260 



SINGING BIRDS — OSCINES. 



only thing that may he supposed olijectionahle to them, and yet they do not 

 seem elsewhere A-ery tender birds. 



Molothrus obscurus, Gmelin. 

 THE DWAEF COW-BIED. 



Slurnus ohscimis, Gmelix, Svst. Nat. I. 17SS, 804. — Motothrus obscurm, Cassik, Pi-. A. N. Sc. 

 1866, IS. 



Sp. CH.\ii. Similar to M. pecnris, but considerably snialk-r : the bill more slender ; the 

 tail proportionally longer. Length, C 50 ; wing, 4.00 ; tail, 2.75. 



Hah. Cape St. Lucas, Southern Arizona, and Northwestern Mexico. 



This bird is a dwarf representative, perhaps rare, of the cow-bird, and 

 can liardly be considered as distinct, though worthy of note at least as a 

 variety. The habits are doubtless the same as those of the true M. xKcoris. 



A. phanicexts. 



