TROUPIALS. 
361 
with brownish yellow; while the female is blackish brown above with pale 
streaks, and below whitish with many dusky streaks. The young male bird 
at first resembles the female, but is larger, and generally suffused with buff. 
Troupials Omitting mention of several genera of the family, we come to a 
genus, Quiscalus, of the third subfamily or group, rejoicing in 
a variety of names, such as crow-blackbirds, grackles, and boat-tails, but as the 
first two of these are liable to lead to confusion, it is better to adopt for them the 
French name of troupials, which, however, is often applied to the family. In 
THE PURPLE TROUPIAL (£ liat. size). 
these the beak is equal in length to the head, and somewhat crow-like in shape; 
the wings are relatively short, the tail of varying length, and the feet long. The 
best known member of the genus is the purple troupial ( Q. 'purpureus) of the 
Atlantic States, the other species being more southern in their distribution. It is 
a migratory gregarious bird of very general distribution, building in a tree or 
bush, and making a large nest, usually of mud. The eggs are generally green 
or blue in ground-colour, variegated with dark brown and purple markings. 
These birds at times inflict great injury upon the crops, much to the annoyance 
of the agriculturist; but they also destroy large quantities of injurious insects. 
They have a propensity for destroying the eggs of other birds, especially those 
