MOLOTHRUS ATER, 501 



common in August in the wlieat-fields at the Overland Ranche in Ruby 

 Valley, and Ave were informed at Salt Lake City that it was a common spe- 

 cies on the meadows of that section of the country in May, and again in 

 the latter part of summer, when the grain ripened. We did not meet with 

 it in summer, however, and doubt whether it breeds anywhere in the Inte- 

 rior south of the 40th parallel.' 



Li^t of specimens. 

 873, ? ad.; Ruby Valley, Nevada (Camp L>1), August 28, 1868, 



MOLOTURUS ATER. 

 Cow Blackbird. 



a. atcr. 



Molothrus ater, Gray, Hand List, II, 1870, 36, No. 6507 [cites Bonn., PI. Eul., 

 1783, 606, fig. 1].— Baird, Orii. Simpsou's Exped., 1876, 379. 



Fringilla pecoris, Gmelin, Sy.st. Nat., I, 1788, 910. 



Molothrus pecoris, Swains. & Rich., Fauna Bor. Am., II, 1831, 277.— Baird, B. N. 

 Am., 1858, 524; Cat. N. Am. B., 1859, No. 400.— Cooper, Orn. Cal., I, 257.-^ 

 CouES, Key, 1872, 155 ; Check List, 1873, No. 211.— B. B. & R., Hist. N. Am. 

 B., II, 1874, 154, pi. XXXII, figs. 6, 7.— Henshaw, 1875, 312. 



Molothrus pecoris. a. pecoris, CouES, B. N.W., 1874, ISO. 



We found this species to be so rare in the coiuitry traversed by the 

 expedition that the list of specimens given below comprises every individual 

 seen during the whole time. 



List of specimens. 



146, H juv.; Camp 17, valley of the Humboldt, August 31, 1867. 8— 13|— 4.i_ 

 ^4— H— 1— -4— 1^- Bill, slate-black, paler aud more lilaceous on lower mandible- 

 iris, hazel ; tarsi and toes, black. ' 



U7,^juv.; Camp 17, valley of the Humboldt, August 31, 1867. 7 J 12 ^ -4 ' 



3g— §-§-2i-li. Same remarks. '" '" '^ 



782, <? ad.; TruckeeReservatiou, June 2, 1868. 8i— 14— (?)— 39. Bill tarsi and 

 toes, deep black; iris, burnt-umber. " ' '> 



1231, egg ; Parley's Park, Wahsatch Mountains, Utah, June 23, 1869. Deposited 

 m nest of Passerella scJiisiacea. 



_ 1401, egg; Bear River Valley, Utah, June, 1869. Deposited in nest of Geothhmis 

 trichas. {Collected by Mr. J. C. Olmstead.) 



According to Mr. Henshaw (;. c), the Bobolink apparently breeds at Provo, 

 Utah, parent birds having been noticed feeding their young, July 25th. 



