22 



mense flocks, they are seen feeding with the Blackbirds and Reedbirds 

 upon the salt marshes along the Hudson, when it is interesting to ob- 

 serve the various transitional phases of their plumage, so well ex- 

 hibited by an abundance of differing individuals. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of sixteen specimens: length, 

 5-59; stretch, 8-52; wing, 2-58; tail, 2-11; culmen, -41; gape, -45; 

 tarsus, -67; middle toe, *49; its claw, '19. 



92. Cardinalis virginianus (Brisson). Cardinal Grosbeak; 

 Virginia Redbird. A bird flew close past me down a ravine in the 

 woods, on May 11, 1876. It uttered a note which I distinctly remem- 

 ber; it must have been a Cardinal Grosbeak, though I was not then 

 certain about its identity, thinking it might be the Summer Tanager 

 (Pyra nga cest iva) . 



93. Pipilo erythrophtlialmus (Linne). Ground Robin ; IMarsh 

 Robin ; Towhke Bunting ; Chewink. An abundant summer resident ; 

 breeds. Arrives the last of April (27, 1872 ; May 8, 1873 ; May 7, 1874 ; 

 April 30, 1875; April 25, 1876; May 5, 1877; April 26, 1878; April 27, 

 1879; April 28, 1880), and stays till late in autumn (October 15, 1874; 

 11, 1875, Wilson, at Cold Spring; 25, 1876 [one that had been disabled 

 was captured on the 28th]). 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of seventeen specimens: — 

 length, 8-35; stretch, 11-14; wing, 3-34; tail, 3-68; culmen, -55; gape, 

 •71 ; tarsus, 1-09 ; middle toe, -73 ; its claw, -30 ; middle toe and its claw, 

 1.00. 



Eamily, ICTERIDiES. 



94. Doliclionyx oryzivorus (Linne). Bobolink; Reed-bird; 

 Rice-bird. A summer resident; breeds. Arrives early in May (12, 

 1873; 21, 1875; 23, 1876; 22, 1877; 5, 1878), and stays till about the 

 end of September (10, 1874; 22, 1876; 18, 1879). Not a very abundant 

 summer resident ; but occurs in large flocks during August and Septem- 

 ber, feeding upon the salt marshes along the Hudson. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of eight males: — length, 7-55; 

 stretch, 11-95; wing, 3-76; tail, 2-73; culmen, -60; tarsus, 1-10; mid- 

 dle toe and its claw, 1-06. Female: — length, 7-15; stretch, 11-25; 

 wing, 3-54; tail, 2-53; culmen, '58; gape, -61; tarsus, 1-07. 



95. Molothrus ater {Gmelin). Cow-bird; Cow-Blackbird. 

 A common summer resident; breeds abundantly. Arrives about the 

 first of April (29, 1873; 18, 1874 [Frederic S. Osborn, at Garrisons] ; 

 29, 1875; 17, 1876; 13, 1877; March 30, 1878; April 5, 1879; April 10, 

 1880), and disappears in August. 



On Long Island, and in the vicinity of New York, Cow-birds spend 

 the winter; but they have not been seen in the Highlands at that 

 season. Mr. Jas. S. Buchanan took a perfect albino, at Newburgh, 



