BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 53 



tips wear off and the bird is glossy black. Size of the Red-wing 1 

 but with a whitish eye and no red; the female tmstreaked. 



Range. Eastern North America; nests from the northern part 

 of the northern states to Canada; winters from New Jersey and 

 Ohio to the Gulf States. 



Washington, common W. V., Oct. 13-Apl. 30. Ossining, 

 common T. V., Mch. 26-May 8; Sept. 28-Nov. 27. Cambridge, 

 very common T. V., Mch. 10-May 8; Sept. 15-Oct. 31. N. 

 Ohio, common T. V., Mch. 5-May 10; Sept. 10-Nov. 15. Glen 

 Ellyn, common T. V., Mch. 3-May 8; Sept. 12-Nov. 15; un- 

 common W. V. SE. Minn., common T. V., Mch. 26-Nov. 24. 



This is the least conspicuous of our Blackbirds. It nests 

 chiefly north of the United States, migrates in small flocks, 

 and is less noisy than the Red-wing or Grackle and not 

 so much in evidence as the Cowbird. Dwight describes 

 its notes as "a confused medley of whistles, sweeter and 

 higher-pitched than those of the Red-wing." It nests 

 in May, building in coniferous trees or near the ground, 

 and laying 4-7 greenish eggs, heavily marked with brown 

 and purple. 



^PURPLE GRACKLE 



Quiscalus quiscula quiscula. Case 5, Fig. 1 



Plumage varied with metallic and iridescent reflections; tail 

 long, fan-shaped, often 'keeled' in flight; eye pale yellow. Male, 

 L. 124. The female is smaller and duller; L. io4. 



Range. Eastern North America; nests east of the Alleghanies 

 from northern^Georgia to Connecticut; winters from Maryland 

 southward. 



Washington, common T. V. and S. R., Feb. 20; a few winter. 

 Ossining, tolerably common S. R., Feb. 15-Nov. 8. Cambridge, 

 rare S. R. 



The Florida Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula aglaus, Case 



4, Fig. 74) is smaller than the Purple Grackle and has 

 the head and neck violet-purple, the back bottle-green. 

 It is resident in Florida and the Gulf States north to South 

 Carolina. 



^ The Bronzed Grackle {Quiscalus quiscula osneus, Case 



5, Fig. 2) is the same size as the Purple Grackle, but ha* 



