“This beautiful Oriole is quite common on the Rio Grande, where it raises its young. When met with in the woods, and far away from man’s abode, it is shy, and seems rather disposed to conceal itself, yet a pair were constant visitors, morning and evening, to the vicinity of my quarters (an unfinished building at Ringgold Barracks, Texas.) They became so tame and familiar that they would pass from some ebony trees that stood near by, to the porch, clinging to the shingles and rafters, frequently in an inverted position, prying into the holes and crevices, apparently in search of such insects as could be found there, which, I believe, were principally spiders. They would sometimes desist for a moment from this occupation, to observe my movements, and if I happened to be enjoying a cigar after dinner, seemed to watch the smoke with great curiosity. I often offered them such hospitality as was in my power, but could never induce them to touch any food, in which respect they were very different from the large black birds, whose acquaintance I also cultivated. I have seen the nests of this species, but never had an opportunity to examine them.” DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS. Genus Icterus. Brisson Ornithologie, II. p. 85, (quarto, Paris, 1760.) Bill, conic, straight, or slightly curved, and entering the frontal plumes, point acute, nostrils basal partly covered by a membrane. Wings, rather long and pointed; tail, long; tarsi moderate, slender, covered with scales. Colours, generally yellow and black. About twenty-five species known, all of which are natives of America. Icterus cucullatus. Swainson in Philos. Mag., 1827, p. 486. Form. Slender and delicate; bill, very acute, curved; wing, rather short, with the third quill longest; tail, rather long, graduated; tarsi and feet, slender. Dimensions. Total length (of skin) from tip of bill to end of tail, about 7½ inches; wing, 3½; tail, 4 inches; female, slightly smaller. Colours. Male. Narrow frontal band, throat and neck in front, and space extending to the eye, back, wings and tail, glossy black. External edges of the quills, and tips of wing coverts white, the latter forming two white bars on the wing. Upper part of the head and neck, rump and upper tail coverts, and all the under parts, fine golden yellow, paler on the abdomen. Inferior wing coverts, and tail feathers at their basis, pale yellow. Bill, bluish horn colour. Female. Entire upper parts, olive green, tinged with yellow on the head and rump. Wings, pale brown; coverts, tipped with white, and quills narrowly edged with white; tail, above, yellowish green. Entire under parts, greenish yellow. Hab. Texas and Mexico. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.