LAND BIRDS. 453 
204. Rusty Blackbird. Euphagus carolinus (A/uil.). (509) 
Synonyms: Rusty Grackle, Thrush Blackbird.—Turdus carolinus. Miller, 1776 — 
Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Sw. & Rich., Baird, Coues, and many of the older naturalists. 
—Quiscalus ferrugineus, Bonap., Nuttall, Audubon.—Gracula ferruginea, Wilson.— 
Scolecophagus carolinus, Ridgw., 1885, A. O. U. Check-list, 1886, and most recent authors. 
Figures 107, 108. 
Male in spring uniform bluish or greenish black; in autumn most of the 
feathers edged with rusty. Female brownish slate-color in spring, with 
rusty edgings in autumn. In both sexes the iris is straw-yellow. 
Distribution.—Eastern United States, west to Alaska and the Plains. 
Breeds from Northern New England, northern New York, and northern 
Michigan [?] northward. 
This beautiful blackbird is one of the first spring migrants, entering the 
state from the south early in March, usually as early as the 10th, and 
frequently lingering, at least in 
the latitude of Lansing, until 
the first or even second week in 
May. This statement is at 
variance with reports from 
several sections of the state, 
where observers speak of the 
Rusty Grackle being seen only 
for a day or two in spring, but 
making a longer stay in fall. 
Our own experience at the 
College during the past seven- 
teen years has been as stated 
above, the birds appearing at 
about the same time as the Red- 
wings and lingering, in larger 
or smaller flocks, for almost or 
quite two months. Eventually 
all pass northward entirely out Aone ee a ee 
of the state and nest beyond our From photograph of mounted specimen. 
limits. Statements that this 
species nests in the Upper Peninsula, or elsewhere in the state, seem to be 
entirely unwarranted, as not a particle of evidence in confirmation has 
been obtained. The bird returns to us late in September (Isle Royale, 
Sept. 15, 1905), or early in October, and lingers until after heavy frost, 
or often until the ground freezes. Frequently large flocks are found late 
in November, and stragglers linger into December and even occasionally 
all winter. At least three times during the last ten years we have known 
from one to three individuals to remain in the neighborhood of the College 
all winter, and similar instances have been reported from other parts of 
the state. ; 
In the spring the birds are decidedly musical and though a single song, 
if it can be called such, consists of hardly more than a dozen chuckling 
and whistling notes, yet a chorus of several hundred birds produces a 
very pleasing effect. Seton Thompson speaks of them in April as 
