452 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. 



Mr. D. C Beard sent me a photograph of a nest of this species taken near 

 Fkishing, Long Island, New York, which was built directly on one of the Long- 

 billed Marsh Wren, Cistothorus palustris ; both nests were occupied and contained 

 eggs when taken. The Cowbird imposes occasionally on this species. The 

 number of eggs laid to a set varies from two to six, and one is laid daily until 

 the set is completed. Sets of three and four are most often found; in the more 

 southern portions of its range three predominate, while farther north four are 

 the usual complement. Sets of five are uncommon, and those of six are very 

 rare. Only a single brood is usually reared throughout the greater portion of 

 their range. 



Incubation lasts about two weeks, and the young are able to leave the nest 

 in about sixteen days. As soon as they are large enough to provide for them- 

 selves they gather into small companies and roam over the country. In August 

 and September they congregate in large flocks, containing many thousands, and 

 at which time they frequently do considerable damage in certain favorite resorts. 



The eggs of the Red- winged Blackbird are mostly ovate in shape; the shell 

 is strong, finely granulated, and moderately glossy. Tlie ground color is usually 

 pale bluish green, and this is occasionally more or less clouded with a pale 

 smoke-gray suffusion. They are spotted, blotched, marbled, and streaked, mostly 

 about the larger end, with difi'erent shades of black, brown, drab, and heliotrope 

 purple, presenting great variation in the amount, character, and style of markings. 

 Occasionally an entirely unspotted Qgg is found. 



The average measurement of three hundred and eighty eggs in the United 

 States National Museum collection is 24.80 by 17.55 millimetres, or about 0.98 

 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg in the series measures 27.94 by 19.05 millime- 

 tres, or 1.10 by 0.75 inches; the smallest, 20.57 by 15.75 millimetres, or 0.81 by 

 0.62 inch. 



The type specimen. No. 15037 (PL 6, Fig. 13), collected by Dr. Elliott Coues 

 near Fort Macon, North Carolina, June 12, 1869, represents an egg in which the 

 ground color is almost hidden, while No. 20199 (PL 6, Fig. 14), from a set of 

 four eggs, Bendire collection, taken by the writer on April 27, 1881, near Fort 

 Walla Walla, Washington, represents a handsome and well-marked egg. No. 

 26160 (PL 6, Fig. 16), from a set of three eggs taken by Dr. E. A. Mearns, 

 United States Army, near Fort Clark, Texas, on July 5, 1893, represents another 

 type, intermediate between the two previously mentioned. 



The style of markings selected for the types of Agelaius guhernator and 

 Agelams tricolor apply likewise to eggs of this species and would answer equally 

 well for them. 



