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BIRDS—ICTERIDAE—MOLOTHRUS. 
This well known bird varies considerably in color, with differences in the maturity of plumage. 
Sometimes the black feathers generally have yellowish margins both above and below. The 
bill is generally bluish black, but in the specimens from Florida the lower mandible is white. 
The male maintains the black plumage for a comparatively short time. Shortly after mid- 
summer the female dress is assumed and kept until the ensuing spring. 
List of specimens. 
Catal.| Sex. | Locality. When col- Whence obtained. | Orig. Collected by— == Length.| Stretch | Wing. Remarks, 
No. | leeted. No. ot wings. 
| x = 
| 
1477] CG | Carlisle, Pa..........-. May 81844 12.41 | 3.91 
GTTAD CO lees te Oren cee ncesccnes May 17,1843 12.00; 3.91 
16147 liao Ga Ree do .| May 15, 1844 12.25 | 3.83 
1174 Q seeee O.. woes cece cceciee Sept. 8, 1843 11,00 3.41 
6521 | @ | Indian Key, Fla........ May 9, 1857 12.00 | 4.00 
65225 i ol evsces Osea esisasiicscess| (cc's doakees 12.00 4,00 
6523 | OD Jrseeee Ovscccs vecscneaselevcane COs ave 10.50 | 3.50 
6524 Q araraie's DO seine oessissie, sieeeies| panne dO... ..60 sees 10.50 3,50 
fof North Illinois... ...06+ Spring. ....ee R. Kennicott ... |ecvece vecccccccc cee levevevec|sececece Wastes eve 
5360 |..ee0s Fort; Pierre ...ccesecctes June 25,1856 | Lieut. Warren..... seeeee! Drea ydenives o<sne | 7.12 12.12) 3.75 
Red river, Minn....eses|.eceeesesecees N. W. University..|..eeee R. Kennicott ...... eee eee | ecctesee 
8951 3 Loup fork of Platte....| July 11. ....| Lieut. Warren .....|....0. | Dr. Hayden... ss. 7,00 12.00) 4.00 
EAP Wrett | lictoan Morcescnacisastieees Sy: (Oleg en eects sUOs. sagsssaenel teemes | eareres DOtsnseueces 6 7.25 13.00 | 3.75 
8990) | *ciees 50 miles E of Ft.Laramie} Aug. 20.....| Wm. M. Magraw..| 163 | Dr. Cooper ....eeee 7.25 12.00 | 4,00 
MOLOTHERUS, Swainson. 
Molothrus, Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 277; supposed by Cabanis to be meant for Molobrus. Type Fringilla 
pecoris, GM. 
Cu.—Bill short, stout, about two-thirds the length of head; the commissure straight, culmen and gonys slightly curved, convex, 
the former broad, rounded, convex, and running back on the head in a point. Lateral toes nearly equal, reaching the base 
of the middle one, which is shorter than tarsus; claws rather small. Tail nearly even ; wings long, pointed, the first quilj 
longest. 
The genus Molothrus has the bill intermediate between Dolichonyx and Agelaius. It has the 
culmen unusually broad between the nostrils, and it extends back some distance into the fore- 
head. The difference in the structure of the feet from Dolichonyx is very great. 
The genus Molothrus resembles some of the £ringillidae more than any other of the Jcteridae. 
The bill is, however, more straight, the tip without notch; the culmen running back further 
on the forehead, the nostrils being situated fully one-third or more of the total length from its 
posterior extremity. This is seldom the case in the American families, The entire absence of 
notch in the bill and of bristles along the rictus are strong features. The nostrils are perfectly 
free from any overhanging feathers or bristles. The pointed wings, with the first quill longest, 
and the tail with its broad rounded feathers, shorter than the wings, area dditional features to 
be specially noted. 
Of several species of the genus found in the New World, but one belongs to the United States. 
This, the well known cow bird, never incubates, but deposits its eggs in the nests of others, 
usually smaller birds, to be hatched out by them, as is done also by the European cuckoo. One 
at least of the South American species is known to possess the same habit, and it is probably 
the same with all of them. 
The measurements of J, pecoris will be found with Dolichonyax. 
