GEN. CHAR. Bill slender, elongated, as long as the head, generally a little decurved, and very acute. Tarsi not longer than the middle toe, nor than the head; claws short, much curved; outer lateral toe a little longer than the inner, reaching a little beyond base of middle toe. Feet adapted for perching. Tail rounded or graduated. Prevailing colors yellow or orange, and black. The species of this subfamily are all as strikingly characterized by diversity and brilliancy of plumage as the others are (with few exceptions) for their uniform sombre black, scarcely relieved by other colors. Of the four genera of this subfamily, recognized by Gray, all but _Cacicus_ are well represented in the United States. This differs from all the rest in having the culmen widened and much depressed towards the base, where it advances in a crescent on the forehead, separating the frontal plumes. In the other genera the culmen advances somewhat on the forehead, but it is in a narrow acute point, and not dilated. [Line drawing: _Icterus bullocki._ 6721] In studying the North American Orioles we have found it exceedingly difficult to arrange them in any sharply defined sections, as whatever characters be taken as the basis of classification, the other features will not correspond. Thus, species with the bill of the same proportions and amount of curvature differ in the shape and graduation of the tail, while tails of the same form are accompanied by entirely dissimilar bills and wings. The bill is sometimes much attenuated and decurved, as in _I. cucullatus_, while in _melanocephalus_ and _baltimore_ it is stouter and straighter. The tail is usually much graduated; in _I. baltimore_ and _bullocki_ it is only moderately rounded. These last-mentioned species constitute the genus _Hyphantes_. Many of the species have a naked space round the eye, very evident in _I. vulgaris_, less so in _melanocephalus_. _I. vulgaris_ is peculiar in having the feathers of the throat pointed and lanceolate, as in the ravens. [Illustration: _Icterus bullocki._] In view of the difficulties attendant upon the definition of subordinate groups among the United States _Icterinæ_, we propose to consider them all under the single genus _Icterus_, leaving it for some one with more ingenuity to establish satisfactory divisions into sub-genera.[34] The colors of the Orioles are chiefly black and yellow, or orange, the wing sometimes marked with white. The females are generally much duller in plumage, and the young male usually remains in immature dress till the third year. In all the North American species the rump is of the same color with the belly; the chin, throat, and tail, black.