Part 35

A smaller bird than the above, and has the base of the neck feathers white. It is a more southern variety, and is found in Arizona and on the Mexican borders. They build at low elevations, making their nests of sticks and twigs. Four pale blue eggs, spotted with dark brown (1.75 × 1.20).

NORTHWESTERN CROW. 489. Corvus caurinus. 17 inches.

This is one of the smaller Crows, found only on the coasts of Oregon to Alaska, where it feeds almost wholly upon fish.

CLARKE NUTCRACKER, 491. Nucifraga columbiana. 12 inches.

Found in the mountains of western North America, from Mexico to Alaska. In habits they much resemble the Crow or some of the Jays. Their food consisting largely of seeds from the pine cones, insects of many varieties, larvæ and berries. They seem to prefer the tops of the higher mountain ranges, coming down into the valleys for their supply of food. Their nesting sites are well up in the mountains, where they build their nests in the coniferous trees, of twigs, weeds, strips of bark and plant fibers, making a deep cup-shaped nest in which they lay from three to five greenish gray eggs, spotted over the whole surface with brown and lavender (1.30 × .90).

PINON JAY. 492. Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus. 11 inches.

To be found in the pine regions of the Rockies and west, and from British Columbia to southern California. They are very sociable birds, keeping in colonies, and always have much to talk about among themselves; after the breeding season they may be seen in large flocks. Three to five bluish gray eggs, are spotted with different shades of brown (1.20 × .85).

BOBOLINK—Family Icteridæ. 494. Dolichonyx oryzivorus. 7 inches.

This bird is found over most of North America from the southern parts of Canada south, and has been gradually extending westward as far as California. During mating season it is hard to find any other bird so completely filled with music as are these birds. They are also quite sociable birds, and several pairs of them may be found nesting in the same piece of meadow land, and filling the air with their sweet, wild music. They place their nest in a shallow hollow on the ground; it is lined with grass and frequently so covered as to be almost arched over to conceal the eggs. Four or five eggs of a grayish white, thickly blotched and spotted with brown of different shades and lilac, generally covered with ground color on the larger end (.84 × .62).

COWBIRD. 495. Molothrus ater. 7½ inches.

It is to be found throughout the United States and the southern portion of Canada. They are the only birds which we have that neither make a nest of their own nor care for their young. They will deposit a single egg (sometimes two) in the nest of some other bird, usually of a smaller variety.

BRONZED COWBIRD. 496a. Tangavius æneus. 7 inches.

The same as above, being more of a bronze color, found in Arizona and Mexico.

RED-EYED COWBIRD. 496. Tangavius æneus involucratus. 8½ inches.

Habits as above. Plumage is glossy black, with brassy reflections. They are abundant in southern Texas, and in Mexico (not illustrated).

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 497. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. 10 inches.

A large and handsome bird, with bright yellow head and breast; body black, with a white patch on the wing. They are a western bird, being found from the central United States to California. They breed abundantly in suitable marshes throughout their range. Their nests are made of strips of rushes, interwoven and fastened to the upright rushes only a few inches above the water. The four to six grayish white eggs are spotted with shades of brown and gray (1.00 × .70).

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 498. Agelaius phœniceus. 9 inches.

An eastern bird, found as far west as the eastern part of the Rockies. Very common in many parts of the east, where it builds much the same as does the previous, laying four or five eggs, bluish white, spotted, blotched and scratched with shades of brown (1.00 × .70).

SONORA RED-WING BLACKBIRD. 498a. Agelaius phœniceus sonoriensis. 9 inches.

Similar, but with more of a buff in place of the white on the wing. In southern California and Arizona (not illustrated).

BICOLORED RED-WING. 499. Agelaius gubernator californicus. 8½ inches.

The male of this species do not have the light margins to the red on the shoulders, as do the others. They are found on the Pacific coast from Washington to southern California. Eggs and nests the same.

TRICOLORED RED-WING. 500. Agelaius tricolor. 9 inches.

This species is a much deeper red on the shoulders, and the buff color on the preceding is white on this bird. They are restricted to a small range, the Pacific coast of California and Oregon, and are not nearly as common as the eastern variety. Their nesting habits are the same, and the eggs are indistinguishable.

WESTERN MEADOWLARK. 501.1. Sturnella neglecta. 9 inches.

This variety is somewhat paler than the eastern bird. In habits it is the same. The nests and eggs cannot be separated from the eastern. There seems to be one great distinguishing quality between the two, and that is in their song or notes. The first one that I had the pleasure of hearing was in Oregon, and my first thought was of our eastern Bobolink, but on seeing the bird in flight, I at once knew that it was a new song, sung by our eastern Meadowlark in appearance. They feed on insect life, beetles, etc. They lay from four to seven eggs, spotted with shades of brown (1.10 × .80).

SCOTT ORIOLE. 504. Icterus parisorum. 8 inches.