ICTERIDiE — THE ORIOLES. 169 



discover them, except by diligent search, aided by familiarity with their 

 habits. 



In Texas Mr. Dresser met with a few in the fall, and again in April he 

 found the prairies covered with these birds. For about a week vast flocks 

 remained about the town, after which they suddenly disappeared, and no 

 more were seen. 



In California, Dr. Cooper states that they winter in large numbers in the 

 middle districts, some wandering to the Colorado Valley and to San Diego. 

 They nest around Santa Barbara, and thence northward, and are very abun- 

 dant about Klamath Lake. They associate with the other Blackbirds, but 

 always keep in separate companies. They are very gregarious, even in 

 summer. 



Dr. Cooper states that the only song the male attempts consists of a few 

 hoarse, chuckling notes and comical squeakings, uttered as if it was a great 

 effort to make any sound at all. 



Dr. Coues speaks of it as less numerous in Arizona than at most other 

 localities where found at all. He speaks of it as a sunaner resident, but in 

 this I think he may have been mistaken. 



In Western Iowa Mr. Allen saw a few, during the first week in July, 

 about the grassy ponds near Boonesboro'. He was told that they breed in 

 great numbers, north and east of that section, in the meadows of the Skunk 

 Eiver country. He also reports them as breeding in large numbers in the 

 Calumet marshes of Northern Illinois. 



Sir John Eichardson found these birds very numerous in the interior of 

 the fur countries, ranging in summer as far to the north as the 58th parallel, 

 but not found to the eastward of Lake Winnipeg. They reached the Sas- 

 katchewan by the 20th of May, in greater numbers than the Eedwings. 



Through California, as well as in the interior, Mr. Eidgway found the 

 Yellow-headed Blackbird a very abundant species, even exceeding in num- 

 bers the A. phceniceus, occurring in the marshes filled with rushes. This 

 species he found more gregarious than the Eedwing, and frequently their 

 nests almost filled the rushes of their breeding-places. Its notes he describes 

 as harsher than those of any other bird he is acquainted with. Yet they 

 are by no means disagreeable, while frequently their attempts at a song 

 were really amusing. Their usual note is a deep duck, similar to that of 

 most Blackbirds, but of a rather deeper tone. In its movements upon the 

 ground its gait is firm and graceful, and it may frequently be seen walking 

 about over the grassy flats, in snmll companies, in a manner similar to the 

 Cow Blackbird, which, in its movements, it greatly resembles. It nests in 

 the sloughs, among the tuU, and the maximum number of its eggs is four. 



Mr. W. J. McLaughlin of Centralia, Kansas, writes (American Naturalist, 

 III, p. 493) that these birds arrive in that region about the first of May, and 

 all disappear about the 10th of June. He does not think that any breed 

 there. During their stay they make themselves very valuable to the farmers 



VOL. II. 22 



