270 LAND-BIRDS. 



a. This variety (recently established, whether rightfully 

 or not I cannot say) is described as follows by Messrs. Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway. " Metallic tints rich, deep, and uni- 

 form. Head and neck all round, rich silky steel blue, this 

 strictly confined to these portions, and abruptly defined be- 

 hind, varying in shade from an intense Prussian blue to 

 brassy greenish, the latter tint always, when present, most 

 apparent on the neck, the head always more olivaceous ; lores 

 velvety black. Entire body, above and below, uniform con- 

 tinuous metallic brassy olive, varying to burnished golden 

 olivaceous bronze, becoming gradually uniform metallic pur- 

 plish or reddish violet on wings and tail, the last more pur- 

 plish ; primaries, violet black; bill, tarsi, and toes, pure black ; 

 iris, sulphur yellow." About thirteen inches long. Female 

 smaller and less lustrous. 



6. The Bronzed Blackbirds are thought to build in hoUow 

 trees, " a manner of breeding now known to be also occasional 

 in the habits of the pwrpureus.^^ * The eggs are like those 

 of the Purple Grackle, exhibiting great variation. 



c. The Bronzed Grackles do not probably differ in habits 

 from the well-known Crow Blackbirds ; at least no salient 

 point of difference has yet been discovered. In New 

 England, they are summer residents in northern Maine, but 

 are only migrants in more southern portions, appearing near 

 Boston in (April and) October. Their chief habitat consists 

 of the Mississippi Valley and British Provinces. 



§ 18. The CORVID-ffl include the Crows, Ravens, Eoohs, 

 Daws, Pies, and Jays. All those of the eastern United States 

 are characterized as follows : More than seven inches long ; 



pure ceneus, the remaining ten per cent Long Island, ceneus is rarely found in 

 showing more or less marked traces of summer, and throughout the Middle 

 guisada blood, while an occasional States it is known to occur only during 

 specimen appears to he typical quis- the migrations. — W. B. 

 aula. Along the southern borders of * ^ quiscula. There are no con- 

 Massachusetts, including most of Cape stant differences in the breeding habits 

 Cod, in Rhode Island,and especially in of the two forms, both nesting in holes 

 southern Connecticut, the two forms or on the branches of trees according 

 intermingle, interbreed, and intergrade to circumstances. — W. B. 

 in the most bewildering manner. On 



