Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 163 



the end of the first week of April, but, as is the case with other 

 early migrants, cold weather may retard progress for weeks 

 and the first half of April be the time for the chief passage 

 of Rusty Blackbirds through Missouri. The "lasts" have been 

 recorded all the way from the first of April (1905, Shannon Co.) 

 to April 23 (1874, Johnson Co.). The earliest date in fall mi- 

 gration is September 28, 1896, at the northeastern corner of the 

 state (Currier), but usually the first do not reach Missouri before 

 the second week of October. They mingle and roost with the 

 Robins or with the Redwings in the reeds of the bottomlands. 

 After this there is a steady decUne until toward the end of 

 November winter numbers only are left. 



510. EuPHAGUs CYANOCEPHALUS (Wagl.). Brewcr's Blackbird. 



Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Quiscalus breweri. Blue-headed Grackle. 



Geog. Dist.— Western North America; breeding from southern 

 Texas and Mexico north to British Columbia, Alberta, Sas- 

 katchewan and Manitoba; east to Minnesota, Nebraska, western 

 Kansas. During migrations straggling east to Wisconsin, Iowa, 

 Illniois, South Carolina and Louisiana. In winter over the whole 

 of Mexico into Guatemala. 



Has been reported from Freistatt, Lawrence Co., by Mr. H. 

 Nehrling, who met with a party of five, March 1, 1885, and a 

 troop of twenty, November 7, 1886. It is probably more common 

 than we know and should be looked for along our western border, 

 since Professor Snow states that it is ''quite common even in 

 eastern Kansas." Dr. Allen says that "from its size, color and 

 habits it may readily be mistaken for the Purple Grackle of the 

 East." The male is lustrous greenish-black, changing abruptly 

 to purplish and violet on the head. The female and young are 

 distinguished from those of E. carolinus with some difficulty, 

 but they average larger, with the bill heavier at the base, and are 

 probably never so decidedly rusty-brown (Coues, Birds of the 

 North-west). 



*511b. Quiscalus QuiscuLAAENEus(Ridgw.). Bronzed Grackle. 



Quiscalus versicolor. Quiscalus purpureus. Quiscalus aeneu^. Quiscalus 

 purpureus aeneus. Grackle. Crow Blackbird. Common Blackbird. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America except Atlantic coast 

 district from shores of Long Island Sound southward and the 

 Gulf coast from Florida to Louisiana ; northward through Mari- 



