206 



BLACKBIRDS, 



1. COWBIRD, M. ATEK. 7.80; greenish-black; head, 

 Fig. 269. neck, and upper breast, choco- 



late-brown, fig. 270. Female, 

 grayish-brown above, lighter 

 below; nestlings, both sexes, 

 similar to female, moulting at 

 once into adult dress. Breeds 

 from Ga. northward through- 

 out temperate N. A. ; winters 

 in Mexico and southward; 

 goes south in Oct, ; comes 

 north in April. Flight, very- 

 swift and winding. Gregar- 

 ious in autumn, often alighting 

 about cattle. Song, ^''S-iVeet 

 su-sz'e''^ very sweetly given in a 

 liquid tone ; this is rarely heard 

 the usual song being a kind of 

 CC, E, i, 1. 1-6. wheezy, double croak, given 



while the bird ruffles his feathers and Fig. 270. 



bows his head, also a prolonged whist- 

 ling cry more often emitted when flying, 

 and a blackbird-like chirp. An inter- 

 esting species. 



k. Rice Buntings. Dolichonyx. 

 Finch-like birds with short, conical 

 bills, long wings and not long tails hav- 

 ing stiffened, pointed feathers. Nest on 

 ground. Food, seeds and insects. 



1. BOBOLINK, D. obyzivorus. 

 7.50 ; spring male, black ; yellowish- 

 white patch on back of head and whit- CC, E, j, 1. 1-5. 

 ish markings above, fig. 271. Female, yellowish-buff streaked 

 above and on sides with dusky, fig. 271. Male in autumn 

 and winter similar to female. Breeds from the Middle States 

 northward into the British Provinces, west to Utah. Winters 



