299 
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 
bullocki lives in the treetops. The neighborhood of water is not 
considered a necessity by the Bullock, but in irrigated districts it is 
especially fond of the sunny cottonwood hedges bordering irrigation 
ditches, and abounds on the rolling prairie country, finding most 
congenial nesting grounds in the groves that fringe the streams. It 
also nests in towns, as the Baltimore oriole does in the east. When 
possible it hangs its nest from a tall sycamore or other large decidu¬ 
ous tree, but if nothing better offers builds in low willows. In the 
bottom lands near Chinese Camp, on the Yosemite Valley road, we 
have seen small willows fairly hung with the bag-like nests. The 
young birds are much less skilful builders than the adults, Mr. Illing¬ 
worth notes, their nests being loosely supported and made of coarse 
vegetable fibers instead of horsehair and twine. 
In general habits as well as appearance bullocki resembles the Balti¬ 
more oriole. The ranges of the two birds overlap along the eastern 
part of the range of bullocki. 
In regard to the food of the hooded and Bullock orioles Mr. Illing¬ 
worth says: “The orioles are very beneficial to the horticulturist, 
although they eat some early fruit, such as berries, cherries, etc., but 
no fruit man will begrudge them these if he thoroughly understands 
their habits. The chief food of the orioles consists of insects and 
injurious caterpillars, and I have often watched them while they 
were searching among the branches for this latter food. They are 
particularly fond of a small green caterpillar that destroyed the foli¬ 
age of the prune-trees a few years ago. The orioles are often seen 
in the berry patches, but they are usually in search of insects, as is 
proven by the examination of a great number of stomachs.” ( The 
Condor , July, 1901, p. 100.) 
In Phoenix, Arizona, they have been seen eating a tree caterpillar, 
which was a pest at the time. 
GENUS SCOLECOPHAGUS. 
General Characters. — Bill not longer than head, slender like that of a 
robin, tip decurved, cutting edges bent in ; wings pointed, longer than 
tail; side toes short, with moderate claws. 
KEY TO ADULT MALES IN SUMMER PLUMAGE. 
1. Plumage glossy black with faint greenish luster ; bill stout. Nebraska 
to the Pacific. cyanocephalus, p. 800. 
1'. Plumage glossy greenish black ; bill slender. Colorado to Atlantic. 
carolinus, p. 299. 
509. Scolecophagus carolinus (Mull.). Rusty Blackbird. 
Adult male in summer. — Uniform glossy black, with bluish luster on 
head and neck and bluish green luster on body; under tail coverts more 
or less edged with whitish. Adult male in winter: black, more or less 
