There seems to be no reason for not referring all the above forms to one species, the differences being merely in the relative amount of black and yellow. The greater predominance of the former color we should expect in specimens from the West Indies, where in this family the melanistic tendency is so marked. [39] _Icterus cucullatus_, var. _auricapillus_. _Icterus auricapillus_, CASS. P. A. N. S. 1847, 382.—IB. Journ. A. N. S. I, pl. xvi, f. 2.—IB. P. A. N. S. 1867, 60. [40] _Icterus bullocki_, var. _abeillei_. _Xanthornus abeillei_, LESS. Rev. Zoöl. 1839, 101. _Hyphantes a._ CASS. P. A. N. S. 1867, 62. _? Oriolus costototl_, GM. Syst. Nat. I, 385, 1788. The only essential difference from _I. bullocki_ is in the greater amount of black, it being merely more extended, while the pattern is the same. Icterus vulgaris, DAUDIN. TROUPIAL. _Oriolus icterus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 161. _Icterus vulgaris_, “Daudin.”—AUD. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 357, pl. ccccxcix.—BP. Conspectus Av. 1850, 434.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 542.—CASS. P. A. N. S. 1867, 46. _Le troupiale vulgaire_, BUFFON, Pl. enl. “532” (535, BP.). SP. CHAR. Bill curved. Throat and chin with narrow pointed feathers. A naked space around and behind the eye. Tail-feathers graduated. Head and upper part of neck all round, and beneath from tail to upper part of breast, interscapular region of back, wings, and tail, black. Rest of under parts, a collar on the lower hind neck, rump, and upper tail-coverts, yellow-orange. A broad band on the wing and outer edges of secondaries, white. Length, 10 inches; wing, 4.50; tail, 4.50; bill above, 1.35. HAB. Northern South America and West Indies? Accidental on the southern coast of the United States? This is the largest Oriole said to be found in the United States, and differs from the rest in its longer bill, and pointed, elongated feathers on the throat. The bill is attenuated, and somewhat decurved. The third quill is longest, the first quill almost the shortest of all the primaries. The outer tail-feather is about .60 of an inch less than the middle. There is only a trace of whitish on the edges of the primaries. The broad white edges to the secondaries are continuous in the folded wing with the white on the greater coverts, the lowest row of which, however, is black. The extreme and concealed base of the tail is white. One specimen has the light markings yellow, instead of orange. This species is given by Mr. Audubon as North American, on the strength of occasional stragglers from South America. One of the specimens before us was received from Mr. Audubon (2,842), and is, possibly, North American, although we doubt very much whether the species was ever taken within our limits, except as escaped from captivity.