1891] MARYLAND ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 133 



The Oriole arrives here early iu May, aud is then for a few 

 weeks rather common, much more so than during summer. It 

 frequents shady trees, often near the farm house, showing a fond- 

 ness for the neighborhood of man, and during migration especially 

 is not unfrequently seen even in the larger parks and cemeteries of 

 the city. It leaves this neighborhood rather early in September. 



The nest is pensile, more or less a pouch-like structure, com- 

 posed of all possible kinds of soft material, almost artificially 

 woven together. The eggs are of a whitish ground color, marked 

 with dark so-called pen lines. 



The song is a rather soft whistle, quite pleasant to hear ; often 

 uttered as the bird hops to and fro among the branches of the tree. 



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Qiuscalus quisGula (Linn.). Purple Grackle. 



The " Crow Blackbird," as it is commonly called, arrives here 

 about the third week in March. It is a very common bird during 

 summer, particularly in and near cultivated places, and frequent- 

 ing parks and open places in the city. For several consecutive 

 years we have observed this bird to be a regular visitor of the 

 Greenmount Cemetery, from the latter part of March nearly 

 through August, when it disappears. Early in April it is seen 

 building rather bulky nests on the large trees which adorn that 

 cemetery. From there it makes excursions into the surrounding 

 fields, pastures and waste places, strutting about in a manner 

 betraying its resemblance to the crow. 



The usual call notes are almost the same as those of the com- 

 mon blackbird. 



Towards the close of fall it departs for the south. 



Corvus americanus (And.). American Crow. 



Our '* Crow " is such a common and well known bird that it 

 is well nigh useless to offer any remarks concerning it. It is 

 seen to be a resident, plentiful in summer as well as in winter, 



