232 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. [Tul.Yl. 



constructed of fibrous grasses, liorse-liairs, strings, rags, down of plants, 

 wool, and fine bark. Sometimes one or two materials alone are used, 

 such as white horse-hair and cotton twine, which I have found in one 

 instance. These are neatly and closely interwoven in the form of a deep 

 bag, suspended by the edges from the forks of a branch near its end." 

 The nest, as described by Mr. Eidgway, " is very similar in its structure 

 and composition to that of the Baltimore (J. bcdtimore), but it is less fre- 

 quently pendulous, and seldom, if ever, so gracefully suspended. Its 

 usual position is between upright twigs, near the top of the tree, thus 

 resembling more that of the Orchard Oriole {I. spurius), which, however, 

 is very different in its composition." The latter description conforms 

 more nearly to my own observations. Of the great number of nests exam- 

 ined during May and June, very few were similar to those of the eastern 

 Baltimore Oriole as far as the pendulous form is concerned, bj'^ far the 

 greater number being more globular and secured between several up- 

 right branches, or in the forks of the same. One nest in particular, re- 

 ferred to on a former occasion, was closed over at the toi), leaving two 

 openings, one on each side, though near the top. The materials em- 

 ployed consisted chiefly of grasses of several species, and the upper ends 

 were so interwoven in securing the nest to the upright branches as to 

 close that portion entirely. The necessity for this was apparent in this 

 instance, though it was at first considered intentional as the nest was 

 located on the same horizon and only about 8 or 10 feet distant from one 

 occupied by a breeding Hawk [Buteo sicainsoni), both species apj^earing 

 until the time of our visit to live in perfect harmony. 



A nest similar in some respects is described by Dr. Coues, which, 

 though " suspended from the forked twig of an oak and draped almost 

 to concealment with leaves, had a remarkable peculiarity, being arched 

 over and roofed in at the toi), with a dome of the same material as the 

 rest, and had a little round hole in one side just large enough to let the 

 birds pass in." Both instances are probably exceptional, though inter- 

 esting in illustration of the variety of form adopted. 



Scolecophagus cyanocepJialus (Wagl.) Oaban. — Brewer's Blackbird. 



This Blackbird was met with more particularly in the southwestern 

 portion of the State, in the more elevated regions. They frequent the 

 lower valleys during the winter, retiring in the summer to the timbered 

 caQons and higher valleys. On the western coast they are reported by 

 Dr. Cooper as resident as far north as the Columbia. 



COEVID^. 



Corvus Gorax carnivorus (Bartr.) Eidgw. —American Eaven. 



This bird is everywhere more or less abundant, and a permanent resi- 

 dent. Dr. Cooper, in referring to this species, gives the following state- 

 ment : '' I obtained numbers of the raven at Fort Mojave, which, though 

 more brilliant than usual in northern specimens, did not seem to differ 



