NEWFOUNDLAND RUSTY BLACKBIRD 301 



where there were other small spruces scattered about; the nest was 

 made externally of fir and spruce twigs, internally of dry grasses, and 

 neatly lined with fine grasses. I have four sets of eggs in my collec- 

 tion, taken for me by J. R. Whitaker near Grand Lake, Newfoundland, 

 at dates ranging from May 3 to June 10; the nests were all placed in 

 spruces at heights ranging from 5 to 9 feet. 



Robie W. Tufts has sent me the following nesting data for Nova 

 Scotia: "My earliest record for fresh eggs is May 12, 1905, on which 

 dates two females were found sitting on their respective nests, which 

 contained four fresh eggs each. These were collected. Next day 

 both these birds were seen building new nests nearby. On May 23 

 and 24, respectively, five eggs were taken from each of their nests. 

 On May 12, 1921, five eggs far advanced in incubation were collected; 

 this would suggest that the nest contained fresh eggs about May 1. 

 The average date, however, for fresh eggs down the years has been 

 about May 14." 



Eggs. — The eggs are similar to those of the mainland race, light 

 bluish green, spotted with brown and gray; a set consists of four or 

 five. 



Plumages. — The molts and plumages follow the pattern of the 

 mainland race. 



Food. — The food of the Newfoundland rusty blackbird is in every 

 way the same as that of its mainland form. Peters and Burleigh 

 (1951) noted, in Newfoundland, that the birds fed along the shores 

 of ponds and bogs, even wading at times in the shallow water. "They 

 feed upon many kinds of insects, worms, crustaceous and other small 

 animal life, and also upon seeds of weeds and grains." 



Voice. — Of its voice, which is similar to that of the better known 

 mainland form, Peters and Burleigh (1951) write: "Their so-called 

 song resembles nothing more than several rusty hinges being opened 

 and closed, and it is far from musical." 



Field marks. — "A rather short-tailed, black bird, slightly smaller 

 than a robin," according to Peters and Burleigh (1951), "in fall it 

 becomes rusty above and brownish below." 



Winter. — The Newfoundland rusty blackbird has been found in 

 winter in South Carolina (at Mount Pleasant, January 16, and at 

 Huger, February 13 and 26), North Carolina (Asheville, March 18 

 and April 7), Georgia (Sherwood Plantation, December 25) and 

 Virginia (near Fairfax, November 19). 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — The Newfoundland rusty blackbird breeds in the Mag- 

 dalen Islands, Nova Scotia (Halifax, Barrington), and Newfoundland. 

 It has been recorded in winter in North Carolina (Asheville) and 

 Georgia (Grady County). 



