456 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Its general habits, food, call notes, etc., are similar to those of the Red- 

 winged Blackbird; like this, it breeds among the tide, rushes, and coarse grass, 

 either in single pairs or in colonies, in or near marshes, placing its nest in tufts 

 of marsh grass and reeds, from 1 to 3 feet above the water, and similar materials 

 are used in its construction. 



The eggs, from two to four in number (very rarely more), resemole those of 

 the Red-winged Blackbird, excepting that they are a trifle smaller and perhaps 

 on an average less heavily marked, but otherwise the same description will 

 answer for both. The breeding season in California begins usually in the last 

 ten days of April, and continues throughout May. 



Ordinarily, I believe, two broods are raised in a season, the young of the first 

 broods gathering in flocks as soon as they are large enough to care for themselves. 



The average measurement of forty-four specimens in the United States 

 National Museum collection is 24.07 by 17.35 millimetres, or about 0.95 by 0.68 

 inch. The largest egg in the series measures 26.42 by 17.78 millimetres, or 1.04 

 by 0.70 inches; the smallest, 21.34 by 16.76 millimetres, or 0.84 by 0.66 inch. 



The type specimen, No. 17599 (PI. 6, Fig. 16), from a set of four, was taken 

 by Mr. Charles A. Allen, near Nicasio, Marin County, California, on April 23, 

 1877, and represents a specimen with a smoky ground color, while No. 25351 

 (PI. 6, Fig. 17), also from a set of four, in the Ralph collection, taken near Olema, 

 California, on Arjril 23, 1884, represents one of the ordinary types. 



178. Agelaius tricolor (Nuttall). 



TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD. 



Icterus tricolor Nuttall, Audubon's Ornithological Biography, V, 1839, PI. 388, Fig. I. 

 Agelaius tricolor Bonaparte, Geographical aud Comparative List, 1838, 29. 

 (B 403, C 2126, R 262, C 318, U 500.) 



Geographical range : Southwestern Oregon, south through California, west of the 

 Sierra Nevadas, to northern Lower California. 



The breeding range of the Tricolored or Red and White Shouldered Black- 

 bird is probably coextensive with its geographical distribution. It appears to be 

 a resident wherever found, and, as far as I can learn, has not yet been reported 

 from points farther north than Klamath Lake, in southwestern Oregon. Here 

 it was first met with by Dr. J. S. Newberry, and later by Dr. James C. Merrill, 

 United States Army, who noticed a few among the common Red-winged Black- 

 birds there, but did not find it breeding. I failed to observe it while stationed at 

 Fort Klamath, and it is probably uncommon. It is known to breed abundantly 

 in the interior valleys of California, especially in the southern and central 

 portions of the State, but it is not found east of the Sierra Nevadas. 



Mr. F. Stephens writes to me: "Agelaius tricolor is an abundant winter resi- 

 dent in the larger valleys of Los Angeles and Orange counties, occurring here in 

 very large flocks. In summer it is somewhat rarer, but several colonies are 



