FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 271 



as far north as Pennsylvania, and north of this eastward to Connecticut and 

 northward to Labrador ; winters in the lower Mississippi Valley. 



Washington, rare T. V., between Feb. 20 and Apl. 15. Sing Sing, tolera- 

 bly common T. V., Apl. ; Nov. Cambridge, abundant S. K., Mch. to Oct. ; 

 occasional in winter. 



" The general habits of the Bronzed Grackle are in all respects 

 identical with those of the Purple Grackle. . . . 



" From an almost equal familiarity with the two birds we are able 

 to say that their notes differ decidedly, especially those of the male 

 during the breeding season, the ' song ' of the western birds being very 

 much louder and more musical or metallic than those of its eastern 

 relative " (Ridgway). 



513. Quiscalus major Vieill. BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE. Ad. <J . 



Glossy bluish black ; head, throat, and breast more purplish, wings and tail 

 more blackish. Ad. 9 . Much smaller, upper parts blackish brown, under 

 parts soiled ochraceous-butf. $ L., 16-00 ; W., V50 ; T., Y'OO ; B., 1-55. 



Range. Florida ; north along the Atlantic coast to Virginia ; west along 

 the Gulf coast to Texas. 



Nest, bulky and compact, of grasses, seaweed, etc., with a median layer of 

 mud or partially decayed vegetation, in colonies in bushes. Eggs, three to 

 five, pale bluish white, frequently tinged with vinaceous-brown, singularly 

 spotted, blotched, and scrawled with purplish or blackish, 1-32 x -90. 



Boat-tail Grackles are rarely if ever found far from water. Shal- 

 low lakes or marshy lagoons grown with aquatic plants are their fa- 

 vorite resorts. Here they may be seen in small groups, which usually 

 contain more males than females, walking or jumping from plant to 

 plant, sometimes springing into the air to catch a passing insect, or 

 wading along the shore in search of food. 



Their usual notes are hoarse, rather forced whistles ; more rarely 

 they utter a singular rolling call, which bears a close resemblance to 

 the sound produced by a Coot in pattering over the water. 



FAMILY FRINGILLID^;. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



This, the largest family of birds, contains some five hundred and 

 fifty species, which are represented in all parts of the world except 

 the Australian region. Its members present wide diversity of form 

 and habit, but generally agree in possessing stout, conical bills, which 

 are admirably adapted to crush seeds. They are thus chief among 

 seed-eaters, and for this reason are not so migratory as insect-eating 

 species. 



The brown, streaked Sparrows are, to a large extent, field- or plain- 

 inhabiting, and their neutral colors are therefore a means of protec- 

 tion in the exposed situations they inhabit. The brighter Grosbeaks 



