112 THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS 
The farmer had killed thirty-one birds who 
were working for him as hard as they could. No 
money could hire help that would do so much 
good as they were doing. 
In the Eastern States we have the Crow 
BLACKBIRD, or PuRPLE GRACKLE, and_ the 
BronzED GRACKLE, whose habits are the same. 
The purple grackle is a handsome bird, larger 
than a robin, with very light eyes. His plumage 
looks black in the shade, but when the sun is 
on it, shows rich green and blue, and it shines 
hike satin. The bronzed grackle shows purple, 
and blue, and green, with metallic bronze on the 
back. 
The purple grackle is said to eat corn, and 
also the eggs and young of other birds. But 
what he eats has been found out by the Agri- 
cultural Department, in the way I told you of. 
It is given out by them that he does not do so 
much harm to nests as has been said, and among 
the crops he does good enough to pay for all the 
corn he eats. 
It is very hard to see just what a bird is eating. 
It is not even safe to believe all we think we see. 
The only time the purple grackle can do more 
harm than good is when he comes with a big 
crowd of his friends, and settles down to spend 
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