176 



STARLINGS. 



to their departure to the Southern States, they collect from all 

 parts in such hosts that the air is darkened by their numbers. 



The best-known species — 



The Purple Quiscalus [Ouiscahis pnrpurcus), generally called the 

 Purple Grakle, is an annual visitor to the United States of North America. 

 These birds frequent marshy districts, but in the month of March approach 

 rural habitations, and pick up food in the farm-yards, or even at the doors of 

 houses, where they will share the grain thrown out to the fowls. The woods, 

 and more especially those of a marshy character, are selected as fit localities 

 for building their nests, which are composed of the stems of dried grass, sedge, 

 and fibrous roots, and strengthened externally with a coat of clay. The eggs 

 are five or six in number, of a bluish colour, spotted, and streaked with dark 

 brown or black. Two broods are reared in the course of the year. 



hA- 



C7 - ^^^^. 



r^^^'Mv/vO^..^^ 



IL {Scaphuhirus ater). 



Others {Scolccopha^us) appear during the short summer in the neighbour- 

 hood of Hudson's Bay, where they may be seen diligently searching the 

 ground for their food, which at that time consists of worms and insects ; but 

 as the autumn approaches they gather into large flocks and return to more 

 southern parts, where ihey frequent corn-fields, rice-plantations, and wherever 

 Indian corn is to be procured. These build nests composed of moss and 

 grass in the lower branches of trees. 



The type of this sub-family is — 



The Black Boat-tail {Scaphiditms aicr). 



