CHAPTER XIII. 
THE CROW BLACKBIRD. 
“ TT ERE,” said Miss Harson, “is a picture of the 
purple grakle, or crow blackbird, who may be 
called first cousin to the crow, and is scarcely more 
popular than his disreputable relative. You will see 
that he is smaller, not more than twelve inches in 
length, and he is altogether a more stylish-looking 
bird. At first the plumage seems entirely black, but 
in a strong light the head, neck, and breast are of a 
rich, glossy steel-blue, dark violet, and silky green. 
There is more violet on the head and breast, and 
green on the back part of the neck. 
“ The bill of the purple grakle is admirably calcu- 
lated for disposing of its food, which consists largely 
of Indian corn, being more than an inch long, very 
strong, and furnished on the inside of the upper man- 
dible with a sharp arrangement like the stump of the 
broken blade of a penknife. 
“ This is the account given of the grakle by Wil- 
son : ‘ This noted depredator is well known to every 
careful farmer of the Northern and Middle States. 
132 
