350 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



fore, worthy the highest consideration and protection from 

 the farmer. 



The familiarity of this bird with man, and its sociable and 

 genial disposition, are so well known that any description 

 of its habits here is unnecessary. About the middle of 

 September, after forming into small detached flocks, this 

 species leaves New England on its southern migration. 



Sub-Family QUISCALIN^E. The Blackbirds. 



Bill rather attenuated, as long or longer than the head ; the culmen curved, the 

 tip much bent down ; the cutting edges inflected, so as to impart a somewhat tubular 

 appearance to each mandible 1 ; the commissure sinuated; tail longer than the wings, 

 usually much graduated; legs longer than the head, fitted for walking. 



The bill of the Quiscalince is very different from that of the other Icteridx, and is 

 readily recognized by the tendency to a rounding inward along the cutting edges, 

 rendering the width in a cross section of the bill considerably less along the commis- 

 sure than above or below. The culmen is more curved than in the Agelairue. 



The only genera in the United States are as follows: 



SCOLECOPHAGUS. Tail shorter than the wings, nearly even ; bill shorter than 

 the head. 



QUISCALUS. Tail longer than the wings, much graduated; bill as long as or 

 longer than the head. 



SCOLECOPHAGUS, SWAIKSON. 



Scolecophagus, SWAINSON, F. Bor. Am.. II. (1831). (Type Oriolus ferrugineus, 

 Gmelin.) 



Bill shorter than the head, rather slender, the edges inflexed as in Quiscalus, which 

 it otherwise greatly resembles ; the commissure sinuated ; culmen rounded, but not 

 flattened; tarsi longer than the middle toe; tail even, or slightly rounded. 



SCOLECOPHAGUS FERRUGINEUS. Swainson. 

 The Rusty Blackbird. 



Cracula ferruginea, Wilson. Am. Orn., III. (1811) 41. 



Quiscalus ferrugineus, Nuttall. Man., I. (1832) 199. Aud. Orn. Biog., II. (1834) 

 315; V. (1839)483. 



Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Swainson. F. Bor. Am., II. (1831) 286. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill slender, shorter than the head, about equal to the hind toe ; its height not 

 quite two-fifths the total length ; wing nearly an inch longer than the tail ; second 

 quill longest; first a little shorter than the fourth ; tail slightly graduated ; the lateral 



