Page:Notes on the Ornithology of Southern Texas.djvu/19

134 90. Sturnella magna var. mexicana, Scl.

" Sturnella magna ", Swains., Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 436. " Sturnella hippocrepis", Scl., P. Z. S. 1856, 30,301; 1859,58,365,381.-8^. & Salv., Ibis, 1859, 19; 1860, 34.— Lawe., Ann. Lye. N. Y. VIII, 1865,177 (David, Veragua).

Sturnella mexicana, Scl., Ibis, 1861, 179; P. Z. S. 1864, 175 (City of Mexico); Catal. 1861, 139, No. 842 (Jalapa).- 7 CASS., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1866, 24 (Mexico ; Guatemala).— Salvin, P. Z. S. 1867, 142 (Veragua). "Sturnella ludovieiana", Salv., P. Z. S. 1870,191 (Veragua).

Sturnella magna var. mexicana, B. B. &. f£., Hist. N. Am. B. tl, 1874, 172 (Mexico ; Central Am.).— Lawk., Bull. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. No. 4, 1876, 24 (Barris and Sta. Efigenia, Isth. Tehuantepec ; Sept., Feb.).

Sturnella magna, a. mexicana, Coues, Birds N. W. 1874, 190. Summer specimens of the Meadow Lark found at Fort Brown have been identified by Mr. Ridgway as typical mexicana* Its notes and habits, as observed there, do not seem to differ essentially from those of 8. magna. It is abundant from April until October.

[This Southern form may be easily distinguished from true Magna by its smaller general size (including the bill) and much larger legs and feet, which are not only relatively, but absolutely, longer and stouter than in S. magna. The two specimens examined by me were obtained at Fort Brown, August 21 and September 13, 1877. They agree exactly with Mexican examples. — R. R.]

91. Icterus auduboni, Giraud.

This fine Oriole is found in moderate abundance, and is the only spe- cies that is resident. During the summer months, it is usually found in deep woods at some distance from houses, but during the winter it is less shy and retiring. They are frequently captured and offered for sale by Mexicans in this vicinity, but several I have kept would not sing at all in captivity. When free, their usual song is a prolonged and repeated whistle of extraordinary mellowness and sweetness, each note varying in pitch from the preceding. If once heard, it can never be forgotten. I have not succeeded in finding any nests. There is considerable varia- tion in the extent of white edging to the wings and tail, some specimens closely approaching var. melanocephalus. — (Sennett, B. Rio Grande, 26.)

92. Icterus cucullatns, Swains.

This is perhaps the most common Oriole in this vicinity during the summer, arriving about the last week in March. It is less familiar than Bullock's Oriole, and, like the preceding species, is usually found in woods. The nests of this bird found here are perfectly characteristic, and can- not be confounded with those of any allied species ; they are usually found in one of the two following situations : the first and most frequent is in a bunch of hanging moss, usually at no great height from the ground 5 when so placed, the nests are formed almost entirely by hollowing out and matting the moss, with a few filaments of a dark hair- like moss as lining ; the second situation is in a bush (the name of