G. H. Merriam — Birds of Connecticut. 45 



Family, ICTERID^. 



108. Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linne) Swainson. Bobolink; Reed-bird, 



Rice-bird. 



A common summer resident, breeding in meadows. Arrives before 

 the middle of May (May 7, 1876, Osborne; same date at Portland, 

 Sage; May 12, 1877). 



109. Molothms pecoris (Gmelin) Swainson. Cow-bird. 



An abundant summer resident, arriving in March or early in April 

 and remaining till November (Nov. 4, 1874). Sometimes winters. 

 Mr. Geo. Bird Grinnell writes me that he took it twice in mid-winter 

 (Jan. 15, 1874, and Jan. 16, 1875). 



110. Agelaeus phceniceus (Linne) Vieillot. Red- winged Blackbird. 



A common summer resident, breeding abundantly in swampy 

 places. Sometimes winters. Arrives during the latter part of Febru- 

 ary or early in March (March 4), remaining till late in the fall. 

 Though generally choosing clumps of bushes for their characteristic 

 nests, they sometimes place them on the ground. On the 6th of 

 June, 1876, Mr. Dayan and myself, while collecting on a part of the 

 Quinnipiac marshes where there were no bushes, found several nests 

 containing fresh eggs. The nests were extremely shallow^ — very 

 unlike those commonly found in bushes — and were placed on the 

 bare ground, in the grass, with no attempt at concealment. I am 

 informed by Mr. Grinnell that he has taken it in January (Jan. 15, 

 1874, and Jan. 16, 1875). This is the bird concerning which Josselyn 

 wrote (in 1675) that there were, in New England, " Starlings black 

 as Ravens with scarlet pinions."* Mr. W. W. Coe once wounded 

 one of these birds (probably striking it in the head) which " started 

 into the air and kept going up— up -up— sailing in larger circles- 

 still ascending till lost to sight. "f 



111. Stumella magna (Linne) Baird. Meadow-lark. 



Resident, but particularly abundaut from early spring till late in 

 the fall. A few small flocks winter along the coast. The Rev. Mr. 

 Peabody observes that this bird " has few enemies excepting Hawks, 

 snakes, and young sportsmen." 



* An Account of two Voyages to New England, p. 100. 1675. 

 f MS. notes of W. W. Coe. 



