AGELjEUS PIKENICEUS. 



433 



Yimnr/ female. Similar to the adult hut has no rosaceous on the thrcjat, or red on the shoulder. There is more vul'ous 

 nhovc, cs])eiiiiUy in winter. 



Ymniy male of the year in spring. Witli the feathers ahove widely margined with rufous, especiallj- on the shoulders, 

 where there are hut few indications of scarlet. There are superciliary linos and a slight maxillary line. All the feathei-s 

 ))elow are edged with whitish. The ground color is black, however, but this is rather brownish, especially on the ti|isof 

 the wings. 



Younij mate of the year in winter. Similar in color to the female, being brown above, with the feathers margined witli 

 yellowish-white and reddish. White, beneath, streaked witli dark-brown. There is a tinge of yellow on the throat. No 

 inilications whatever of red on the shoulders. Other markings similar to those of the adult female but the size Is always 

 consideralily larger. 



Young female of the year. Strongly tinged below with yellowish which Ls more noticeable in winter. Otherwise simi- 

 lar to the young. 



Nestlings. Resembles the above, but there is much more yellow below, and there are indications of wing bars. The 

 bill is light-brown. There is a naked space around the eye and on the throat long after all of the remainder of the body 

 is covered with feathers. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Adult males from Massachu-setts have a pale-buff margin to theshoulder patches which are of an intense scarlet. This 

 margin Is made up of the lower row of lesser wing coverts and they are darker where they are covered. Florida birds have 

 less of this edging and it is of a darker buff. In Western skins of the so-called ^^yvhernator^' these coverts are only buff 

 at the ba.se, the tips being black. The Southern females do not differ much from more Northern specimens, excepting that 

 they arc smaller, as are also the males. Females from Utah have the colors on the anterior jiortions more obscured, and 

 there is but little trace of a median line. A male specimen in the collection of the Masters Bangs, taken in Octolier, is 

 quite similar to some taken at Key West only a month later. Distributed in summer throughout the United States. Win- 

 tei-s in the Carolinas and southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of fifteen male specimens from New England. Length, 9'03; stretch, M'72; wing. 47.'); tail, 

 S'-W; liill, -98; tarsus, I'OT. Longest specimen, 9-50; greatest extent of wing, 15'35; longest wing, 5'00; tail,3-C5; bill, ro.5: 

 tarsus, 1-15. Shortest specimen, 8-61; smallest extent of wing, U"20; shortest wing, 4-50; tail, 3-45; bill, ■9'2; tarsus, 1-00. 



Average measurements of fifteen female specimeas from New England. Length, "'TJ; stretch, 1'2'dO; wing, 3'83; tail, 

 •2-87; bill, '82; tarsus, -95. L<mgest specimen, 8-00; greatest extent of wing, 14-50; longest wing, 4'(K1; tail, 3-05; bill, •!)(»; 

 tai'sus, l-OO. Shortest specimen, 7'45; smallest extent of wing, 1-2-00; shortest wing, 2'4(); tail, '2-70; bill, '85; tarsus, -90. 



Average measurements of fifteen male sjiecimens from Florida. Length, 8-57; stretch, 14-1'2; wing, 4'.'iO; tail, •2'87; 

 bill, -85; tarsus, '97. Longest specimen, 9'25; greatest extent of wing, 14-50; hmgest wing, 4-GO; tail,3-ri'2; bill, I'OO; tarsus, 

 1'05. Shortest .specimen, 7'90; smallest extent of wing, 13-75; shortest wing, 395; tail, 3-00; bill, -71; tai-sus, -90. 



Average mea.suremcnts of fourteen female specimens from Florida. Length, 7-50; stretch, l'2-72; wing, 3-32; tail, 275; 

 bill, '95; tarsus, r05. Lcmgest specimen, 798; greatest extent of wing, 1225; longest wing, 3-90; tail, 3-02; bill, -95: 

 tarsus, 1-05. Shortest specimen, 7-10; smallest extent of wing, 11-15; shortest wing, 3-(K); tail, 2-45; bill, -75; tarsus, -92. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, jjlaced in trees, hushes, or on tussocks. They are compact structures, composed of ipiite coarse grass and weeds, 

 lined with fine grass. Dimensions; external diameter, 4-15, internal, 3-12. External depth, 5-85, internal, r85. 



Eggs,i)\-A inform, three to live in number, iiale-hlue in culdr, spotted, l)lotchcd, and lined irregularly with rcdilish- 

 brown and umber. The above described markings are on the surface, and usually <luster around the larger end, Init then- 

 are other spots which are duller and incorporated in the shell. The spots vary greatly in number, and occasionally one will 

 be immaculate. Dimensioas from -QOx-GS to r07x 75. 



HABITS. 



There are few, if any, among our insessorial birds that are found in such immense 

 flocks as the Red-winged Blackbirds. Large quantities associate together in New Eng- 

 land, but as they move southward these communities join forces, and when they arrive in 

 the rice fields of the Carolinas and Georgia, they have accumulated in such vast swnrnis 

 as to fairly darken the air. Great numbers also occur throughout Florida, and I even found 

 them abundant at Key West. During the entire winter they are gregariou.sly inclined, 

 but as spring approaches they break up into small flocks and the males which have only 

 the cluck, used as a call note when flying, or as one of alarm when startled, begin t(» give 



