THE CALIFURXIA JUCUUJRED BLACKBIRD. 53 



comer had not yet learned to feed himself, but only opened his month 

 and called with childish insistence. Jnd.oe of the owner's delight, and mine 

 as a witness, when the (ildei" hird. himself little more than a fledgelin<;', began 

 t(i \\-i:i\ the nr].)han with ;dl the tender suhcitnde of a parent. It was 

 irresistibly cunning and heartsume tuo, f(ir the bird to select with thdughtful, 

 brotherly kindness, a morsel of focid, and hup mer toward the clamnring 

 stranger and drop it intn his mciutli: after this to stand back as if In sav, 

 "Tiiere, baby! how did ym like that r" This trait was not shown bv a 

 chance exhibition alone, but l)ecame a regular habit, which was still fnl- 

 lowed when the older bird had attained to fly-catching, it upset all one's 

 notions about instinct, ;nid made one think of a g(jlden rule for birds. 



No. 18. 



CALIFORNIAN BICOLORED BLACKBIRD, 



A. ( ). U. Xo. 4(j(;. Agelaius giibernator californicus Xelson. 



Description. — .Idult male: "Lhiifnrm deep black, with a faint bluish green 

 gloss in certain lights ; lesser w^ing-coverts rich pop])y red or vermilion ; ni'ddle 

 coverts black, or (if not entirely black) at least broadly tipped with black, the 

 basal portion tawny buff or ochraceous; bill, legs, and feet black; iris brown" 

 (Ridgway). Adult female in breediuy plumaye: Dark sooty brown more or less 

 streaked on crown and back ; chin and throat whitish or pinkish buff streaked with 

 brown ; faint superciliary stripe composed of narrow whitish streaks on sooty 

 ground. Adult female in zcinter: h'eathers more or less edged with rusty. 

 Immature male: Lesser wing-coverts partly black, the remaining red not clear, 

 ochraceous-rufous or orange-tawny. Length of adult male: (skins) 8.62 (219); 

 wing 5.78 (136.9); tail 3.67 (93.2); bill .84 (21.3); tarsus 1.28 (32.5). Adult 

 female 6.93 (176); wing 4.27 (108.5); tail 2.82 (71.6); bill .72 (18.3): tarsus 

 I . I o ( 27.9 ) . 



Recognition Marks. — Like Redwing lUackbird but epaulet> pure red with- 

 out exposed buff. 



Nesting. — Nest and liygs like those of the .Xorthwc^tcrn Kcd-wing. Said 

 to be less prolilic. , 



(ieneral Range. — Central and northern coast districts of California north 

 to Washington; straggles irregularly eastward and southward in California in 

 winter. 



Range in Washington. — Recorded breeding at Cape Disajjpointment and 

 may ])o>sil)ly extend north to Gray's Harbor. 



Authorities. — Ayelaius gubcrnator Bonaparte, Baird, Rep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. 

 IX. 1858, p. 530 (Columbia River by J. K. Townsend). Allen, 1!. X. ( ). C. \'I. 

 p. 128. R. H. Lawrence, Auk IX. 1892, 45. Kobbe. 



