cl ICTEBIDai. BIRDS. ICTEEIDa:. 
wild plaintiveiiess and naivete extremely interesting. 
scarcity of its numbers. When it arrives in the 
It is not uttered with the ra])idity of the Ferruginous 
s])ring, sometimes as early as the third week in 
'J’hrush and some other songsters, hut with tlie pleas- 
Maich, it frequents the low, swampy thickets, where. 
ing tranquility of a careless plough-boy, whistling 
in companies of three or four, it employs itself in 
merrily for his own amusement. When alarmed l>y 
searching for seeds of various aquatic grasses, in- 
an approach to his nest, or any such circumstance, he 
sects, worms, and the small crustaceae found in such 
makes a kind of rapid chirruping, very ditl'erent from 
localities.” 
his usual note. 'I'his, however, is always succeeded 
BREWER’S BLACKBIRD [S. cyanocephalva), named 
by those mellow tones which seem so congenial to 
after Dr. Brewer, the eminent ornithologist, is found 
his nature.” 'I’hese biids do not receive their lull 
on the high central plains, thence to the Pacific, and 
plumage for several years. In their perfect livery 
southward to IMexico. It was first described by 
few birds equal them in brilliancy. Who does not 
Wagler in 18‘29 as Psarocolius, and is mentioned by 
easily recall the fieiy gleam which follows the en- 
Audubon as Quiscalus. It is considerably larger than 
trance of the Golden Robin into his bower of green 
the Rusty Blackbird. Its specific name is derived 
foliage, the colors of i)Oth plumage and foliage 
from its glossy purplish-violet head and neck. 
heightened by the contrast? 
CROW BLACKBIRD {Quiscalus purpuren a), or Pur- 
HOODED ORIOLE (/. cucullatus). — *• In the valley 
pi.E Grakle. — 'I'his is a common bird in New England 
of the lower Rio Grande, southward,” says Frt)f. 
in the summer season, arriving about the first week 
Baird, “ this species is found.” It is one of the 
in April, it is a social species ; and they are in the 
North American birds described since the days of 
habit of remaining in flocks, breeding in numbers on 
Audubon and Wilson. It was first introduced into 
the same tree. Audubon says of them : “ 'I'he lofty. 
our Fauna by Mr. Lawrence. Its length is seven and 
dead trees left standing in our newly cultivated fields. 
a half inches, the wing three and a quarter inches. 
have many holes and cavities, some of which have 
BULLOCK’S ORIOLE (/. buUocM) is one of 
been bored by woodpeckers, and others caused by 
the western species described liy Audubon, but 
insects and by decay. These are visited and exam- 
originally by Swainson as Xanthornus. It is found 
ined in succession, until, a choice being made, and 
on the high central plains, thence to the I’acific, and 
a few diy weeds and feathers collected, the female 
southward into Mexico. 'J’he bill and tail are veiy 
deposits her eggs, which are from four to six in num- 
much as in the Baltimore. ‘‘It is, however, a larger 
her, blotched and streaked with brown and black.” 
species, and is readily distinguished by the yellow of 
Such is their manner of building in Louisiana. In 
the front and sides of the head and neck, with a 
the Northern States their nests are difl'erently con- 
black line through the eye, instead of having the 
St ructed, and, as mentioned by .Mr. Audubon, it is a 
whole head and neck black; lesser wing coverts 
singular circumstance that a comparatively short 
black, not yellow ; a. much broader white band on 
distance should so vary this formation. In the 
the wings, etc.” — Baird. 
Northern States they construct their nests in a more 
RUSTY BLACKBIRD [SolecopJiagus ferrugineus ) . — 
perfect manner, building in the iiine-trees a nest 
'I'his is a visitor in New Fngland during the spring 
which resembles that of the Robin. It is much larger 
and fall migrations. In Virginia and southward 
than the latter, and often there are a dozen or more 
they are very abundant during the winter months. 
arranged on the horizontal branches, and forming 
Wilson saw great numbers of them in the woods 
tier above tier, from the lowest to the highest limbs. 
neat Petersburg, Va., and found them abundant in 
Audubon asserts that he several times found them 
the rice i)lantations of South Carolina. They also 
building in fissures of rocks. 'I’hey rarely produce 
extend westward. Samuels found them breeding in 
more than.one brood in a season. Wilson says: “A 
the valley of IMagalloway River in Maine. “Their 
few miles from the banks of the Roanoke I met with 
nests,” he continues, “ were built in low alders over- 
one of those prodigious armies of Grakles. 'I’hey 
hanging the water; they were constructed of first a 
rose from the surrounding fields with a noise like 
layer of twigs and brier-stalks; on this was built the 
thunder, and, descending on the length of road be- 
nest |)roper, which was composed of stalks and leaves 
fore me, covered it and the fences completely with 
of grass, which were mixed with mud and moulded 
black ; and when they again rose, and, after a few 
into a firm, circular structure, and lined with fine 
evolutions, descended on the skirts of the high tim- 
leaves of grass and a few hair-like roots. 'I'he whole 
bered woods, at that time destitute of leaves, they 
formed a large st.ructure, easily seen at a distance of 
produced a most singular and striking effect : the 
a few rods through the foliage. The eggs are of a 
whole ti'ees for a considerable extent, from the top 
bluish-white color, of oval form, and covered with 
to the lowest branches, seemed as if hung in mourn- 
fine scratches and spots of light brown. These 
ing, their notes and screamings the meanwhile re- 
markings are almost exactly similar to those on the 
sembling the distant sound of a great cataract, but 
egg of the Great-crested Fly-catcher; they appear 
in more musical cadence, swelling and dying away on 
as if done with a pen, which, as soon as it is pressed 
the ear, according to the fluctuation of the breeze. 
forcibly on the object, is smldenly withdiavvn, making 
In Kentucky and all along llie Mississippi, from its 
a mark wide at one end, and sharply pointed at the 
junction with the Ohio to the Balize, I found num- 
other. 'I’he habits of this species are less known 
hers of these birds, so that the Purple Grakle may 
than tlio.se of any of our Blackbirds. 'I’his is owing 
be considered a very gemu'al inhabitant of the 
as much to its unsocial, retiring disposition as to the 
territory of the United States.” 
