54 THE COLUMBIAN RED-\VINC.. 



WE accept this bird as a resident of this State chiefly on the testimony 

 uf William 11. KoIiIk.*, wlio listed it" as a brceilinj^ bird of Cape Disap|x>iiit- 

 nient. lie found it closely assixiatet! witli the Xorthwestern Red-wing (.1. 

 f'hwniicus caiirinus ) altho the latter frequently pursued it in the attempt 

 to ex])el it from the small swamj) which lx>th were comi)elled to occupy. 

 This i>robal)!y represents the northernmost e.xtension of this s|)ecies, the Gray's 

 Harbor record of Mr. Lawrence'' lyeing at least o]>en to (piestion in the matter 

 of identification. 



The habits of the Hicolored Hlacki>ird do not differ in any known 

 particular from those of the familiar Red-wing, of which it is a discontinuous 

 offshoot. 



No. i<>. 



COLUMBIAN RED-WING. 



,\. ( >. L'. .\i>. 498. Agelaius phueniceus neutralis Ridgway. 



Synonyms. — S.\n Diego Red-wing. Lnterior Red-wing. Rki>-winc,ed 

 I'l.xckiiiki). Ri;d-siioii,derei) Hlackiiikd. Swami> Hi-vckiiiri). 



Description. — Adult male in summer: Glossy black ; lesser wing-coverts 

 briglit red ( puppy- red, vermilion or .scarlet) ; midillc coverts buffy or ochraceous- 

 buff — the two forming thus a conspicuous epaulet, or shoulder patch. Hill, legs, 

 and feet horn black; irides brown. Adult male in 'iciuter: Middle wing-coverts 

 more dcejily buffy; scajjulars and feathers of black more or less edged with 

 rusty. In iniiiniliire males the Mack of the plumage is more or less extensively 

 margine<l with nisty-buffy or whitish; the wing-coverts have an admixture of 

 black and the "red" of the les.scr coverts is of a sickly hue (orange-tawny, etc.). 

 ./(/»// female in summer: I'irownish gray, everywhere mottled and streaked, or 

 striped, with dusky, linely on chin, cheeks, and superciliarics, where also more or 

 less rubescent. heavily below, less distinctly above: lesser coverts brownish-gray 

 or ilull red: middle coverts black edged with buffy. I'>ill dusky lightening below; 

 feet and legs dusky. Adult female in -.einter: I'lumage of in)per])arts more or 

 less inargincfl with rusty or ochraceous; sides of head ancl luiderparts tinged with 

 buffy. Length of adult males ( .skins ): 8.39 ( J13.1 ): wing 4.84 ( I22.y) ; tail 3.57 

 (ip.7) ; bill .<)0 (2,vi ) : tarsus 1.19 (30.2). Adult females (skins) : 7.11 ( 181.9) ; 

 wing 3.1)8 I 101.31 ; tail 2.85 (72.4) ; bill .yj (19.6) ; tarsus 1.06 (26.«)). 



Recognition Marks. — Chewink to Robin size; bright red epaulets of male; 

 general strcakiness of female. Female lighter-colored and not so heavily streaked 

 as in . /. />. eaurinus. 



Nesting. — .Ve".j/. a neatly woven but rather bulky basket of grasses, cat-tail 

 leaves or hemp, usually lashed to upright stalks of cat-tail, occasionally on bushes, 



a. The Auk, Vol. XVII., Oct. 1900, p. 354. 



b. The Auk, Vol. IX., Jan. 1891. p. 45. 



