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 THE RUSTY GRAKLE 



QUISCALUS FERRUGINEUS, BoNAP. 

 PLATE CLVII. Male, Female, and Young. 



In the winter months the Rusty Grakle is found as far south as Lower 

 Louisiana and the Floridas, which it reaches in small flocks, along with 

 the Cow Bunting and Red-winged Starling, with which it continues fre- 

 quently to associate until the return of spring. At this season it occurs 

 in all the Southern and Western States, as well as in the Middle and Eas- 

 tern Districts, where some remain during the most severe cold. 



These Grakles are fond of the company of cattle, and are seen with 

 them in the pastures or in the farm-yards, searching for food among their 

 droppings, and picking up a few grains of the refuse corn. They are 

 less shy than the other species, possibly because less acquainted with man, 

 as they retire to the north for the purpose of breeding. In the winter 

 they frequently resort to moist places, such as are met with round the ponds 

 and low swampy meadows, whei'e you sometimes find a single one remain- 

 ing for weeks apart from its companions. They then feed on aquatic in- 

 sects and small snails, for which they search diligently among the rank 

 reeds or sedges, which they climb with great agility. Their note is a 

 kind of chuck. It is rare to meet with them in full plumage at this time, 

 even the old males becoming rather rusty, instead of being of a pure 

 glossy black, as they are in spring. 



About the beginning of March, tlie males are seen moving northwards. 

 They cross the greater part of the United States almost in silence and 

 unheeded, seldom tarrying any where until they reach the State of Maine, 

 where some few remain to breed, while the greater number advance far- 

 ther north. I saw some of these birds on the Magdeleine Islands, in 

 Newfoundland, as well as in Labrador, where many breed. Their migra- 

 tions are performed by day. 



In their habits they resemble the Red- winged Starling, becoming lo- 

 quacious at this season, and having a lively and agreeable song, although 

 less powerful in tone than that of the species just mentioned. Equally 

 fond of the vicinity of meadows or moist places, they construct their nests 

 in the low bushes that occur there. The nest is not so large as that of. 



