398 HISTORY OF THE 



Their nests are built in reeds and rushes, and are composed 

 of flexible leaves of flags and grasses, lined with a finer material 

 of the same, and attached to and woven in and around the 

 standing, growing stalks. Eggs three to six, usually four; vary 

 greatly in size; according to Ridgway, 1.05x. 71. A set of four 

 eggs, taken May 30th, 1882, from a nest, as above, attached to 

 standing, growing rushes, about two feet above the water, on a 

 bog in Pewaukee Lake, Wisconsin, measure: . 93x.70, . 94x. 72, 

 ,95x.75, . 96x. 74; grayish to greenish white, profusely covered 

 with spots and blotches of drab and purplish brown; in form, 

 oval. 



GENUS AGELAIUS VIEILLOT. 



"First quill shorter than second; claws short; the outer lateral scarcely 

 reaching the base of the middle. Culmeu depressed at base, parting the frontal 

 feathers; length equal to that of the head, shorter than tarsus. Both man- 

 dibles of equal thickness, and acute at tip, the edges much curved; the culmen, 

 gonys and commissure nearly straight or slightly simiated; the length of bill 

 about twice its height. Tail moderate, rounded, or very slightly graduated. 

 Wings pointed, reaching to end of lower tail coverts Colors black with red 

 shoulders in North American species. One West Indian with orange buff. Fe- 

 males streaked except in two West Indian species. 



" The nostrils are small, oblong, overhung by a membraneous scale. The 

 bill is higher than broad at the base. There is no division between the anterior 

 tarsal scutella and the single plate on the outside of the tarsus." 



Agelaius phoeniceus (LINN.). 



BED- WINGED BLACKBIRD. 

 PLATE XXV. 



A very rare resident; abundant in summer. Begin laying 

 early in May. 



B. 401. R. 261. C. 316. G. 132, 192. U. 498. 



HABITAT. Temperate North America in general, except west- 

 ern Mexico and lower Colorado valley; north to Great Slave 

 Lake; south to Costa Rica. 



SP. CHAR. "Tail much rounded; the lateral feathers about half an inch 

 shorter. Fourth quill longest ; first about as long as fifth. Bill large, stout ; 

 half as high, or more than half as high as long. Male: General color uniform 

 lustrous velvet black with a greenish reflection. Shoulders and lesser wing 

 coverts of a bright crimson or vermilion red. Middle coverts brownish yellow, 

 or buff, and usually paler toward the tips. Female: Brown above, the feathers 

 edged or streaked with rufous brown and yellowish ; beneath white, streaked 



