141 



than usual, especially in the interior, where as a rule 

 it is rare. Reported last winter from several inland 

 localities, notablj^ Englewood, Cresskill, Millington, 

 Elizabeth, and Plainfield, all in New Jersey; West 

 Farms, N. Y. C; Flushing, L. I. 



61. Euphagus carolinus. Rusty Blackbird. — Like the 



Redwing, this species spent the winter with us, though 

 no large flocks were recorded. A flock of ten was 

 noted near Englewood on December 29. In the 

 Plainfield region the following records have come to 

 my notice: Ash Swamp, a pair, December 22 and 25; 

 a male, February 23 (Miller) ; Scotch Plains, Decem- 

 ber 15, a pair (Johnson and Griscom). Besides these 

 records. Blackbirds were noted during the winter at 

 Millington and Scotch Plains, N. J., and at Van 

 Cortlandt Park, N. Y. C, but in no case could the 

 species be accurately determined. 



62. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus. Bronzed Grackle. — 



Grackles spent the winter with us in unprecedented 

 numbers. Instead of individuals there were flocks. 

 At Englewood on January 1 about 50 Grackles were 

 noted, and on January 19 two were seen (Nichols); 

 Miller and Rogers record a flock of 25 along the Rah- 

 way River on Januarj^ 26; also a flock of 200 plus 

 two individuals in Ash Swamp, south of Plainfield, 

 on February 23, but most if not all of these were 

 probably migrants. 

 It is a question which has yet to be determined whether 

 Grackles which winter with us are Bronzed or Purple. In the 

 writer's opinion it is far more likely that they are Bronzed. 

 It has recently been discovered that the Bronzed Grackle is 

 by no means so rare a migrant with us as was formerly sup- 

 posed. It is therefore by no means improbable, inasmuch as 

 the Bronzed Grackle has the more northerly breeding range, 

 that it should linger farther north in winter. This question 

 can only be settled by a little judicious collecting, and the writer 

 raises the point in the hope that some enterprising person will 

 give some time to the solution of the problem. 

 10 



