y the unfortunate birds upon which they are thrust. The eggs are
white, spotted and speckled all over, more or less strongly with brown
and yellowish brown; size .85 x .64.

495a. DWARF COWBIRD. _Molothrus ater obscurus._

Range.--Southwestern United States and Mexico, wintering south of our
borders.

This variety is like the last, but slightly smaller. The nesting habits
of the two are identical and the eggs are indistinguishable. It is
believed that Cowbirds do more damage to the smaller birds than all
other dangers combined, as their young being larger and stronger either
crowd or smother the other young or else starve them by getting most of
the food brought to the nest.

496. RED-EYED COWBIRD. _Tangavius aeneus involucratus._

Range.--Mexico; north in summer to the Lower Rio Grande in Texas.

This parasite is larger than the Cowbird, being 9 inches long, and is
glossy black with brassy reflections on the upper and under parts. They
are abundant in southern Texas where they deposit their eggs in the
nests of other birds, apparently preferring those of Orioles; their eggs
are pale bluish green, unmarked; size .90 x .70.

497. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. _Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus._

Range.--North America west of the Mississippi to eastern California,
breeding from the southern parts of the United States north to British
Columbia and Hudson Bay and wintering from southern United States
downward.

This large handsome Blackbird with bright yellow head and breast is very
abundant in some parts of the west, where they nest in large colonies in
sloughs and marshes, being especially abundant in the Dakotas and
Manitoba. The nests are made of strips of rushes, skillfully woven
together and attached to upright cane near the surface of the water.
They lay from four to six eggs having a grayish white ground color,
finely specked and spotted with shades of brown and gray; size 1.00 x
.70.

[Illustration 317: White.]
[Illustration: Cowbird.]
[Illustration: Light blue-green.]
[Illustration: Yellow-headed Blackbird.]
[Illustration: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 316

498. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. _Agelaius phoeniceus phoeniceus._

Range.--North America east of the Rockies and from the southern British
Provinces southward to the Gulf; winter in southern United States.

These birds are familiar to every frequenter of the country, in their
range; too familiar to many, for the enormous