BIRDS OP PENNSYLVANIA. 177 



GENUS SCOIiECOPHAGUS. SWAINSON. 

 509. Scolecophagus carolinus (MULL.). 



Rusty Blackbird. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill shorter than head and rather slender ; legs and feet dark ; iris pale-straw color ; 

 light line over eye. 



Male. General color black and somewhat glossy ; feathers of upper part very 

 rusty ; lower parts rusty but lighter. 



Female. Brownish-slate color, more or less rusty. Length about 9g inches ; ex- 

 tent about 15 inches ; female little smaller. 



Hab. Eastern North America, west to Alaska and the Plains. Breeds from 

 northern New England northward. 



The Rusty Grackle, the least numerous of all our Blackbirds and 

 the only Blackbird occurring in Pennsylvania which does not breed 

 in this Commonwealth, can readily be recognized from other species 

 by its ferruginous plumage and yellow or light-colored eyes. The 

 Rusty Blackbirds winter in the Southern States, passing southward as 

 far as Florida, where I have observed them in February and March. 

 When journeying to their breeding grounds, from the northern New 

 England States to Labrador, etc., this species, according to my obser- 

 vation, migrates singly or in pairs, but never in flocks. These birds 

 .arrive in Pennsylvania, occasionally as early as March 1, and some 

 seasons they are not observed before April 1 ; they usually, however, 

 <3ome about the middle of March, and frequent chiefly during their 

 brief sojourn bushy and marshy situations generally. After having 

 reared their young they again make their appearance in this State 

 about the middle of October (sometimes as early as the first of Octo- 

 ber), and often are seen as late as the 20th of November. In the 

 autumn the Rusty Blackbirds are observed in flocks of from eight to 

 a dozen or fifteen (seldom more) individuals. At this time they 

 inhabit the same localities that were resorted to in spring, and visit 

 also corn and other grain fields; like the Cowbirds, that depart 

 usually by the time their rusty-coated relatives arrive, they often fre- 

 quent pasture grounds among the cattle. I have never seen these 

 birds alight on the backs of cattle as Crows and Cowbirds sometimes 

 are in the habit of doing. The only note I have ever heard this bird 

 utter is a short and rather low chuck. The food of this species con- 

 sists largely of beetles, grasshoppers, snails and earthworms. They 

 feed to considerable extent on the seeds of various plants ; different 

 kinds of small berries are added to their menu ; the scattered grains 

 of wheat, rye or other cereals, which are to be found in the fields and 

 meadows, are likewise eaten. When in corn-fields they sometimes 

 perch on the shocks and pick from the ears a few grains, the damage, 

 however, which they do in this way is but of little importance. 

 12 BIRDS. 



