200 S. CYANOCEPHAiUS, BLUE-HEADED 6EACKLE. 



The habitat of this species is observed to overlap that of the preced- 

 ing, along the line through Eastern Kansas, Nebraska, and Dakota, as 

 well as in the country immediately along the Eed Eiver. Prof. Snow 

 states that it is " quite conimon even in Eastern Kansas ;"' and at Pem- 

 bina, on the Eed Eiver, I found it breeding abundantly. Further south, 

 in Dakota, I have not observed it east of Fort Eandall, where it is 

 common; and beyond this, in the Missouri region, it almost replaces 

 the eastern species, which, however, reaches, in Dakota, during the fall 

 migration, to about 103° west longitude at least. 



1 took a single male bird at Fort Eandall, in November, after all the 

 migrants had passed southward; but its occurrence was due, I ascer- 

 tained, to an injury of one wing, which kept it from flying off with the 

 rest; and I am satisfied that none winter so far north as this, though, 

 on the Pacific coast, according to Dr. Cooper, the species is resident as 

 far north as the Columbia. In Arizona, at various seasons, and late in 

 the fall in Southern California, I found the birds in great abundance, 

 .and enjoyed excellent opportunities of studying their habits. 



This species appears to leave both latitudinal extremes of its range 

 periodically, and probably all the individuals change their abode twice 

 a year ; yet the oscillation of the whole body is insuiflcient to remove 

 them entirely from most localities, the birds being-simply more or less 

 abundant according to season. Thus casual observation in Arizona 

 would lead to the belief that the species was there a winter visitant 

 only, while I am satisfied that they reside in the Territory. In Septera- 

 . ber and October their ranks are recruited by constant arrivals from the 

 north, and they are very abundant until the following May. Then the 

 flocks break up ; the incomplete migration ensues, and the remainder 

 scatter about to breed. Unlike some Blackbirds, the Scolecophagi do 

 not breed in extensive communities, nor do they necessarily resort to 

 swampy localities. Several pairs, however, are often attracted to the 

 same spot, and more than one nest may be found on the same tree or 

 high bush. The nest is placed in a crotch several feet from the ground; 

 itisa bulky structure, like a miniature Crow's nest, but deeper and 

 more compact. The basement and outer wall is an interlacement of 

 short, crooked twigs, matted with a variety of softer materials, and ma.y 

 rarely be plastered with mud. This substance, however, is not used 

 in great quantity, often apparently no more than what sticks to the 

 weeds and roots. The nest is finished inside with a quantity of hair, 

 rootlets, &c. The eggs differ entirely from those of the Agelcei, being 

 speckled, not streaked, like those of the Xanthocephalus. They are 

 hardly distinguishable from those of the Eusty Grackle. They vary in 

 number from four to six, measuring an inch or more by a little over 

 three fourths of an inch (a selected specimen was 1.05 by 0.78). They 

 are a dull, olivaceous-gray, sometimes a clearer pale-bluish or greenish- 

 gray, thickly scattered all over with various shades of brown, from quite 

 blackish or dark chocolate to light umber. None of the spots are large ; 

 they are very irregular in outline, occasionally quite linear; they vary 

 in number, sometimes being numerous enough to hide the ground-color. 

 A nest of Brewer's Blackbird before me, taken by Mr. Allen, June 24, 

 1873, on Heart Eiver, Dakota, was placed only a few inches from the 

 ground. It is large and bulky, with many projections of the small 

 sticks which form the exterior, and are mixed with grasses and weed- 

 stalks throughout the nest. The lining is distinct, of fine, tortuous 

 rootlets, very neatly disposed in a circular manner. It contained five 

 eggs, with large embryos. The ground is grayish, but it is everywhere 

 so thickly mottled, or rather clouded, with dull chocolate-brown as to 



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