165 



few equals among the birds of northeastern North America. The most 

 serious objection to it in this direction is its partiality to cherries. Other 

 fruit it attacks but not to a serious extent. Its unsightly nesting habits, 

 antagonism to other birds, and its proneness to form immense roosts in 

 residential sections counterbalance what good may be expected of its 

 insectiverous habits. 



As though acclimatization societies and others with similar aims had 

 not done enough harm already in introducing the House Sparrow to America, 

 they have added another factor of unknown possibilities in the form of this 

 bird, to compete with native species, develop unforseen qualities in its new 

 surroundings and in the absence of its natural control to increase enor- 

 mously. Already the Starling exists in flocks of thousands in Massachu- 

 setts and covers adjacent states in ever increasing numbers and widening 

 circles. Any hope of its eradication at present probably is vain. 



In its habits the Starling promises to be complementary to the House 

 Sparrow, occupying the orchards, parks, and suburbs as the Sparrow does 

 the towns. Owing to its larger size, its nesting habits are perhaps even more 

 objectionable than those of the House Sparrow, and the fact that it occupies 

 holes brings it into serious competition with such native forms as Bluebirds 

 who are already hard pressed for nesting sites under modern orchard 

 methods. The hope grows less that our severe Canadian winters will 

 prevent its establishing a permanent foothold in the Dominion, as it has 

 adapted its natural migratory habits to American conditions and through 

 them may be able to complete the conquest of the Canadian field. For the 

 next few years the Starling should be looked for, its extension of range 

 noted and its habits and general effect reported. 



FAMILY ICTERID.E. AMERICAN STARLINGS. 



This family includes the Blackbirds, Orioles, and Meadowlarks, which 

 are the American representatives of the European Starlings. They are 

 closely related to the Sparrows and clear differentiation cannot be made 

 between them in a popular description. Most of them have rather long, 

 pointed, tapering bills (Figures 46, 47, 48, 49, p. 26) and some have 

 the middle of the culmen running up in a short keel on the forehead. The 

 Bobolink and the Cowbird have quite sparrow-like bills, but they are 

 shortened Icterine rather than Passerine bills. These species can also 

 be separated easily by their marked colour patterns. 



Genus — Dolichonyx. Bobolink. 



494. Bobolink. skunk blackbird, eicebihd. fb. — lb goglu. Dolichonyx 

 oryzivorus. L, 7-25. Plate XXV B. 



Distinctions. The spring male in its striking piebald plumage is unmistakable. The 

 female and the autumn birds of either sex show no colour relation to the spring male and 

 are easily confused with some of the Sparrows (Bill, Figure 46, p. 26) . The newly plumaged 

 autumn birds are yellowish-buff in colour, unstriped below and heavily striped above. 

 The spring female, more worn and faded and slightly olivaceous, looks much like a female 

 House or English Sparrow, but the decidedly streaked back and crown and the buffy line 

 over the eye are distinctive. 



Field Marks. The male in spring needs no special mention of field marks for recog- 

 nition; the streaks and yellowness of other plumages and the buffy eye and crown stripes 

 are good recognition marks. These, with habitat and general actions, should prevent 

 confusion. 



