3IO ICTERID^E : AMERICAN STARLINGS. 



as the most curious vocalization. After the breeding 

 colonies break up, vast bands of the Blackbirds come 

 together, and scour the country in search of food, then 

 doing no inconsiderable damage to the crops, possi- 

 bly not entirely offset by the benefit conferred earlier 

 in the season, when the Blackbirds are chiefly carniv- 

 orous. 



The eggs of this species exhibit fully the scrawling 

 markings characteristic of the Icteridce, but are almost 

 endlessly varied in tone of ground color and pattern 

 of the markings. Mr. Minot has thrown the variations 

 into the following categories : (i) Strongly bluish, with 

 almost imperceptible lilac markings, and a few spots 

 and thick scrawls of blackish-brown. (2) Strongly 

 greenish, marked with dull, faint brown, and a few 

 blackish scrawls. (3) Light creamy gray, with some 

 scrawls much subdued, as if washed out, or washed 

 over with the ground color, and others heavy and 

 permanent, suggesting a tremulous handwriting made 

 with a very broad-nibbed pen. (4) Of an indefinite 

 light shade, with numerous small blotches of subdued, 

 dull brown. (5) Dirty white, minutely marked with 

 light purplish-brown, and one blackish blotch. (6) Very 

 light greenish, faintly and evenly marked with lilac 

 and dull brown. w In short," he continues, " the ground 

 color varies from a rather strong bluish-green to various 

 faint and indefinite shades, and the markings (which 

 are often coarse scrawls or blotches) from blackish to 

 light and vague colors, all of which are for the most 

 part dull, the brightest being rusty brown." There 

 is the usual variation in the size and shape, ordinary 

 dimensions being 1.25x0.90. Five or six eggs are 

 laid. 



