BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 59 



In mild seasons these birds stay very late, and I have on several 

 occasions found small parties of them spending the winter here. 



This species is of great value to the farmer, as it lives almost entirely 

 in the cultivated fields and with us feeds upon the insects most injurious 

 to the crops. The western form, S. m. neglecta, has been taken by Mr. 

 White at Ottawa. 



GENUS ICTERUS. 



(*) (506) Orchard Oriole. 



(Icterus spurius.) 



A regular, but not common, summer resident in the south-western 

 counties, breeding in orchards and shrubberies. I found it every season in 

 Haldimand and Norfolk and of late years a few pairs have regularly bred 

 near Toronto. 



(507) Baltimore Oriole. 



(Icterus galbula.) 



A common summer resident, breeding throughout its range in the 

 Province. 



Arrives early in May, departs about the end of August. 



GENUS EUPHAGUS. 



(509) Rusty Blackbird. 



(Euphagus carolinus.) 



A common migrant through Ontario, it arrives in spring about the 

 middle of April and passes northward without much delay; about the 

 end of September they return and soon become abundant in the marshes, 

 where they remain until the end of October. 



Probably breeds in the northern part of the Province. 



GENUS QUISCALUS. 



(5iib) Bronzed Grackle. 



(Quiscalus quiscula aeneus.-) 



A common summer resident, breeding in colonies throughout its 

 range in the Province. 



Arrives about the middle of March, departs early in October. 



FAMILY FRINGILLID^. (FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC.) 



Bill cone shaped; the commissure angulated. Nostrils high up, ex- 

 posed, or, in some northern species, partly covered by a ruff of small 

 feathers. Tarsus scutellate in front with an undivided ridge behind. 



All the Finches are granivorous, feeding largely on seeds when 

 adult. None of them, however, reject insects whenever they can be ob- 



