jfia G R A K L E. 



defcribes on this occafion, and which we can plainly prove to be 

 a true Oriole, and defcribed as fuch, under the name of Black 



Oriole *. 



6. Gracula quifcula, Lin. Sjfi. i. p. 165. N" 7. 



*~ 'gr' PLE La Pie de la J amai 1 ue > Br 'f- orn ' "■ P- 4 l - N ° l'— Bu f- oi f' "*• P- 97" 



N° 2. 

 Purple Jackdaw, Catejb. Car. i. pi. 12. 

 Barbadoes Blackbird, Brown. Jam. p. 476. 

 Blackbird, or Maize-thief, Kalm. fraw. i. p. 291. 

 Purple Grakle, Amer. Zosl. N° 



Br. Muf. Lev. Muf. 



Description. Q IZE of a Blackbird : length eleven inches and three quarters. 



The bill is black, and fixteen lines long : irides white : the 



whole bird is. black, but moil beautifully and richly gloried with 



purple, especially on the head and neck : the irides are of a 



pearly grey : the tail is cuneiform : the legs and claws black. 



Female. The female is wholly of a brown colour, deepen; on the wings 



and tail. 

 Place and This inhabits Carolina, Mexico, and other parts of North Ame- 



Manners. rica . a jf Jamaica. 



Thefe birds for the mofl part feed on maize, whence the name 

 of Maize-thieves has been given them ; but this is not their only 

 food, for they are known alfo to feed on many other things. 

 In fpring, foon after the maize-feed is put into the ground, thefe 

 birds fcratch it up again ; and as foon as the leaf comes out, 

 they take it up with their bills, root and all 5 but when it is ripe 

 they flill do more damage, for at that time they come in troops 



* P. 445. N° 37 . 



of 



