BLACK TROUPIALS. 



23 



bird, Q. quiscula, Q. aglctus, and <J. ceneus. Respecting 

 the habits of Q. quiscula (the typical form) Captain 

 Bendire says (" Lite Histories of North American 

 Birds," Vol. II., p. 497-499) : " The Purple Crackle, 

 also called the 'Purple Crow Blackbird,' or simply 

 'Crow Blackbird,' is one of the best-known and most 

 familiar birds of the localities which it inhabits. In 

 the northern parts of its range it is migratory, depart- 

 ing usually in the beginning of October for its winter 

 home in our Southern States, where it congregates in 

 immense nocfce in suitable localities, while in the more 

 southern sections it is a resident throughout the year, 

 and breeds wherever found. The 'birds that migrate 

 usually return to their 'breeding grounds early in March, 

 and a few even in (the flatter part of February, when 

 their arrival is readily noticed. Their peculiar, squeaky 

 notes, consisting of a variety of mostly indescribable 

 founds, such as " dlweekh, dweekh, tcha/h, tchah, tchah, 

 quak, quak," or " doe, doe," which seem to 'be uttered 

 with considerable difficulty, and are invariably accom- 

 panied by the opening of the wings and tail, may be 

 heard any morning in early spring from the tree-tops 

 in rather open country, in .pastures, as well as in city 

 parks. 



"At this time of the year small companies, con- 

 sisting of from twelve to fifteen birds, are usually seen 

 together, roving from place to place and chasing each 

 other about in search of mates. Unfortunately, as in 

 the case of many other species, the Purple Grackle is 

 not looked upon with favour by the average farmer, and 

 they are often shot in large numbers because they help 

 themselves to a little corn when other food is scarce. 

 Considered from an economic point of view, and judged 

 by careful examinations made by the United States 

 Department of Agriculture of a number of stomachs of 

 these birds killed during every month of the year, it 

 is shown that their food consists largely of animal 

 matter, such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, spiders, 

 beetles, cutworms, larvae of different insects, remains of 

 t-mall mammals, frogs, newts, crawfish, email molluscs, 

 and fish. While it must be admitted that Indian corn' 

 oats, and wheat are also eaten to some extent, much 

 of the vegetable matter found in their stomachs consists 

 of the seeds of noxious weeds, such as the ragweed 

 (Ambrosia), smart-weed (Polygonum], and others. Fruit 

 is used but sparingly, and consists usually of mulberries, 

 blackberries, and occasionally of cherries. One of the 

 gravest charges against them is the destruction of the 

 young and eggs of smaller birds, especially those of 

 the Robin. Granting that remains of egg-shells are 

 sometimes found in their stomachs, which seems to be 

 the case about once in twenty-five times, it does not 

 fully prove that all of these birds are guilty of such an 

 obnoxious habit, and on the whole it can be safely 

 asserted that the Punple Grackle does far more gocd 

 than harm, and deserves to be protected, excepting in 

 localities where thev winter, and where, from their 

 immense numbers, they may become a serious nuisance. 

 '' They spend nruoh of their time on the ground, being 

 essential'lv ground feeders; they walk along close' to the 

 heels of the farmer while ploughing, picking up beetles, 

 grubs, etc., as ithey are turned up by the plough, or 

 search the meadows and pastures for worm, grass- 

 hoppers, and other ineectte suitable for food. They are 

 at all times eminently social birds, even, during the 

 breeding season ; a number of pairs generally nest 

 together, and frequently several nests will be found in 

 one tree." 



"In the selection of nesting -.sites, thick, bush\. 



coniferous trees, such as cedars, pines, and firs, seem to 



e preferred, but many other kinds are likewise used, 



notably such as are overrun with vines. Where suitable 

 trees are not available, thick bushes, especially such as 

 overhang water, are also made use of, where J/he nests 

 are occasionally placed scarcely four feet from tht- 

 ground. Sometimes natural cavities in trees or hollow 

 stubs, as well as the excavations of the larger Wood- 

 peckers, are also used, and along the seashore, where 

 the Fishhawk is common, they often place their nests 

 in the interstices of these bulky structures, notably so 

 on Plum Island, New York." 



" The nests are rather loosely constructed and bulky. 

 The materials used vary greatly according to locality ; 

 the cuter walls are usually composed of coarse grass, 

 Aveed stalks, eelgrass, or seaweed, sometimes with a 

 foundation of mud, and again without it. The inner 

 cup of the nest is composed of similar but finer mate- 

 rials, and is generally lined with dry grass, among 

 which occasionally a iew feathers, bits of paper, strings, 

 and rags may be scattered ; in fact, anything suitable 

 and readily obtainable is liable to be utilised. 

 Exteriorly the neste vary from five to eight inches in 

 height, and from seven to nine inches in diameter, 

 according to location. They are ordinarily about three 

 inches deep by four inches wide inside. The nests are 

 placed ait various distances from the ground, some as 

 low as three feet, and others at the extreme tops of 

 trees, or on horizontal limbs 'from twenty to thirty feet 

 up, or occasionally even higher." " Incubation, in 

 which both parents assist, lasts about two weeks, and 

 they are equailly solicitous in the defence of their eggs or 

 young ; the latter are able to leave the nest in about 

 eighteen days, and sometimes a second brood is raised. 

 They are fed almost entirely on insects while in the nest. 



" The number of eggs to a set varies from four to six, 

 very rarely eeven, and sets of five are most often found. 

 The shell is strong, fine grained, and slightly glossy." 



He then tells us that the ground colour varies from 

 pale greenish white to pale rusty brown, blotc'hed or 

 streaked with irregular lines or dashes of various shades 

 of dark brown, sometimes also with lavender markings, 

 and rarely with the markings so profuse and evenly 

 distributed as to hide the .ground tint. He is rather a 

 prolix writer, as will be seen by the foregoing account, 

 which could have been, rendered far more concise with- 

 out loss of information. 



In 1872 this Troupial was represented at the Berlin 

 Aquarium, and since 1880 has appeared at the London 

 Zoological Gardens. It was bred by Dr. Julius Wentko 

 in 1884, the femaile alone building the nest and laying 

 her eggs every two days ; the young were born in about 

 sixteen d'ays ; they left the nest a month later. Dr. 

 Wentko received the silver medallion at the Ornis Exhi- 

 bition at Berlin for breeding this species. 



BOAT-TAILED TROUPIAL (Quiscalus major). 



Blackish shot with green ; head and neck purplish ; 

 bill and feet black. Female much smaller, smoky 

 brown with slight metallic reflections on upper surface, 

 middle of abdomen dirty white ; anal tuft blackish. 

 Hab., coast region of South Atlantic States of North 

 America. (P. L. iSclater. ) 



Captain Bendire says (" Life Histories," pp. 506-508) : 

 " Like the rest of the Grackles, they are gregarious and 

 sociable in their habits, breeding together in colonies in 

 suitable localities, and roving about during the rest of 

 the year in large flocks." 



" They spend a good deal of their time on the ground, 

 walking along slowly and sedately while searching for 

 food. It requires quite an effort for one of the birds 

 to rise from the ground, and until fairly started its 

 flight is slow, 'heavy, and laborious. 



