286 



BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 



5'. Claws of side toes not reaching- beyond middle toe. 



6. Side claws not reaching- to end of middle toe ; summer males 

 glossy blue black Scolecophagus, p. 209. 



. Side claws reaching- to end of middle toe ; 

 males with red shoulder patches. 



Agelaius, p. 280. 



GENUS DOLICHONYX. 



Fig. 1357. 



494. Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linn.). BOBOLINK. 



Bill conic-acute, cutting- edges bent in ; tail shorter than wing, with 

 stiffened acute feathers ; wings long and pointed ; feet stout, tarsus shorter 

 than middle toe and claw ; claws all very large. Adult male in spring : 

 under parts wholly black ; upper parts black, with cream or buffy brown 

 patch on hind neck, light streaking on wing and fore parts of back, gray- 

 ish scapulars, and white hind back, rump, and upper tail coverts. Adult 

 female : ground color yellowish brown, paler and plain on under parts 



except for blackish streaks on flanks ; heavily streaked on upper parts ; 

 crown with buffy brown median stripe. Adult male in fall and icinter : 

 similar to adult female, but streaking of upper parts blacker. Youn/j, 

 jirstfall and tr inter : like adult female. Young, first plumage : like adult 

 female but more buffy, with necklace of faint dusky spots; flank streaks 

 obsolete. Male : length (skins) 6.30-7.40, wing 8.69-4.00, tail 2.47-2.70, 

 bill .5S-.C.9. Female: length (skins) 6.00-0.55, wing 3.35-3.53. tail 2.31- 

 2.54, bill .57-61. 



Distribution. Breeds in Transition zone in open prairies and cleared 

 districts from As.siniboia south through the middle states, and from the 

 Atlantic west to Idaho and eastern Nevada; migrates to the West Indies 

 and South America. 



Next. --In a slight depression in the ground, made of dried weed stems 

 and grasses. Eyys : 5 to 7. from gray to reddish brown, irregularly spot- 

 ted and blotched with browns and purples. 



Food. - - Insects, including grasshoppers, locusts, weevils, and caterpil- 

 lars ; also rice, oats, and weed seed. 



The bobolink scorns to be gradually spreading westward, and 

 wherever it goes adds another rare song bird to the country. ' Robert 

 o' Lincoln ' is a rollicking, joyous fellow, his song bubbling up from 

 a weli of good spirits. Xo eastern orchard or meadow seems quite 

 complete without him and May is not May until IK; has come. 



