ICTERID^ — AGELJEiNJE: MAMSH BLACKBIIWS. 



403 



apparpiitly Cdiistant. Southwestern U. S., Texas to California, the resident fomi, breeding 

 tliere, while M. ater passes on, though the two are associated during the migration of the latter. 

 Swarming like M. ater; eggs as iu that species, but smaller; only up to about 0.80 X 0.60. 

 315. M. cB'neus. (Lat. ««e!«s or f(?iemM.s, brassy, bronzy ; «.s, brass.) Brass Cowbikd. Beonzed 

 CowBiRD. Red-eyed CoWBiRD. (J, adult: Eutiie body and head l>lack, splendidly lustrous 

 with bronzy reflections, the tint much like that of the back of Qmsculus aneus. This rich 

 lirassy-black uniform over the whole bird, there being no distinction of color between the head 

 and bfidy, as in M. ater. The bronze only on the ends of the feathers, the covered, parts of 

 which are violet-black, with plain dusky roots. Wings and tail black, with vitdet, purple, and 

 especially green metallic lustre on the upper surfaces. Under wing- aud tail-coverts chiefly 

 violaceous-black ; the purplish and violaceous tints most noticeable on the upper coverts of 

 both wings and tail, the reflections of the quill-feathers theni,selves being chiefly green. Bill 

 ebony-black. Feet black. Iris red. Length 8.00-8.50; extent about 15.00 ; wing 4. 50-1'. 75 ; 

 tail 3.25-3.50 ; tarsus 1.15-1.25 ; bill 0.90 along culmen, very st(jut and especially deep at base, 

 much compressed ; lateral outlines concave ; under tmtline straight ; upper gently convex 

 throughout; tip very acute. 9 notably smaller : wmg scarcely over •!. inches ; tail about 3.00 ; 

 culmen scarcely 0.75 ; tarsus 1.00. Color 



not brown, as in Tlf. afer 9 , but uniformly X'C^?^ |M \ ///// /'' 



quite black, with considerable gloss, though \\' 'Vft. \' If 

 nothing like the brassy splendor of the ^. 

 Wings and tail with greenish reflections. 

 Young (J ; Uniform dull black, faintly 

 violaceous on back and rump, greenish on 

 wings and tail. Early spring birds, iu im- 

 perfect dress, are exactly like the adult $ 

 in color, but much larger. Mexico to the 

 Lower Rio Grande, abounding in stPTne 

 places; a large and very handsome Cow- 

 bird, recently added to our fauna. Polyga- 

 mous and parasitic like the others, but egg 

 entirely different, being greenish-white, 

 without markings ; size 0.85-0.95 in length 

 by 0.65-0.75 broad ; average 0.90 X 0.70. 

 Found in nests of Icteria, Icterus, Cardi- 

 nalis, 3Iilvulus, Tyrannus, etc. 

 100. AGEIj^E'US. (Gir. dyeXaiof, acjelaios, gregarious; ayiXrj, a flock.) Red-wing Marsh 

 Blackbirds. Bill about as long as head, stout at base, where deeper than broad, upper and 

 under outlines on an average about straight ; commissure variously sinuate or bent ; culmen high 

 on forehead, where flattish and broadly parting the feathers ; bill rapidly tapering to an acute 

 tip. Wings pointed, but 1st primary not longest ; usually 2d-4th entering point of wing. Tail 

 even or little rounded, of broad feathers widening a little to very obtuse ends, somewhat divari- 

 cate in the middle. Tarsus a little longer than the bill. Our three forms are very closely 

 related: the <J uniform lustrous black, with bend of wing red ; 8.00-9.00 long; mng 4.50-5.00; 

 tail 3.50-4.00. The 9 everywhere_ streaked ; above blackish-brown with pale streaks, inclin- 

 ing on head to form median and superciliary stripes; below, whitish, with many sharp dusky 

 streaks ; sides of head, throat, and bend of the wing, tinged with reddish or fulvous ; under 

 8.00; wing about 4.00; tail 3.25. The young $ at first like the 9, but larger, apt to have 

 a general huffy or fulvous suffusion, with bright bay edgings of the feathers of back, wings, and 

 tail, and soon showing black patches. The 9 9 are scarcely distinguishable : the $ $ may be 

 determined as follows : 



Fig. 259. — Marsh Blackbirrl, ^, reduceil. (Sheppard 

 del. Nichols sc.) 



