BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 299 



lives in the treetops. The neighborhood of water is not 

 considered a necessity by the Bullock, but in irrigated districts it is 

 especially fond of the sunny cotton wood hedges bordering irrigation 

 ditches, and abounds on the rolling prairie country, finding most 

 congenial nesting grounds in the groves that fringe the streams. It 

 also nests in towns, as the Baltimore oriole does in the east. When 

 possible it hangs its nest from a tall sycamore or other large decidu- 

 ous tree, but if nothing better offers builds in low willows. In the 

 bottom lands near Chinese Camp, on the Yosernite Valley road, we 

 have seen small willows fairly hung with the bag-like nests. The 

 young birds are much less skilful builders than the adults, Mr. Illiug- 

 worth notes, their nests being loosely supported and made of coarse 

 vegetable fibers instead of horsehair and twine. 



In general habits as well as appearance Imllocki resembles the Balti- 

 more oriole. The ranges of the two birds overlap along the eastern 

 part of the range of bullock i. 



In regard to the food of the hooded and Bullock orioles Mr. Illiug- 

 worth says: "The orioles are very beneficial to the horticulturist, 

 although they eat some early fruit, such as berries, cherries, etc., but 

 no fruit man will begrudge them these if he thoroughly understands 



~ O O o 



their habits. The chief food of the orioles consists of insects and 

 injurious caterpillars, and I have often watched them while they 

 were searching among the branches for this latter food. They are 

 particularly fond of a small green caterpillar that destroyed the foli- 

 age of the prune-trees a few years ago. The orioles are often seen 

 in the berry patches, but they are usually in search of insects, as is 

 proven by the examination of a great number of stomachs." (The 

 Condor, July, 1901, p. 100.) 



In Phoenix, Arizona, they have been seen eating a tree caterpillar, 

 which was a pest at the time. 



GENUS SCOLECOPHAGUS. 



General Characters. Bill not longer than head, slender like that of a 

 robin, tip decurved, cutting- edges bent in ; wings pointed, longer than 

 tail ; side toes short, with moderate claws. 



KEY TO ADULT MALES IN SUMMER PLUMAGE. 



1. Plumage glossy black with faint greenish luster ; bill stout. Nebraska 



to the Pacific cyanocephalus, p. :>00. 



1'. Plumage glossy greenish black : bill slender. Colorado to Atlantic. 



carolinus, p. 299. 



509. Scolecophagus carolinus (Will.). RUSTY BLACKBIRD. 



Adult male in summer. Uniform glossy black, with bluish luster on 

 head and neck and bluish green luster on body ; under tail coverts more 

 or less edged with whitish. Adult male in winter : black, more or less 



