THE FLORIDA GRACKLE. 501 



21.34 millimetres, or 1.43 by 0.84 inches; the smallest, 26.92 by 19.30 milli- 

 metres, or 1.06 by 0.76 inches. As will be seen, these eggs measure considerably 

 more on an average than do those of its larger relative, the Purple Grackle. 



The type specimens, Nos. 25824 and 25825 (PL 7, Figs. 24 and 25), Ralph 

 collection, from sets of five and four eggs, respectively, were both taken near 

 San Mateo, Florida, on April 25, 1885, and April 14, 1888, by Dr. William L. 

 Ralph, and represent the better-colored phases found among' the eggs of this 

 subspecies. 



195. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus (Ridgway) 



BRONZED GRACKLE. 



Quiscalus ccneus Ridgway, Proceedings Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, dune, 



„ 1S69, 134. 

 Quiscalus quiscula ceneus Stejneger, Auk, II, Jan., 1SS5, 43, footnote. 

 (B — , C 225a, R 278&, O 337, U 511&.) 



Geographical range: From northern British North America, vicinity of Great 

 Slave Lake and the country bordering the southern half of Hudson Bay; southern Lab- 

 rador and southern Newfoundland, southward through the Dominion of Canada and the 

 United States; west to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains; south to the Rio Grande 

 Valley, in Texas, and the Gulf coast, to the mouth of the Mississippi, and thence north- 

 easterly through Mississippi, Alabama, northern Georgia, along the western slopes of the 

 Alleghanies, reaching the Atlantic seacoast again in Massachusetts and following it to 

 Nova Scotia. In winter, passing, to some extent, into Mexico, and casually to the eastern 

 slopes of the Alleghany Mountains. 



The Bronzed Crackle, also known as the "Western Crow Blackbird," is far 

 more numerous than either of the two preceding species, and breeds throughout 

 its extensive rang*e. Although only considered as a race in the "American 

 Ornithologists' Union Check List," in my opinion it is a perfectly good species 

 and entitled to specific rank. 



Within the United States it is especially abundant; throughout the valleys 

 of the Mississippi River and its larger tributaries, and particularly so along our 

 northern border and in southern British North America, east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, where it breeds in large colonies in favorable localities. While not 

 so common in our prairie States, it is generally distributed throughout the region 

 and is recorded from all of them. 



In the northern portions of its range it is only a summer visitor, usually 

 migrating southward in immense numbers in the early fall, passing through our 

 Northern States during the latter part of October, and remaining there in favor- 

 able seasons sometimes well into November, and returning from its winter haunts 

 in our Southern States and eastern Mexico during February and March. The 

 majority of these birds winter south of latitude 37° N. 



Mr. W. E. Loucks, of Peoria, Illinois, says: "Thousands of these birds are 

 to be found here in the spring, and while many of them pass north, others 

 remain to breed. At this time of the year they make the bottom lands their 



