1915 Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. 23 



form part of slight waves including other species. The latest date of de- 

 parture is Sept. 26, 1914, near Poydras, St. Bernard parish. The average 

 date of departure is about Sept. 15. 



During 1912, 1913 and 1914 I made some notes on the time of the first 

 singing of this species in the morning: 1912 — April 25, first song at 4.40, 

 morning clear; April 26, first song at 4.50, morning cloudy; June 14, first 

 song at 4.20, morning clear; July 14, first song at 4.40, morning partly 

 cloudy. 1913 — April 27, first song at 4.50, morning clear; May 8, first 

 song at 4.30, morning clear. 1914 — June 6, first song at 4.10, morning 

 clear. 



214. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). A rather common summer 

 visitor in the northern half of the State; breeds sparingly as far south as 

 the latitude of Baton Rouge and Opelousas. Throughout the remaining 

 portion of the State, it is known only as a rather rare and irregular spring 

 transient, being practically unknown in fall. A pronounced bird wave 

 about April 20 will usually be found to include this species. The following 

 records of the appearance of this species in Louisiana and Mississippi in 

 spring were made by the writer and Mr. Andrew Allison: 1899, April 1, 

 Bay St. Louis, Miss.; April 13, 1902, New Iberia, La.; April 14, 1902, Bay 

 St. Louis. Miss.; April 10, 1906, Ellisville, Miss.; April 17, 1907, Ellisville, 

 Miss.; April 6, 1908, Jackson, Miss.; April 9. 1911, New Orleans, La. I 

 have also four or five records of its occurrence between April 20 and April 25 

 at New Orleans and other south Louisiana points. The only record I have 

 for fall transients near the Gulf coast is the occurrence of several at Biloxi, 

 Miss., on Sept. 4, 5, 1905. 



215. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus). A common winter 

 visitor, sometimes occurring in very large flocks, in fact I have seen flocks 

 on the wing in the sugar country of southeast Louisiana in winter that 

 stretched out for more than a mile. Frequents both the thick swamps and 

 more or less open cultivated country, especially in spring. It becomes 

 abundant in fall in southern Louisiana with the first heavy frosts the latter 

 part of November or early part of December. The- earliest record for 

 .arrival is Covington, La., Nov. 17, 1899. The earliest Mississippi records 

 are, Ariel, Amite Co., Nov. 9, 1897, and Ellisville, Jones Co., Nov. 9, 1906. 



The Rusty Blackbird remains common late in the spring, and at New 

 Orleans I have seen fair-sized flocks about the borders of pastures until 

 April or even May 1. The latest date for departure at New Orleans is 

 May 10, 1899. 



216. Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) , A rather rare 

 winter visitor. I killed one from a flock of Rusty Blackbirds near Convent, 

 St. James parish, on Dec. 23, 1893. ' 



217. Florida Grackle (Qiriscalus quiscula aglaius). This is the only 

 form of the common Crow Blackbird that occurs in the swampy coastal 

 section of the State, so far as I have been able to learn. It is abundant 

 and occurs in practically all situations except the open marsh. It is often 

 found in great flocks in the wet woods in winter and early spring. It nests 



