260 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



and one blackish blotch. (6) Very light greenish, faintly and 

 evenly marked with lilac and dull brown. In short, 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 

 rustj^-brown. 



(c). The Crow Blackbirds are common summer-residents in 

 southern New England, though very much confined to certain 

 localities (as Cambridge), where they live more or less in com- 

 munities. They are said to reach Eastern Massachusetts in 

 March, but 1 have not observed them until April, when they 

 often appear in very large flocks, flying at a considerable 

 height, and commonly moving northward. They then roost in 

 low pine-woods at night, and during the day resort to ploughed 

 lands and fields. If frightened from their roost, they rise with 

 a loud roar of their wings, and many noisy exclamations. In 

 the latter part of September, and in October, they may be 

 found near Boston in flocks of several hundreds, visiting open 

 woods, for beech-nuts or acorns ; also lawns, orchards, a"nd 

 farms. While thus assembled, they continually chatter so 

 loudly as to be heard at the distance of a mile or even more. 

 They obtain most of their food from the ground, over which 

 they walk, occasionally with greater agility than one might ex- 

 pect. They feed upon seeds, small nuts or sometimes berries, 

 and various insects, especially those which infest the soil. 

 Though in this way beneficial, they do great injury by their 

 depredations on grain-fields, and their fondness for the eggs 

 and young of other birds. Disagreeable as it is to witness 

 the extermination of any feathered creature, I should not hesi- 

 tate to sign a death-warrant in the case of these robbers. 

 They are remarkably fearless, and unhesitatingly familiar to- 

 ward man, often closely approaching houses or entirely disre- 

 garding the various scare-crows employed to intimidate them. 

 Their flight is somewhat undulatory, but is very vigorous. 



(d). The Crow Blackbirds have a loud chuck or check, vari- 

 ously uttered,, an occasional chatter or whistle, and in spring 



