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IC T E R U S AB E IL LÆI .
Plate XCIV.
IC T E R U S A B E I L LÆ I .
(BLACK-SIDED HAJfG-NEST).
Kanthornus aheUiei
Icte ru s aheilUi
Pen d u lin u s àbeillii
Hyp h a n tes abeillii
Lesson, Eev. Zool. 1839, p . 101.
S c la ter, P.Z .S . 1860, p . 252, e t 1864, p. 175 : Ca t. 1
Bp. Consp. I. p . 4 33, e t C. E . x x x v ii. p. 834.
Ba ird, B ird s N . Am. p . 550.
Cassin, P ro c . Ac. Phil. 1867, p . 62.
1. B ird s, p. 130.
S u p rà n ig e rrimu s ; superciliis cu rtía au re is ; te c tric ib u s a larum majoribus in pogonio e s te rio re e t remigum m a rg
in ib u s e s tu s e t in tu s albis : su b tiis aureo-flavus, g u lâ media e t la te rib u s to tis n ig ris : c audâ flava, ree tricib u s q u a tu o r
mediis ferè omiiiuò n igris, cete ro rum apicibus n ig ro te rm in a tis ; su b a larib u s flavis : ro s tro n ig ro ; p ed ib u s obscure
p lumbeis : long, to tâ 7-5, alæ 4-0, caudæ 3-4. Fem. S u p rà olivaceo-flava, in te rscap u lio e t alis e s tù s nigi-icantibus, h is
albo bifasciatis e t limbatis : su b tu s flavescens, v e n tre medio e t su b a larib u s g risco-a lbic antibus : c au d â olivaceo-flavâ
v ersus apicem grisi
S a b . in reipublicæ Mesicanoe reg io n e elevatâ.
This well-marked Icterus was first made known to science by the late French naturalist
René Primivers Lesson. This writer, although not a very high authority on Ornithology, published
descriptions o f many rare birds, principally from the collection o f the late Dr. Abeillé of
Bordeaux, to whose memoiy he dedicated the present species. Several recent authors have
since attempted to identify it with the Oriolus costotoil o f Gmelin, founded upon an old description
of Hernandez, which, however, it is not possible to determine satisfactorily.
The Black-sided Hang-ncst, as we propose to term it from one o f its most characteristic
features, is closely allied in structure to the Icterus hullocldi o f Swainson, with which, indeed,
some authorities have erroneously stated it to be identical. Tbe males o f these birds wben in
full plumage are, however, conspicuously different ; the present species being at once distinguishable
by its black rump and upper tail coverts, and the black sides o f the body below. The
young male, o f which there is a specimen in Sclater’s collection, is also recognisable as soon as
the black feathers o f the flanks commence to appear. But the only specimen o f the female wc
have seen, which is in the collection o f Mr. II. S. le Strange, is barely distinguishable from the
corresponding sex o f the allied species. These two birds along with the well-known “ Baltimore
Oriole” o f North America {Icterus haltimore) form a natural group o f the genus Icterus, to which
the name Hyphantes has heen applied.
Prof. Baird has given “ California” as a locality for this bird, probably from a misinterpretation
o f Bonaparte’s remark in the “ Comptes Rendus ” concerning Icterus huUockii. But