CBOW BLACKBIRD 93 



have the useful power of regurgitating indigestible 

 portions of their food. 



Fig. 39. 



Crow Blackbird : Quiscalus quiscula and allies. 



Adult male, head, neck, and breast metallic iridescent pur- 

 plish ; rest of body bronzy, purple, or green. Adult female, 

 duller, but back with traces of iridescence. Length, 12^ 

 inches. 



Geographic Distribution. — United States east of the Rocky 

 Mountains ; north to Newfoundland and Great Slave Lake ; 

 breeds throughout most of its range ; winters from North 

 Carolina and southern Illinois to Texas. 



Before the chill of melting snow is out of the 

 air, while spring is still vacillating in her advance 

 upon March, bustling troops of Crow Blackbirds 



