ICTEBIJJ^ — AGEL^IN^: MAESH BLACKBIRDS. 



403 



100. 



appareutly c(mstant. Southwestern U. S., Texas to California, the resident toiin, breeding 

 there, while M. titer passes on, tliough the two are associated during the migration of the latter. 

 Swariiiiug like M. (iter; eggs as in that species, but suiallcr ; only up to about 0.80 X 0.60. 

 M. ae'neus. (Lat. cetieus or aJienius, brassy, bronzy ; ces, brass.) BuAS.s CowBiHi). Bronzed 

 CowBiRD. Red-eyed Cowbird. (J, adult : Entire body and head black, splendidly lustrous 

 witli bronzy reflections, the tint much like that of the back of Quiscalus ceneus. This rich 

 brassy-black uuifonn over the whole bird, there being no flistinction of color between the head 

 and body, as in M. ater. The bronze only on the ends of the feathers, the covered parts of 

 which are violet-black, with plain dusky roots. Wings and tail black, with violet, purple, and 

 especially green metallic lustre on the upper suifaces. Under wing- and tail-coverts chiefly 

 violaceous-black ; the purplish and violaceous tints most noticeable on the upper coverts of 

 both wings and tail, the reflections of the quill-feathers themselves being chiefly green. Bill 

 ebony-black. Feet black. Iris red. Length 8.00-8.50; extent about 15.00 ; wing 4.50-4.75 ; 

 tail 3.25-3.50 ; tarsus 1.15-1.25 ; bill 0.90 along culmen, very stout and especially deep at base, 

 much compressed ; lateral outlines concave ; under outline straight ; upper gently convex 

 throughout ; tip very acute. 9 notably smaller : wing scarcely over 4 inches ; tail about 3.00 ; 

 culmen scarcely 0.75 ; tarsus 1.00. Color 

 not brown, as in M. ater 9 , hut uniformly 

 quite black, with considerable gloss, though 

 nothing like the brassy splendor of the ^. 

 Wings and tail with greenish reflections. 

 Young (J : Uniform dull black, faintly 

 violaceous on back and rump, greenish on 

 wings and tail. Early spring birds, in im- 

 perfect dress, are exactly like the adult 9 

 in color, but nuich larger. Mexico to the 

 Lower Rio Grande, abounding in some 

 places ; a large and very handsome Cow- 

 l)ird, recently added to our fauna. Polyga- 

 mous and parasitic like the others, but egg 

 entirely different, being greenish-white, 

 without markings ; size 0.85-0.95 in length 

 by 0.65-0.75 broad ; average 0.90 X 0.70. 

 Found in nests of Icteria, Icterus, Cardi- 

 nalis, Milvulus, Tyrannus, etc. 

 AGEL^E'US. (Gr. dyeXaios, agelaios, gregarious ; ayekr), a flock.) Red-wing Marsh 

 Blackbirds. Bill about as long as head, stout at base, where deeper than broad, upper and 

 under outUnes on an average about straight ; commissure variously sinuate or bent ; culmen high 

 on forehead, where flattish and broadly parting the feathers ; bill rapidly tapering to an acute 

 tip. Wings pointed, but 1st primary not longest ; usually 2d-4tli entering point of wing. Tail 

 even or little rounded, of broad feathers widening a little to very obtuse ends, somewhat divari- 

 cate in the middle. Tarsus a little longer than the bill. Our three forms are very closely 

 related : the $ uniform lustrous black, with bend of wing red; 8.00-9.00 long; -v^-ing 4.50-5.00; 

 tail 3.50-4.00. The 9 everywhere streaked ; above blackish-brown with pale streaks, inclin- 

 ing on head to fonn median and superciliary stripes; below, whitish, with many .sharp dusky 

 streaks ; sides of head, throat, and bend of the wing, tinged with reddish or fulvous ; under 

 8.00; wing about 4.00; tail 3.25. The young $ at first like the 9, but larger, apt to have 

 a general bufty or fulvous suffusion, witli bright bay edgings of the feathers f)f back, wings, and 

 tail, and soon showing black patches. The 9 9 are scarcely distinguishable: the $ $ maybe 

 determined as follows : 



del 



Fig 250. — Marsh Blackbird, cf , reduced (Sheppard 

 Nicbols sc ) 



