28 FIELD KEY TO THE LAND BIRDS. 
yellow underneath, resembling a Vireo in color. 
From Southern New England southward. 
59. RUSTY BLACKBIRD. Scolecophagus caro- 
linus. — Length, 94 inches. Bluish black. Female 
slate gray, duller below. Comes in flocks in the 
spring like the Red-wing, but does not stay. It 
breeds in high northern latitudes, and winters in the 
South. 
60. PURPLE GRACKLE. CROW BLACK- 
BIRD. Quiscalus quiscula. — Length, 12 inches. 
Glossy green and purplish black. Female similar, but 
duller. These are among the first birds to arrive in 
the spring, coming in large, extremely noisy flocks. 
Later they divide into smaller flocks, and take pos- 
session of some cedar swamp as a_breeding-place. 
They usually build their nests higher than the Red- 
wings in pine or cedar trees, and keep somewhat in 
company during the breeding season. They also feed 
in fields and pastures at some distance from the water, 
which the Red-wing never leaves. These birds are 
said to rob birds’ nests. 
FINCHES AND SPARROWS. — Fringiilidae. 
BroE. 
Strong and conical. 
Foop. — Mostly seeds, also buds and 
insects. 
These are tree and ground birds, 
and move mostly by hopping. 
61. PINE GROSBEAK. Pinicola enucleator. — 
Length, 9 inches. Slaty gray with ashade of crimson 
all over. Female and young asimilar gray with a dull 
yellowish shade. This birds breeds far to the north- 
ward, and comes south in winter, feeding on the berries 
of the mountain ash and the cedar. It is a dull, quiet 
tree bird, rarely seen on the ground. 
