258 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a 
England (chiefly Northwestern Maine?) and in all the count- 
ries beyond, except the Arctic regions. They winter in the 
Southern States, where they are frequently met with in large 
flocks. They reach Massachusetts in March, lingering into 
April, and return in autumn, when they are most abundant in 
October, though often seen in November. Whilst migrating, 
they are gregarious, and also associate, from time to time, with 
other blackbirds. They frequent wet places, particularly if 
bushy, though, in fall, they may be observed in woodland, 
often resting grouped in some low pine. They probably do 
but little mischief to the farmers near Boston, though they 
sometimes collect in ploughed lands. Their food consists of 
seeds, insects, and crustacea. To obtain these, they pass much 
of their time upon the ground, where they walk in the manner 
of their family, frequently jerking their tails. Though much 
less often seen near the habitations of man than the Crow 
Blackbirds, they are not very shy of man’s approach, usually 
flying, when disturbed, to some neighboring tree or bush. 
(d). While they are here, their ordinary note is a chuck like 
that of the next species. Their song-notes are not, as I have 
heard them, musical, but resemble those of the other black- 
birds, particularly when united in chorus. The Rusty Grakles, 
however, are comparatively very silent, though said to have 
in their summer-homes a musical and agreeable note. Mr. 
Samuels says that a female, whose nest he approached, on 
flying ‘uttered a chattering cry, almost exactly like that of 
the female Redwing when disturbed in a similar manner.” 
VII. QUISCALTS 
(A) vuRrureus (var. purpureus?) Crow Blackbird. Purple. 
Grakle. 
(In Massachusetts, 2 common summer-resident in certain 
localities.) 
(a). The following description, and that of ceneus, is quoted 
(with abridgment) from Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, 
to show what distinctions these gentlemen believe to exist 
between the. typical Crow Blackbird and the variety cneus. 
