238 North American Birds Eggs, 



49 6. Red-eyed Cowbird. CnUntlirvs rohustui^, 



llant^e.— Mexico; north in summer to the Lower Rio Grande in Texas. 



This parasite is larger than the Cowl)ird, being 9 inches 

 long, and is glossj- black with brassy reflections on the 

 upper and under parts. They are abundant in southern 

 Texas where they deposit their eggs in the nests of other 

 birds, apparently preferring those of Orioles; their eggs 

 are pale bluish green, unmarked; size .90 x .70. 



[Light blue-?reen.] 



497. Yeliow-headed Blackbird. Xaathacephalus xanthocephalus. 



Range. — North America west of the ^lississippi to eastern California, Ijreeding 

 from the southern parts of the I'nited States north to British Columbia and 

 Hudson Bay and wintering from southern I'nited States downward. 



This large handsome Blackbird with bright j'ellow head 

 and breast is very abundant in some parts of the west, where 

 the}' nest in large colonies in sloughs and marshes, being 

 especially abundant in the Dakotas and Manitoba. The 

 nests are made of strips of rushes, skillfully woven together 

 and attached to upright cane near the surface of the water. 

 They lay from four to six eggs having a grayish white ^^^^ 



ground color, finely specked and spotted with shades of [<4rayish white, 

 brown and gray; size 1.00 x .70. Data. — Harrison, S. D., 

 June Lll, 1891. 4 eggs in a nest made of grasses, placed in rushes overthe water. 

 Collector, W. C, Colt. 



498. Red-winged Blacitbird. Agelaius phoeniceus. 



Range. — North America east of the Rockies and from the southern British 

 Provinces southward to the Gulf; winter in southern United States. 



These birds are familiartoevery frequenter of the country, 

 in their range: too familiarto many, forthe enormous flocks 

 do considerable damage to grain fields in the fall. The;*' also 

 do a great amount of good at other seasons in the des- 

 truction of injurious insects and weed seed. They breed 

 from April in the southern parts of their range to May and 

 . . ^ June in the northern, making their nests of grasses, woven 



1 Bluish whitej. ^j^^ twisted together and placing them in bushes in swamps 

 or over water, and sometimes on the ground in clumps of grass. Their eggs are 

 from three to five in number, bluish white l)oldly spotted, clouded or lined with 

 blackish brown and purplish. Size 1.00 x .70. The nests and eggs of the num- 

 erous subspecies are all precisely the same as those of this bird, so we will l)ut 

 enumerate the varieties and their ranges. To identify these varieties other than 

 by their ranges will require micrometer calipers and the services of the men who 

 separated them. 



498a. Sonoran Red-wing. A. p. S()norien^>><. 



Range. — A slightly larger varietj' found in southwestern United States. 



498b. Bahaman Red-Wing. A. p. bryanti. 

 Range. — Bahamas and southern Florida. 

 This species has a slightly longer bill. 



498c. Florida Red-wing. A. p. floridjtnus. 

 Range. — Florida and Gulf coast. 

 A smaller species with a longer bill. 



