li 



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done in 26 days : they build their nests in 

 trees, lay four beautiful light-blue eggs, feed 

 on worms and carrion : when at liberty they 

 sing very prettily, but confined in a cage, 

 they lose their melody. There is no material 

 distinction between the male and female. 

 Their weight is 2^ ounces, the length 9 

 inches, and the breadth i foot ; they are cal- 

 led red bird? at Hudson's Bay ; their Indian 

 name is Pce-pec-cJme. 



Turd us, 22. 



Severn River, N" 54 and 55, male and female. 



From the striking similarity with our blackbird, 

 the English at Hudson's Bay have given this 

 bird the same name. However, upon a close 

 examination, I find the difference very great 

 between our European blackbird, and the 

 Hudson's Bay or American one. The plumage 

 of the male, instead of being deep black 

 without any gloss, as in ours,, has a shining 

 purple cast, not unlike the plumage of 

 the Graaila Qtusctila, Linn, or shining 

 Gracule, Faun. Am. Sept. ; or the Maize 

 thief, of Kalm. The female indeed is very 

 like our female blackbird, being of a dusky 

 colour on the back, and a dark grey on the 

 breast. The feet and bill are quite black in 

 both sexes ; the former have the back claw 

 almost as long again as any of the other claws. 

 There are no vestiges of yellow palpebrae in 

 either the male or the female ; the bill in 

 both is strong, smooth, and subulated ; the 



upper 

 ( :^o ) 



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