112 THE CROW BLACKBIRD. 



dejected face of nature with their whole combined powers 

 of harmony." 



Habitat: " The typical form throughout temperate North 

 America, and south to Central America. Breeds in suitable 

 places from Texas to the Saskatchawan, and along the whole 

 Atlantic Coast. Winters from about 35° southward." 

 (Coues). 



The Yellow-headed Blackbird is a western species, some- 

 times straggling eastward even to New England. 



THE CROW BLACKBIRD. 



The bluff above referred to is well clad with sumacs, 

 dogwoods, elders, etc. Here, on this same 7th of March, 

 but more particularly along the creek a few rods away, are 

 small flocks of the Purple Grakle, or Crow Blackbird {Qiiisca- 

 luspurpureus). They fly slowly from one bush to another, from 

 the bluff to the bushes along the creek, and then back to the 

 bluff again, their tails, folded downward in the middle, being 

 very conspicuous, and their constant chuck, chuck very like 

 that of the Red-wing, only in a little hoarser tone and on a 

 lower key. Like the latter, the former are quite partial to 

 swamps and streams, but are not quite so confined to them, 

 for they are frequently common about country door-yards 

 and village lots, especially such as abound in evergreens. 

 They are often abundant in cemeteries which are well orna- 

 mented with coniferae. If cat-tails are to be associated 

 with the Red-wings, evergreens are to be quite as much 

 associated with the Crow Blackbirds. Often, indeed, they 

 affect the shadowy recesses of the thickly-branched Lom- 

 bardy poplars. As the plowman turns his furrow this bird 

 forms a part of the newly-made landscape. Stepping along 

 the fresh, brown ridges with a peculiar gracefulness, his 

 brilliant hues, with a bright, metallic lustre, cannot fail to 



