128 



ICTERUS. Brisson. American Orioles. 



122. I. BALTIMORE. Daudin. Baltimore Oriole (so named from Lord 

 Baltimore in allusion to his black coat and scarlet vest), Golden Robin, Fire Bird. 

 Black ; bend of wing, rump, most tail feathers, and under parts from the breast 

 orange of varying intensity ; female duller, olivaceous and yellowish ; L. 7^ ; W. 

 3^; T. 3. An abundant summer resident in orchards, streets, and woodland, 

 conspicuous for its bright colors, spirited song and elaborately woven hanging nest. 



123. I. SPURIOUS. Bon. Orchard Oriole. Male black; rump, bend of wing, 

 and lower parts deep chestnut; female yellowish olive, quite small; young yellow, 

 with various black or chestnut traces ; L. 7 ; W. y/z j T. 3. A neat bird and sweet 

 singer in orchards, parks, and skirts of woods ; not as common here as the other. 



Sub-family Quiscalinac. Crow blackbirds. Much like the marsh blackbirds in 

 structure and habits, but with longer and slimmer bill, its top curved toward the 

 end and cutting edges inflected. They have a crow-like look ; the feet are large 

 and strong, adapted to the ground where they walk or run, instead of leaping like 

 most passerine birds. They build rude, bulky nests, and at their best are scarcely 

 musical. 



SCOLECOPHAGUS. Swainson. Rusty Blackbirds. 



124. S. FERRUGINEUS. Rusty Grackle. Male glossy black and rusty in 

 summer ; female dusky and lustreless ; bill slender ; L. 9^ ; W. 4^ ; T. 4. A 

 common spring and fall migrant, frequenting the borders of streams and ponds in 

 large numbers. 



125. S. CYANOCEPHALUS. Cab. Brewer's Blackbird. Black with green 

 lustre, head glossed with purple ; female dusky ; L. 10. A very rare visitant in 

 common with the preceding. [Nelsoji.) 



QUISCALUS. Vieillot. Crotv Blackbirds. 



126. Q. PURPUREUS. Licht. Purple Grackle. Iridescent black; lustre on 

 head purplish, on body bronzy ; L. 13 ; W. 5^ ; T. 5)-^. Common summer resi- 

 dent throughout the State. Though a nuisance in the cornfields, it is obviously of 

 great service in destroying insects, but I doubt if this fact compensates for its 

 wicked habit, not generally known among the farmers, of destroying many un- 

 fledged birds, especially the young robins. Itwatches the nest, and when the pa- 

 rents are away seizes an &^^ or a young one and is off. Mr. Gentry, who describes- 

 this crow-like vice, thinks its carnivorous propensity the natural outgrowth of its- 

 habit of sucking eggs. 



FAMILY YXIII. CORYID.E. 



{The Crows and Jays.) 



Primaries 10; the first about half as long as second; nostrils usually concealed 

 by tufts of bristly feathers which are branched to their tips ; bill long and strong,. 

 usually notched ; commissure not angulated; tarsus oscine, its sides separated from 

 the plates in front by a groove either naked or filled in with small scales ; voice 

 usually harsh and unmusical. Ravens, crows, rooks, magpies, jays and their allies. 



