310 BIEDS OP ILLINOIS. 



being without notch ; the cuhnen running back farther on the fore- 

 head, the nostrils being situated fully one third or more of the total 

 length from its posterior extremity. The entire absence of notch 

 in the bill and of bristles along the rictus are strong features. The 

 nostrils are perfectly free from any overhanging feathers or bristles. 

 The pointed wings, with the fu'st quill longest, or nearly equal to 

 second, and the tail with its broad rounded feathers, shorter than 

 the wings, are additional features to be specially noted. {Hist. N. 

 Am. B.) 



Molothrus ater (Bodd.) 



COWBIRD. 



Popular synonyms. Cow Blackbird; Cow-pen Bunting; Lazy Bird (Connecticut); Clod- 

 hopper. 



Oriolus ati-r Bodd. Tab). P. E. 1783. 37. 



Molothrus ater Gkay. 1870.— Eidgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 258.— CouES,2d Check List, 



No. 313. 

 Frin Ula pecoris Gmel. S. N. i, 1788,910 (female). 

 Emheriza pecoris WrLS. Am. Orn. ii, 1810, 145, pi. 18, flgs. 1,2,3. 

 Icterus pecoris Bp. 1824.- Nutt. Man. i, 1832, 178.— AUD. Orn. Biog. 1,1831,493; v, 1839,233, 



400, pis. 99, 424. 

 il/o'o(ftrMS2)PfO)-is Sw. & Rich. F.B. A. ii, 1831.277.— AuD. Synop. 1839, 139; B.Am, iv, 



1842, 16. pi. 212.— Baird. B.N. Am. 1858, 524; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 400.— CouES. 



Key. 1872, 155; Check List 1874. No, 211; B. N. W. 1874, 180.-B. B. & E. Hist. N. Am. 



B. ii. 1874,154. pi. 32. flgs. 6,7. 

 Fringilla ambigua Nutt. Man. i. 1832,484 (= young). 



Hae. Temperate North America (except Pacific Coast?), north to about 68° ; breeds 

 chiefly north of 35°, and winters maiuly south of the same parallel, down to southern 

 border of the United States. 



"Sp. Chak. Second Quill longest; first scarcely shorter. Tail nearly even, or very 

 slightly rounded. Male with the head, neck, and anterior half of the bi'east light choco- 

 late brown, rather lighter above ; rest of body lustrous black, with a violet-purple gloss 

 next to the brown, of steel-blue on the back, and of green elsewhere. Female light oUva- 

 eeous brown all over, lighter on the head and beneath. Bill and feet black. Length, 8 

 inches; wing, 4.42; tail, 3.40. 



"The young bird of the year is brown above, brownish white be- 

 neath : the throat immaculate. A maxillary stripe and obscure 

 streaks thickly crowded across the whole breast and sides. There is 

 a faint indication of a paler superciliary stripe. The feathers of the 

 upper parts are all margined with paler. There are also indications 

 •of light bands on the wings. These markings are all obscure, but 

 perfectly appreciable, and their existence in adult birds of any species 

 •may be considered as embryonic, and showing an inferiority in de- 

 gree to the species with the under parts perfectly plain." {Hist. N. 

 Am. B.) 



