Nests in Trees, Bushes, or Vines 



The nests are begun as early as February, even when the 

 snow lays thick on the ground and the temperature is far below 

 zero. 



498. Red-winged Blackbird : Agelaius piiceniceus 



(Linn.) 



Eggs pale greenish blue or pearly white, with either blotches 

 or scrawls of dark purplish brown, faint cloudy blotches of dull 

 purplish brown, and spots of black. 



See Page 77, Chapter IV. 



511, Purple Crackle; Crow Blackbird : Quiscalus 

 quiscula (Linn.) 



Adults — Purple, blue, and green iridescent black, the irides- 

 cence on the rump forming bars. Length — 12.00. 



Adult % — Much less iridescence. 



Breeding Range — " In the lower Mississippi Valley and east of 

 the Alleghanies, from Georgia to Massachusetts." (Chap- 

 man.) 



The nest is a bulky structure of twigs, grasses, and some- 

 times mud, with lining of grass ; it is placed in a bush or tree 

 (usually an evergreen) from six to sixty feet from the ground, 

 and occasionally in the hollow of a stump or tree. The eggs 

 number from 3 to 6 ; they vary greatly both in colour and mark- 

 ing ; the ground colour is creamy, bluish, light green, gray, or 

 even brownish, while the markings may be blotches, spots, 

 cloudings, large broad or small fine scrawls of faint lilac, blackish, 

 and various shades of brown and purple. Size — 1.18 x.84. 

 See Fig. 3, Plate D. 



The breeding begins from early in April to the middle of 

 May, according to locality. 



511a. Florida Crackle: Q. q. aglssus Baird 



Closely resembling the preceding species, but smaller. 



Breeding Range — Florida and the southern part of the Gulf States 

 to Texas ; north along the Atlantic coast to Virginia. (A. 

 O. U. check-list.) 



Nesting habits vary only according to natural conditions ; 

 eggs similar to those of the purple grackle. 



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