177 



About suDset March 30, March 31, and April 1, thousands and thou- 

 sands passed Saint Louis iu immense flocks. During these same days 

 they were noted for the first time at Keokuk, Richmond, Des Moines, 

 Morning Sun, Coralville, Newton, and Waukon, in Iowa; Manhattan, 

 Kansas; Lanesboro, and Heron Lake, Minn.; Eoekford, 111.; and Mil- 

 waukee, Wis. By this time the second wave had overtaken the first, 

 and from stations farther north but one set of notes was received. These 

 show that the first came to Rochester, Minn., April 3; Huron, Dak., 

 April 4; Delavan, Wis., April 5; and that April 6 they reached La 

 Crosse, Green Bay, and Durand, Wis., and Hastings and Elk River, 

 Minn. Our northern border was crossed the middle of the month, and 

 April 15 and 16 they appeared at Ossowo, Shell River, and Oak Point, 

 Manitoba. 



In the fall of 1885 the last was reported from Ossowo, Manitoba, Oc- 

 tober 24 ; River Falls, Wis., October 10 ; Grinnell, Iowa, November 21; 

 Iowa City, Iowa, October 25; Des Moines, Iowa, October 14; Mount 

 Carmel, Mo., November 26 ; and at Bonham, Tex., none were seen after 

 August 16. The whole record from Saint Louis, Mo., is as follows : 

 u September 17, too many present; October 27, a great day for migra- 

 tion, large flocks go south ; October 28, another big day, an enormous 

 flock seen at 9 a. m. ; October 30, last flock." 



512. Quiscalus macrourus. Swains. [275.] Great-tailed Graclcle. 



This species is an inhabitant of eastern Mexico and southern Texas. 

 In the valley of the Lower Rio Grande it is an abundant resident. It 

 was noted at San Antonio, Tex., by Mr. Atwater, who found it there 

 as a summer resident, arriving about the middle of March. 



513. Quiscalus major Vieill. [277.] Boat-tailed Graclcle. 



A strictly southern species, confined almost exclusively to the country 

 near the south Atlantic and Gulf coasts, where it breeds abundantly. 

 It is common in Texas and Louisiana, near the coast. It was reported 

 correctly by a few of the most southern observers, and incorrectly by a 

 score or more of the northern observers. All the " Boat-tailed Grackles" 

 north of latitude 33° are Crow Blackbirds and belong to the preceding 

 species. The habit which the male Bronzed Grackle has of carrying 

 his tail ; - boat-shaped" during the breeding season is the common cause 

 of the mis-identification. 



514. Coccothraustes vespertina (Cooper). [1G5.] Evening Grosbeak. 



The home of the Evening Grosbeak is in the northwestern part of 

 the United States and British North America, from the Rocky Mountains 

 westward, and while some pass south in winter, even to Mexico, others 

 come eastward and are found in Manitoba and all the northern States 

 as far east as Michigan. They have been found several times in Iowa 

 and Nebraska, but so far there is one record only for Kansas, and that 

 was made in 1877. 



7365— Bull 2 12 



