244 



North American Birds Eggs. 



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T 



5 1 la. Florida Crackle. Quismlus quiscula agbrus. 



Range. — South Atlantic and Gulf States. 



A smaller variety jcifj 'the preceding; length about II 

 inches. Eggs^indis tin guis liable. 



5 II b. Eronzed Crackle. Quiscalus quiscula xneus. 



Range. — North America east of the Rockies, breeding 

 from the Gulf to Hudson Bay and Labrador. Winters [Grayish white.) 



in the southern parts of the United States. This is the most common and 

 widely distributed of the Crow Blackbirds and is distinguished by the brassy 

 color of the upper parts. 



5 13. Boat-tailed Crackle. Mcgaquisralus major. 

 Range. — South Atlantic and Gulf States; north to Virginia. 



This handsome bird measures about 

 length, is iridescent with purplish and 

 has a very long, graduated and hollowt 

 Grackles are very abundant residents along the Gulf, 

 breeding in large colonies in swamps, placing their 

 nests of weeds, moss, grasses, etc., in bushes, trees, 

 cane or rushes, but a few inches above the water, while 

 those in trees are sometimes 50 feet above the ground. 

 The eggs are laid in March, April or May, are from three 

 to five in number, and are a dull bluish or grayish 

 louded and blotched with brown, black and gray; size 



It) inches in 



greenish, and 



ed tail. These 



Mrgaij u ilea I ».s inajiir 



['irayish white.] 



white, streaked, lined, 



1.25 X .95. 



5 13a. Great-tailed Crackle. 



mncrourus. 



Range. — Mexico to southern and eastern Texas. 



This variety is larger than the last ( length IS 

 inches) and the-tail is very broad and flat. Like 

 the former, they nest in bushes, rushes or trees at 

 any elevation from the ground. The nests are 

 built of the same materials and the eggs are simi- 

 lar to those of the Boat-tailed Grackle, but larger; 

 size 1.28 X .88. 



FINCHES,;SPARROWS, ETC. Family FRINGILLID/E. 



5(4. Evening Crosbeak. HcsperipluDin vrsperti iia. 

 Range. — Western T^nited States in the I-vocky Mountain region; north to Sas- 

 katchewan; south in winter to Mississippi Valley and cas- 

 ually east to New England and the intermediate states. 



These are dull and yellowish birds, shading to brownish 

 on the head: with a bright yellow forehead and superciliary 

 line, black wings and tail, and white inner secondaries and 

 greater coverts. They breed in the mountainous portions 

 of their range, placing their Hat nests of sticks and rootlets 

 in low trees or bushes. The eggs are laid in May or June 

 and are greenish white spotted and blotched with brown; size .90 x .05. Data. — 

 Willis, N. M., June 20, 1901. Nest of twigs lined with rootlets and moss. Col- 

 lector, F. J. Birtwell. 

 5 14a. Western Evening Crosbeak. HrHperiphona rrsprrliiia moiiiana. 



Range. — Western United States, breeding in the mountains from New Mexico 

 to British Columbia. 



The nesting habits and eggs of this variety are the same as those of the pre- 

 ceding, and the birds can rarely be separated. 



[({rcenish white.] 



