BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 301 



on a fence sometimes looks at you out of bis pale yellow eyes and 

 then bristles up and gives a loud sbrill wbistle. 



Although quick to appreciate the advantages of civilization, 

 cyanocephiilus is by no means exclusively a dooryard bird, nesting 

 principally, indeed, in unsettled districts, in willows in the pine 

 belt of Arizona and in sagebrush around the edges of marshes in 

 the arid Great Basin country. It nests in much smaller colonies 

 than many of the blackbirds, live to ten pairs being the common 

 number. 



After the breeding season the birds may be seen as high as tim- 

 bcrline on Mt. Shasta, solemnly walking over the rocks around snow 

 streams, or as low down as sea-level, at places like Santa Cruz, 

 where they run around on the hard sand beach, feeding and bathing 

 in the shallows tilled with seaweed. 



Their food varies with the season and the locality. On ranches 

 they do a great deal of good by following the plough and destroying 

 grubs, but after ihe nesting season they gather in large flocks and 

 often do serious harm in the grain flelds. 



GENUS QUISCALUS. 



General Characters. — Bill about as long as head, crow-like, but more 

 tapering- and acute ; tail graduated and folded laterally ; feet stout ; tar- 

 sus about equal to middle toe and claw. 



KEY TO ADULT MALES. 



1. Body bronzy, size medium aeneus, p. 301. 



1'. Body greenish, size very large macrourus, p. 802. 



Subgenus Quiscalus, 



511b. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus {Ridgw.). Bronzed 

 Gracklk. 



Adult male. — Whole head and neck purple, dark peacock blue or 

 green, in sharp contrast to uni- 

 form bronzf^ of body ; wings and 

 tail plum purple, not metallit- 

 Adult feiit(de: similar, but smaller 

 and duller. Youiiij : from plain 

 dark brown to coloi-s of adults. 

 A/a/e; length (skins) l().i)0-lL',.-)(). - 

 wing ."),;IS-(U);;, bill 1,21-1.82, , 

 Female : length (skins) 0,2.")- 

 1(».<;(). wing 4.S:;-r).lS, tail 4,l(;- 

 4,4«'). bill l,i;;-i,2:]. 



Distribution. — From Great 

 Slave Lake south to Louisiana 



and western Texas, and from .,. ... 



the Alleghanies and northern ^ip. o(>7. 



Xew England west to the Rocky Mount.iins ; migrating to the southo.i.stern 

 .stiites except the coast districts. Breeds throughout its range, but chiefly 

 north of its winter range. 



