PURPLE GRAKLE. 
227 
exactly like tliat of the purple species. The tongaie is 
slender, and lacerated at the tip ; legs and feet, black 
and strong; the hind claw the largest; the tail is 
slightly rounded. This is the colour of the male u'hen 
of full age ; but three-fourths of these birds u hich vve 
meet with, have the whole plumage of the breast, head, 
neck, and back, tinctured with brown; ever^ feather 
being skirted with ferruginous ; over the eye is a light 
line of pale brown, below that one of black passing 
through the eye. This browiiness gradually goes on 
towards spring, for almost all those 1 shot in the 
southern states Avere but slightly marked Avith ferru- 
ginous. The female is nearly au inch shorter ; head, 
neck, and breast, almost Avholly broAvn; a light line 
over the eye ; lores, black ; belly and rump, ash ; upper 
and under tail-coverts, skirted Avith brown; Aviugs, 
black, edged Avith rust colour ; tail, black, glossed Avith 
green ; legs, feet, and bill, as in the male. 
These birds might easily be domesticated. Several 
that I had AA’inged and kept for some time, became in 
a feAV days (juite familiar, seeming to be very easily 
reconciled to confinement. 
57. qUISCALUS VERSJCOLORi\\^l\.lr, — QRACULA (HJISCALA, -WlhS, 
PURPLE GRAKLE. 
W ILSON, PLATE XXI. FIG. IV. — MALE. 
This noted depredator is well known to every care- 
ful farmer of the northern and middle states. About the 
20th of March the purple grakles visit Pennsylvania 
from the south, fly in loose flocks, frequent SAvamps 
and meadoAVS, and follow in the furrows after the 
plough ; their food at this season co!isistiug of AA-orms, 
grubs, and caterpillars, of which they destroy prodi- 
gious numbers, a-s if to recompense the husbaudraau 
keforehaud for the havoc they intend to make among 
Ins crops of Indian corn. ToAvards evening they retire 
to the nearest cedars and pine trees to roost, making a 
Continual chattering as they fly along. On the tallest 
