SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY 



133 



210 [509] Euphagus carolinus (Mull.). 



Rusty Blackbird. 



Common transient visitor; winter. March 7 to April 30; September 23 to 

 November 3 ; January and February. 



Dr. J. C. Phillips^ found a flock of eight to eighteen of this species that spent 

 the winter of 1911-12 at Danvers. He observed a single bird at Wenham on 

 January 7, 1917. 



The courtship of this bird, if such it may be called, is produced with appar- 

 ently great effort, wide open bill and spread tail, resulting in a series of squeaking 

 notes suggestive of an unoiled windmill — wat-chee'e. At times a sweet lower 

 note, often double, is heard. 



[511] Quiscalus quiscula quiscula (Linn.). Purple Crackle. — No specimens from 

 the County although it undoubtedly wanders from the South. 



211 [511b] Quiscalus quiscalus aeneus Ridgw. 



Bronzed Crackle; Crow Blackbird. 



Abundant summer resident, occasionally winters. March 6 to November 6 

 (winter) ; average date of arrival for nine years, March 17. 



Eggs: May 7 to June. 



On November 25, 1917, I saw one Bronzed Crackle at Ipswich. Damsell- 

 records " a large flock " at Amesbury on November 6, 1890, and he shot one there 

 on January 10, 1885. Dr. J. C. Phillips saw several at Wenham on February 22, 

 1909, and Dr. W. C. Fanning reported the bird at Danvers on February 12, 1917. 

 In the original Memoir I recorded the fact that three birds spent the winter of 

 1903-04 at Wenham. 



The courtship of the Bronzed Crackle is not inspiring. The male puffs out 

 his feathers to twice his natural size, partly opens his wings, spreads his tail and, 

 if he is on the ground, drags it rigidly as he walks. At the same time he sings 

 his song — such as it is — with great vigor and abandon. That this vocal per- 

 formance should be classed as a song from a scientific point of view there is no 

 doubt, but such it would not seem to the ordinary observer. It is harsh and dis- 

 agreeable, a squeaking, saw-filing explosion of notes. It varies considerably and 



' Phillips, J. C. Auk, vol. 29, p. 395, 1912. 

 2 Allen, G. M. Auk. vol. 30, p. 27, 1913. 



