The Brewer Blackbird 



4 to 7, usually 5 or 6, presenting two divergent types of coloration, with endless varia- 

 tions and intermediate phases. Light type: ground color light gray or greenish gray, 

 spotted and blotched with grayish brown or, more sharply, with sepia. Eggs of this 

 type rehearse relationships, now with the Quiscaline Grackles, and now with the 

 Yellowheads {Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), or the Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). An 

 egg in the M. C. O. collection has a background of pale niagara green sharply spotted 

 with a blackish pigment which tones out to dusky drab, and is thus indistinguishable 

 from the egg of an Agelaiine Blackbird. Dark type: Ground color completely ob- 

 scured by overlay of fine brown dots, or else by confluent blotches of Rood's brown, 

 walnut brown, or cameo brown. Av. of 245 specimens (Bendire) : 25.5 x 18.6 (1.00 x .73). 

 Extremes: 20.8-27.9 by 15-5-20.1 (.82-1.10 by .61-. 79). Season: March 15-June 15; 

 one or two broods. 



Range of Euphagus cyanocephalus. — Western North America. Breeds from 

 northwestern Minnesota and western Kansas west to the Pacific; and from central 

 British Columbia and the Saskatchewan region south to northern Lower California 

 and western Texas. Winters from Kansas and southern British Columbia south to 

 Guatemala. Casually east to and beyond the Mississippi River during migrations. 



Range of E. c. cyanocephalus. — As that of species, minus range of E. c. minuscnlns, 

 defined below. Breeds east of the Sierras, south to Owens Valley; in winter, south 

 over the Mohave and Colorado deserts. 



Authorities. — Gambel (Scolecophagus Mexicanus), Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Phila., ser. 2. vol. i, 1847, p. 47 (part); Fisher, A. K., N. Amer. Fauna, no. 7, 1893, pp. 

 78-79 (range); Ray, Condor, vol. xi., 1909, pp. 194-196 (odd nest sites); vol. xii., 1910, 

 pp. 20, 21 (variation in eggs); Grinn ell, Condor, vol. xxii.. 1920, pp. 152-154 (critical; 

 range in Calif.). 



No. 14a California Brewer Blackbird 



A. O. U. No. 510 part. Euphagus cyanocephalus minusculus Grinnell. 



Description. — "Similar to Euphagus cyanocephalus cyanocephalus but averaging 

 smaller throughout; metallic sheen of back, rump, and posterior lower surface in male 

 steely blue rather than brassy in tone." (Grinnell). Av. of 10 males: wing 124.9 

 (4.92); tail (from base of uropygium) 105.9 (4.17); bill 18.8 (.74); tarsus 32.2 (1.27). 

 Av. of 8 females: wing 115 (4.53); tail 97.8 (3.85); bill 17. 1 (.67); tarsus 30.1 (1.18). 



Range of E. c. minusculus (chiefly contained within California). — Resident in 

 California west of the Sierran divide, or else retiring from upper levels of Sierran range 

 in winter; north to Siskiyou County; south to the line of Lower California, or a little 

 beyond. 



Authorities. — Gambel (Scolecophagus Mexicanus), Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Phila., ser. 2, vol. i., 1847, p. 47 (part); Heermann, Rept. Pac. R. R. Surv., vol. x., pt. 

 iv., 1859, pp. 53-54 (habits) ; Bendire, Life Hist. N. Amer. Birds, vol. ii., 1895, pp. 493- 

 496 (habits, nests and eggs); McGregor, Osprey, vol. i., 1897, pp. 103-105 (roost); Beat, 

 Bull. Div. Biol. Survey, no. 13, 1900, pp. 50-52; no. 34, 1910, pp. 59-65, pi. iv. (food); 

 Grinnell, Condor, vol. xxii., 1920, pp. 152-154 (description of minusculus; range in 

 Calif.). 



WE SHALL never be able to escape the alliterative finality of Brewer's 

 Blackbird. So where is the use of pointing out that this bird is really a 

 grackle? or that the name "Blackbird" was pre-empted centuries 



84 



