268 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



In the respects that he is black all over and, 

 when on the ground, walks, and — alas ! — is a 

 nest-robber, the I'urple Grackle is like a small 

 edition of the Crow. His cannibalistic pro- 

 pensities are well advertised by his neighbors, 

 the Robins. Bluebirds, Thrushes, and Sparrows, 

 who are often seen mobbing him with the utmost 

 fury. And when the birds unite in giving one 

 of their number a bad name, we may be toler- 

 ably certain that he deserves it. Furthermore 

 it must be conceded that the Crackle's skulking 

 manners in nesting time and his cold and cruel 

 yellow eyes strongly suggest the birds' arch- 

 enemy, the cat. In fine, that he is a good deal 

 of a villain in bird-land is undnubtedlv true, and 



to blame for this, for he may know that the 

 scientists have put him among the Oscines, a 

 suborder composed of " song-birds," a term 

 which, however, in this connection, means simply 

 that the bird included possesses well-developed 

 vocal apparatus, and entirely disregards the 

 question as to how he uses that apparatus, or 

 whether he uses it at all. Perhaps the Grackle 

 isn't able to make the scientific distinction be- 

 tween the song-bird who can sing and the song- 

 bird who can't, and therefore supposes himself 

 to be a singer. His demonstration of his pro- 

 ficiency in the " art divine " consists in draw- 

 ing in his head in turtle fashion, puffing out his 

 body, ruffling up his feathers and then emitting 



Photograph by A. A. Allen 



A BRONZED GRACKLE FEEDING ITS YOUNG 



pity 'tis 'tis true, for there is no denying that the 

 bird's plumage is very handsome ; in fact, the 

 iridescent hues on his head, neck, and shoulders 

 are exceedingly beautiful; and he also makes 

 an appeal for popularity on the score that his 

 arrival is one of the surer signs that spring 

 is at hand, and because he presents a fine appear- 

 ance as he walks, indeed, almost struts, about 

 on the deepening green of the lawns. 



A mistake which this Grackle makes is in try- 

 ing to sing. But perhaps the bird isn't entirely 



a sort of asthmatic squeak, which suggests the 

 protest of a rusty hinge. \Mien a considerable 

 number of Crackles do this at or about the same 

 time, the result is what somebody has aptly 

 termed a " good wheel-barrow chorus." 



The Purpte Crackle is found in the Atlantic 

 coast district of North America. In the interior, 

 west to the Rocky Mountains, he becomes the 

 Bronzed Crackle (Ouiscahis quiscula cciicus). 

 In this part of the country his body is a uniform 

 bronze color, except the chest, which varies from 



