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KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



1. Bobolink (494. DolU^honyx oryzivorus). — Male in spring. 

 A common meadow blackbird with white rump and shouklers ; 



goklen brown on the back of 

 the head, and acute-tipped tail 

 feathers. Female (also male in 

 the autumn) much like an 

 olive-colored streaky sparrow, 

 with buffy belly, but with 

 pointed tips to its tail feath- 

 ers ; wings and tail blackish- 

 brown, the back streaked black 

 and buffy-olive ; crown black- 

 ish with a lighter central stripe, 

 and all under j tarts butfy, 

 slightly streaked on the sides. 

 This is a wonderful singer 

 throughout ]\Iay and June, but 

 during the rest of the year the 

 notes are confined to merely a 

 call of rhink. The remarkable 

 change of plumage in the male is accomplished l)y two com- 

 plete molts each year. (Reedbird ; Ricebird.) 



Length, 7 J ; wing, 3 J 

 (3^-4) ; tail, 2] ; tarsus, 

 1 ; cuhnen, I or less. 

 North America west to 

 Utah; breeding from 

 southern New Jersey 

 north to Ontario, and 

 wintering south of the 

 United States. 



2. Cowbird (405. 

 Moluthrns dter). — A 

 common, small, 

 brown-headed black- 



'bird, with feathers having a metallic gloss. The female is 

 brownish-gray throughout, but lighter below aud much smaller 



Bobolink 



Bobolink 



