ICTEEIB^ - q mSCALINJE : GIRO W BLA CKBIBDS. 



413 



335. 



336. Q 



average 7.00, latter rather the longer of the two ; its gradaation about 2.50 ; hill 1.50 ; tarsus 

 nearly 2.00 ; middle toe and claw about the same. Aduh ? : Astonishingly smaller than the $ , 

 lacking entirely the great development of the tail, and easily to be mistaken for another species. 

 Length 12.00-13.50, average 13.00; extent 17.25-18.25, average 17.75 ; wing 5.25-G.OO, average 

 5.67 ; tail 4.75-5.50, average 5.25. General color plain brown, only darker on wings and tail : 

 below brownish-gray, frequently whitening on the throat. Soutli Atlantic and Gulf States, on 

 the coast, abundant ; N. regularly to the Carolinas, fre.iucntly to the Middle districts, but not 

 to New England, as far as certainly known, though very likely in exceptional cases. This 

 species differs from the common crow blackbird in being strictly maritime, with the consequent 

 modification in food and habits ; it may be seen at times wading in the water, and small fish and 

 crustaceans form much of its fare. Nesting and eggs as in Q. macrurus; eggs averaging 

 smaller, but not distinguishable with certainty. 



Q. purpur'eus. (Lat. purpureus, purple. Fig. 2G5.) Purple Crow Blackbird. Com- 

 mon Crow Blackbird. Purple Geackle Of medium size, with moderately keeled and 

 graduated tail, shorter than ' 



wings. Sexes subsimilar. Bill 

 usually less tapering and de- 

 flected at tip, l)Ut very variable. 

 Adult $ ■■ Iridescence very 

 variable with season, age, and 

 sexual vigor, as well as on 

 different parts of the body ; 

 but always intense in healthy 

 adults, and at its height during 

 the love-ardor ; variously pur- 

 ple, green, blue, violet, and 

 bronzy ; not the extensive 

 green of the last species, nor usually the decided brassy of the next variety ; wings and tail 

 mostly purpUsh ; dark purplish and steel-blue on head, neck, and breast; back more green-- ''-^' 

 ish or bronzy. Bill an3 feet ebony Idack. Iris straw-yellow. Length 12.00-13.50 ; ex-'j, a,, 

 tent 17.00-1S.50; wing 5.00-6.00, averaging 5.60; tail 4.50-G.OO, usually under 5.50; bill ' 

 1.25, very variable; tarsus 1.25 ; graduation of tail 1.00-1.50. Adult 9 : Blackish, and quite ■! 

 lustrous ; sufficiently similar to the ^; length 11.00-12.00 ; wing about 5.00 ; tail about 4.50. < 

 Birds of this character, without perfectly brassy back and steel-1 ilue head, are the usual kind in 

 the Atlantic States ; abundant and generally distributed, migratory and gregarious, breeding 

 anywhere in their range, but chieiiy northerly. Nesting variable, in tree or bush, on bough or in 

 a bellow, at any height; sometimes in an artificial retreat, or a fish-hawk's nest. Nest bulky, 

 of any trash, usually with mud ; eggs of the character and with all the indescribabb? variability 

 of others of the genus ; usually bluish or greenisli, witli purplish veining and clouding, zigzagged 

 and flourished with dark browns or blackish ; averaging 1.25 X 0.90 in size; 5-6 in number. 

 The grackles are absent from their breeding-grounds for only a small part of the year, when 

 they flock southerly, often in immense bands scouring about for food. At times tliey are very ' 

 injurious to the crops, but this is offset by their destruction of noxious insects. Tlie courtships 

 of the males look very curious to a dispassionate observer, being carried on with the most gro- L 

 tesque actions and ludicrous attitudes, as well as curious vocalization. 



p. se'neus. (Lat. ceneus, brassy.) Bronzed Crow Blackbird. Brass Geackle. 

 Birds from the interior U. S., especially the Mississippi valley, acquire in full plumage a 

 splendid iridescence of three kinds, in pretty distinct areas. Body uniform shining brassy. 

 Hind neck and breast chiefly steel-blue. Wings and tail chiefly violet and purple. This bril- 

 liant coloration is that represented by Audubon, pi. 221 of the 8vo. ed. Such birds occui 



/V i^ 



-Purple Grackle, reduceit. (Slieppard deL Nichols sc.) 



7 



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