THE OOLOGIST 



179 



person; and how the Eagles held them 

 and plucked them even to the down, 

 without breaking the skin with beak 

 or claws is more than I can under- 

 stand, for there was not a blemish on 

 either bird. We resented at the time, 

 their not having left us two eatible 

 ducks instead of Grebes, and left them 

 at the foot of the tree and walked off 

 with the two young eaglets. 



The above incident, together with 

 the fact that I have seen them catch 

 a Grebe, leads me to correct Mr. 

 Pearson's erroneous impression. 



Harold H. Bailey. 



Some Western Birds. 

 Barewer's Blackbird. 



In the City of Los Angeles Brewer's 

 Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus 

 cyanocephalus) is found in larger num- 

 bers than any other species with the 

 possible exception of the Linnet or 

 House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus 

 frontalis); the latter bird taken the 

 place here, as far as numbers are con- 

 cerned, of the common English Spar- 

 row of the East. Cyanocephalus is a 

 bird of great adaptability, and civiliza- 

 tion has no terrors for him. On the 

 contrary he flourishes under its re- 

 gime, and his numbers seem to in- 

 crease in direct ratio with the growth 

 of human population. Of course all 

 of his tribe are not urban dwellers, 

 many inhabit the unsettled parts of 

 the West; but he is quick to learn 

 the advantages gained by association 

 with man. 



In Southern California our Blackbird 

 is resident throughout the year. Dur- 

 ing the periods just before and after 

 the breeding season the birds gather 

 in large flocks numbering sometimes 

 many hundreds and resort to the 

 grain flelds to feed, or gravely walk 

 about over the lawns of the city parks 

 and private residences. 



The bird is quite tame, making his 



home in your dooryard and if unmo- 

 lested going about his business with 

 little or no attention to the passerby. 



This Blackbird has the neat trim 

 appearance common to all the mem- 

 bers of his family. The males meas- 

 ure from eight and one-half to nine 

 and three-quarters inches in length; 

 the plumage is glossy greenish-black 

 with a purplish irridescence about the 

 head and neck. The females are 

 somewhat smaller, while their plum- 

 age is more brownish and or not so 

 glossy a texture. The iris of the eye 

 is a clear lemon yellow. 



Water is always to be found in the 

 immediate environs of our black 

 friend's home, for to him a daily bath 

 is one of the necessities of life. Every 

 morning when the sun is well up the 

 bird visits his bathing pool, whether it 

 be a puddle in the gutter, a horse- 

 trough in the barnyard, or the sandy 

 shallows of some stream; and there 

 indulges in much splashing of water, 

 after which he vigorously shakes him- 

 self after the manner of a dog and 

 perches in some warm spot to dry. As 

 a result of this salutary habit his 

 plumage is always bright and shining, 

 and an example is set that might well 

 be followed by a great many members 

 of the genus homo. 



While not a songster of exceptional 

 merit this Blackbird is by no means 

 without a voice. I have often seen 

 the male bring a stick to his uncom- 

 pleted nest, drop it at his mate's feet, 

 and give vent to a subdued clucking 

 that was almost a song. The com- 

 monest note is an inquisitive '"chack" 

 uttered by both male and female. 

 When their nest is threatened both 

 birds break forth into an excited 

 "chack-chack-chack-chee-e-e," the last 

 note being a clear prolonged whistle. 

 A dog or cat appearing in the vicinity 

 of the nestlings is attacked furiously 

 and usually forced to ignominiously 



