IC)C} NORTH ANfKlMcW IHRDB. 



of tliis bird hmkIits it easily rt'co^'ni/al>K' froiii tlie other species, where they 

 are all seen to^a-tlier. Mr. Kitlu'way is «»t' the opinion that tin* notes of the 

 white-shouKieretl species tlitlcr very considerably troni those ol the two other 

 JUackbirds. 



J)r, lleerinann Ibund this ii very abundant bird in California. He states 

 that durinj.,' the winter (»f IcS.'ii', wUvn iiuntinj^ in the niarsiies of Suisaii 

 Valley, he had often, on hearing a «hdl, rushin^% roaring' noise, found that it 

 was ]»ro«lu('('d by a sin^de tlock of this species, nundjcrini,' so many thousaiuls 

 as to darken the sky for some distance by their masses. In the northern 

 ])art of California he met with ji breeding-place of this species that occupied 

 several acres, covered with alder-bushes and willow, and was in the immedi- 

 ate vicinitv of water. Tlie ne.sts, often four or Hve in the same bush, were 

 composed of mutl and straw, and lined with tine j^'rasses. The eggs he de- 

 scribes as ilark blue, marked with lines and spots oi' dark umber and a few 

 light purple dashes. Dr. Heermann, at dilferent times, fell in with several 

 other breeding-places of this s])ecies, similarly situated, but they had all 

 been abandoned, from which he iiderred that each year dilferent grounds 

 are resorted to by these birds for the purposes of incubation. 



l)r. Kennerly obtained a specimen of this l)ird on the Cohnado Iiiver, in 

 California, Decemlter, ISo-t. Dr. Cooper is of the opinion that it i.s, never- 

 theless, a rare s])ecies in that valley. The latter found them the most abun- 

 dant species near San Diego and Los Angeles, and not rare at Santa Barbara. 

 North of the lact place they pass more into the interior, and extend up as 

 far as Klamath Lake and Southern Oregon. 



Thev are to be seen in considerable flocks even in the breeding-.sea.son. 

 Their song, Dr. Cooper states, is not so loud and is more guttural than are 

 tho.se of the other species. Their habits are otherwi.se very similar, and they 

 associate, in fall and winter, in immense Hocks in the interior, though often 

 also found separate. 



These birds were first obtained by Mr. Xuttall near Santa Barbara, in the 

 month of April. They were very common there, as well as at Monterey. 

 He observed no diii'erence in their haluts from those of the common Bed- 

 wing, except that they occurred in much larger Hocks and kept apart from 

 that species. They were sek'om seen, except in the near suburbs of the 

 town.s. At that time California was in the po.ssession of Mexico, and its 

 inhabitants were largely occupied in the slaughter of wild cattle for the sake 

 of the hides. ^Ir. Xuttall found these l>irds feeding almost exclusively on 

 the maggots of the Hesh-Hies generated in the offal thus created. They were 

 in large whirling flocks, and as.sociated with the MolotJiri, the Grakles, the 

 Bed-wings, and the Yellow-headed Blackbirds. They kept up an incessant 

 chatter and a discordant, confused warble, much more harsh and guttural 

 than even the notes of the Cow Blackbird. 



Tw^o eggs of this species, obtained by Dr. Heermann in California, and 

 now in my cabinet, measuring an inch in length by .67 of an inch in breadth. 



