalus brachypterus, Cass. Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 406.