^'%^™'J PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 581 



15 pounds weight without the least sign of breakiug, but auadflitioual 

 2 pounds, thrown carelessly on, tore it from its fastenings. 



170. Scolecophagus carolinus. Rnsty Blackbird. 



Enormously abundant migrant, Pembina (Smithsonian Institution) 

 (Blakiston). Very abundant at Mouse River, on the boundary, after 

 the second week of September (Cones). Dufferin : Arrives before April 

 15 (Dawson). Morris: April 29, 1887 (Christy). Ossowa: 1885, first 

 seen, one, on April 8 ; next seen on April IG ; became common April 20 ; 

 last seen, about twelve, on October 24 (Wagner). Very abundant during 

 the spring migrations, and again from August to the middle of October ; 

 arrive about the 10th ot April ; some of these birds may remain to breed 

 in this locality, but I have not found them so engaged (Nash). Very 

 abundant on Swan lliver in September, 1881 (Macoun). Carberry : 

 Extremely abundant in the migration; Kat Portage: October (Thomp- 

 son). Severn House; Trout Lake Station, the most northerly species 

 (Murray). 



April 15, 1882: Snow still deep everywhere, but melting fast. In the 

 poplars along the slongh side to-day was a large flock of Kusty Crackles. 

 They were singing together their loud, jingling, spring notes, and the 

 sound was like a chorus of innumerable sleigh bells. 



April 21 : The thousands of Crackles have been increased to tens of 

 thousands. They blacken the fields and cloud the air. The bare trees 

 on which they alight are foliated by them. Their incessant jingling 

 songs drown the music of the Meadow Larks ami produce a dreamy, 

 far-away effect, as of myriads of distant sleigh bells. Mixed with the 

 flocks of Kusty Grackles now are a few Red-winged Blackbirds. 



171. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Brewer's Blackbird. Satiu-bird. Blue- 

 beaded Blackbird. 



Abundant summer resident. Pembina (Kennicott). Abundant along 

 the boundary, from Pembina to the Rockies ; breeding (Coues). Win- 

 nipeg: Summer resident; abundant (Iline). Ossowa: Common; breed- 

 ing (Napull). Carberry: Abundant summer resident; breeding. Big 

 Boggy Creek: Common; breeding (Thompson). Portage la Prairie: 

 These birds commit icarful depredations in the oat and wheat fields after 

 the grain is ripe, particularly if grown near the woods or a marsh (Nash). 



On June 8, 1882, C. T. found a grackle's nest on the newly harrowed 

 ground in a field not more than 20 yards from a clump of willows. 

 The eggs, five in number, were in a slight hollow in the ground, with- 

 out a single straw or any pretence at lining. My brother sprang the 

 bird and then called me. I did not see the bird rise, but a pair of 

 grackles were flying about and noisily resented our interference, and as 

 no other birds were near, I feel safe in the identification. 



On June 21, while walking by the south slough, I came upon two 

 grackles that were at great pains to inform me that their nest was close 



