THE BIRD BOOK 



508. Bullock's Oriole. Icterus bullocki. 



Range. — North America, west of the Plains 

 and from British Columbia southward, winter- 

 ing in Mexico. 



This handsome species 

 is as abundant in the west 

 as the Baltimore Oriole is 

 in the east, and breeds 

 throughout its United 

 States range. Their nests 

 are similarly made and in 

 similar locations, and the 

 Bluish white eggs are hardly distin- 



guishable from those of the preceding, but the 

 ground color is generally of a pale bluish white 

 tint and the markings are usually finer, the 

 lines running around the eggs and often mak- 

 ing a very handsome wreath about the large 

 end. Size of eggs, .94 x .62. 



50.9. Rusty Blackbird. Euphagus carolinus. 



Range. — North America east of the Plains, breeding from northern New Eng- 

 land and the Adirondacks northward; winters in southern United States. 



But few of these birds breed within our borders, the ma- 

 jority of them passing on to the interior of Canada. They 

 generally nest in pairs, or at the most three or four pairs 

 in a locality, building their large substantial nests of moss, 

 twigs and grass, lined with fine green grass; this structure 

 is situated in bushes or low trees in swampy places and at 

 from 3 to 20 feet from the ground. The eggs are laid in 

 May or June; they vary from three to five in number, of a 

 pale bluish green color, spotted, blotched and clouded with 

 shades of brown and gray. Size .96 x .71. 



Range. — North America west of the Plains, and from British Columbia and 

 Saskatchewan southward. 



bluish g i " i ■ 1 1 



510. Brewer's Blackbird. Euphagus cy (otocephalus. 



This western representative of the preceding is of about 

 the same size (10 inches long), but differs in having a 

 purplish head and greenish black body. They nest abund- 

 antly throughout their range either in bushes or trees at 

 low elevations or upon the ground; the nests are made of 

 sticks, rootlets and grasses, lined with finer grass and 

 moss, and the eggs, which are very variable, are dull 

 whitish, clouded and blotched with brownish and streak- 

 ed with blackish. Size 1.00 x .75. 



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