184 THE BIRDS OF MONTREAL. 



Tail-feathers pointed at tips. Adult male in spring : 

 General colour black, hind-neck buff; scapulars, 

 rump and upper tail-coverts whitish-buffy. Fall 

 plumage similar to female. Adult female : General 

 colour ochraceeus, streaked with dusky, buffy stripe 

 on head. 



158. Cowbird. 



Length about 8 inches, tail about 3 inches long ; 

 female smaller. Adult males : Plumage glossy-black, 

 with greenish and purplish reflections ; head, neck 

 and chest brownish. Adult females : Plumage plain 

 brownish-gray, paler on throat. Young : Upper 

 parts dull brow T nish-gray and buffy ; below, light- 

 buffy, streaked with brownish-gray. 



159. Red-winged Blackbird. 



Male: Length about 9J inches, tail about 3f 

 inches, and bill about 1 inch long. Female : Length 

 about 8 inches, tail about 3 inches long. Adult 

 males: Plumage black, with lesser wing-coverts 

 bright-red, and the middle coverts buffy-whitish ; 

 in winter, feathers with rusty terminal borders. 

 Adult females : Above, streaked with dusky ; be- 

 low, striped with dusky and whitish. Young : 

 Similar to females, but markings more suffused and 

 of a buffy shade. 



