ICTEHID^ — AGEL^IN^ : MABSH BLACKBIRDS. 
403 
apparently constant. Southwestern U. S., Texas to California, the resident form, breeding 
there, while M. ater passes on, though the two are associated during the migration of the latter. 
Swarming like M. ater; eggs as in that species, but smaller ; only up to about 0.80 X 0.60. 
315. M. ae'neus. (Lat. fEwews or a/temws, brassy, bronzy ; brass.) Brass Cowbird. Bronzed 
CowBiRD. Red-eyed Cowbird. ^ , adult : Entire body and head black, splendidly lustrous 
with bronzy reflections, the tint much like that of the back of Quiscalus (Eneus. This rich 
brassy-black uniform over the whole bird, there being no distinction of color between the head 
and body, 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 violet, purple, and 
especially green metallic lustre on the upper surfaces. Under wing- and 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 themselves being chiefly green. Bill 
ebony-black. Feet black. ' Iris red. Length 8.00-8.50; extent about 15.00 ; wing 4.50-4.75 ; 
tail 3.25-3.50 : tarsus 1.15-1.25 ; bill 0.90 along culmen, very stout and especially deep at base, 
much compressed ; lateral outlines concave ; under outline straight ; upper gently convex 
throughout; tip very acute. 9 notably smaller : wing scarcely over 4 inches; tail about 3.00 ; 
culmen scarcely 0.75 ; tarsus 1.00. Color 
not brown, as in M. ater 9 , hut uniformly 
quite black, with considerable gloss, though 
nothing like the brassy splendor of the ^ . 
Wings and tail with greenish reflections. 
Young ^ : Uniform dull black, faintly 
violaceous on back and rump, greenish on 
wings and tail. Early spring birds, in im- 
perfect dress, are exactly like the adult 9 
in color, but much larger. Mexico to the 
Lower Rio Grande, abounding in some 
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- , , , , , 
' ' del. Nichols sc.) 
nalis, Milvulus, Tyrannus, etc. 
100. AGEL^'US. (Gr. ayeXaios, agelaios, gregarious; ayeX?;, a flock.) Red-wing Marsh 
Blackbirds. Bill about as long as head, stout at base, where deeper than broad, upper and 
under outhnes 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 ^ uniform lustrous black, with bend of wing red ; 8.00-9.00 long; wing 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 dasky 
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 buffy or fulvous sufi'usion, 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 Blackbird, (f, reduced. (Sheppard 
