lUTERlDiE — THE OKIOLES. Jg^^ 



stacks. I~)r, Sucklov sjicaks ul' them as (piitc coniinon west of the Cascade 

 Mountains, arri\inj; i'roni tlie Soulli in March. In all the niarsliy places of 

 tlu) entire West Mr. J!id<,'way met with this species and their nests in <,'reat 

 abundance. In all res])ccts he fuund the western birds identical with the 

 eastern. Their nests were in low bushes in overflowed nieadt)ws. 



])()nald (Junn found this species common in the IJed liivcr Settlements ; 

 and Itichardson met with them on the Saskatchewan, where they arrive in 

 May, liut do not breed until the 20th of .lune. 



Jn Xew England this Blackbird is generally migratory, though instances 

 are on record where a few have been known to remain throughout the win- 

 ter in Massai'husetts. They are among the earliest to arrive in si)ring, 

 coming, in company with the l{usty (Irakle, as early as the 10th of March. 

 Those winch remain to breed usually come a month later. They breed 

 throughout New England, as also in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. 



It is eipially abundant and resident in Arizona and Texas, and in the ad- 

 joining jwrtions of ^lexico. (.)n the liio (irande, Mr. Dresser found it very 

 abundant, breeding on the banks of the rivers and streams. In the winter 

 season these birds are found in immense Hocks in the lower ])arts of Virginia, 

 both the Carolinas, and all the (iulf States, particidarly near the sea-coast 

 and among old fields of rice and grain. Wilson states that once, passing, in 

 January, through the lower counties of Virginia, he frei^uently witnessed 

 the aerial evolutions great bodies of these birds. Sometimes they ap- 

 peared as if driven about like an enormous black cloud carried Ijcfore the 

 wind, varying every moment in shape. Sometimes they rose uj) suddenly 

 from the fields with a noise like thunder, wliile the glittering of innumerable 

 wings of the brightest vermilion, amid the black cloud, occasioned a very 

 striking efl'ect. At times the whole congregated multitude would suddenly 

 alight in some detached grove and commence one general concert, that he 

 could plainly distingui'cli rt the distance of more than two miles, and when 

 listened to at a d is Lance of a quarter of a mile, the flow of its cadences was 

 grand, and even sublime. 



He ad('s that with the Redwings the whole winter season seems one con- 

 tinued carnival. They find abundant food in the old fields of rice, buck- 

 wheat, and grain, and much of their time is spent in aerial movements, or 

 in grand vocal performances. 



Early in March these large assemblies break up. A ])art separate in 

 pairs and remain among the Southern swamps. The greater portion, in 

 smaller flocks, the male bird leading the way, commence their movements 

 northward. Late in April they have all re-established themselves in their 

 chosen haunts, have mated, and are preparing to make their nests. In Penn- 

 sylvania this is done in May, in New England early in June, and farther 

 north a fortnight later. For their nest they invariably select either the 

 borders of streams or low marshy situations. Those they usually place in 

 low bushes, such as grow in moist situations, among thick bunches of reeds, 



VOL. II. 21 



