BIRDS OF KANSAS. 391 



"The peculiar characteristic of this genus is found in the rigid scansorial 

 tail and the very long middle toe, by means of which it is enabled to grasp the 

 vertical stems of reeds or other slender plants. The color of the single species 

 is black, varied with whitish patches on the upper parts." 



Dolichonyx oryzivorus (LINN.). 



BOBOLINK. 

 PLATE XXV. 



Summer resident; very rare; during migration quite common. 

 Arrive the last of April to middle of May; begin laying the last 

 of May; return in September. 



In the early part of June, 1867, I found a pair in Anderson 

 county, and from actions was positive the birds had a nest near 

 by, but was unable to find it, and I have in "The Goss Orni- 

 thological Collection " a male shot May 23d, 1877, near Neosho 

 Falls, out of a small flock. I have often met with them in the 

 State since, but cannot recall seeing them later than the middle 

 of May, and I think their remaining so late, or breeding so far 

 south, rare and exceptional, and that latitude 40 to 41 is their 

 southern breeding limit, and 54 their northern. 



B. 399. R. 257. C. 332. G. 129, 189. U. 494. 



HABITAT. Eastern North America; north into the fur regions; 

 west to the high plains; south to South America; West Indies. 



SP. CHAB. "General color of male in spring, black; the nape brownish 

 cream color; a patch on the side of the breast, the scapulars and rump white, 

 shading into light ash on the upper tail coverts and the back below the inter- 

 scapular region. The outer primaries sharply margined with yellowish white; 

 the tertials less abruptly; the tail feathers margined at the tips with pale brown- 

 ish ash. In autumn totally different, resembling the female. Female: Yellow- 

 ish beneath; two stripes on the top of the head, and the upper parts throughout, 

 except the back of the neck and rump, and including all the wing feathers, 

 generally dark brown, all edged with brownish yellow, which becomes whiter 

 near the tips of the quills. The sides sparsely streaked with dark brown, and 

 a similar stripe behind the eye. There is a superciliary and a median band of 

 yellow on the head." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 7.30 12.25 3.90 3.00 1.03 .55 



Female . . 7.00 10.50 3.55 2.80 1.00 .55 



Iris brown; bill, upper blackish, under bluish, with the end 

 dusky; legs and feet brown; claws dark brown. 



