494 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



flocks in January, near Vancouver, Washington; most of these birds appeared 

 to be males. As a rule Brewer's Blackbird likes rather open country and is 

 not seen in extensive forest regions, and during the breeding season it shuns 

 the swampy and tule-bordered shores of the larger inland lakes, which are the 

 home of thousands of Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds at that time 

 of year. Dr. E. A. Mearns, United States Army, met with it in the pine belt in 

 Arizona, and found it common at the base of the San Francisco Mountains in 

 June, 1887, where it was breeding. 



In Colorado it has been observed up to 10,000 feet, and in the San Pedro 

 Martir Mountains, in Lower California, Mr. A. W. Anthony found it nesting in 

 the pines at an altitude of about 8,200 feet on May 13, 1893; while in the San 

 Vincente Valley they nested in olive trees, and full sets of eggs were taken by 

 him here on April 28. In western Oregon, he informs me, they often nested in 

 old Woodpecker holes, sometimes more than 100 feet from the ground. 



Brewer's Blackbird is a restless creature, and is never still for any length 

 of time. Its manner of flight is swift, and when in flocks they generally move in 

 a compact body; when one bird takes wing all the others follow, and a flock 

 makes considerable noise as it passes by. On the ground, while in search of 

 food, its walk is easy and graceful, and in walking about while feeding the 

 birds in the rear take occasional short flights and settle down just ahead of 

 the foremost ones; such movements are constantly taking place until startled. 

 by something, when they all take wing and settle in the nearest trees. 



Their food during the summer consists mostly of caterpillars, grasshoppers, 

 large black crickets, worms, slugs, etc., varied with small seeds, and during the 

 winter mostly of grains of different kinds, generally refuse picked up about 

 the stock yards and farmhouses. In the spring they may often be seen follow- 

 ing the farmer's plow, picking up beetles, larva?, etc., as they are uncovered, or 

 following cattle, like Cowbirds. In the Santa Clara Valley, in California, Mr. 

 R. H. Beck writes, a species of measuring worm attacked the apricot and prune 

 trees in certain orchards, and had denuded many of them. When the birds dis- 

 covered these worms they could be seen all day gathering them and feeding 

 their young therewith, destroying enormous numbers; but during cherry time 

 they helped themselves also to some cherries. Although this species may 

 destroy some fruit at times, it certainly does far more good than harm, and 

 deserves protection. 



Their ordinary call note is a sharp "tchack, tchack," and in the spring of 

 the year they are full of song, which it is utterly impossible to describe. A 

 number of birds are usually singing, if it can be so called, at the same time, and 

 such a concert, consisting of all sorts of sounds, must be heard to get a satis- 

 factory idea of it. They are amiable and sociable birds, and where not molested 

 will readily alight in the yards of houses and pick up food from the doorsteps. 



Such birds as migrate usually return to their more northern breeding 

 grounds early in April, and shortly afterwards they begin to scatter in small 

 colonies over the surrounding country to suitable localities to breed, though 



