6.
a - PURPLE
JGR.
~]D ES.CRIPTION.
"Female.
P lace and
^Mannjrs.
defcribes on this occafion, and which we can plainly prove to be
a true Oriole, and defcribed as fuch, under the name of Black
Oriole *.
Gracüla quifcula, Lin. Syjt. i. p. 165. N°7*
La Pie de la Jamaïque, Brif. era. ii. p. 41. N° 3.— Buf. oif. iii. p. 97.
N° 2.
Purple Jackdaw, Catejb. Car. i. pi, 12.
Barbadoes Blackbird, Bro-ivn. Jam. p, 476,
Blackbird, or Maize-thief, Kalm. Trav. i. p, 291.
Purple Grakle, Amer. Zeal. N°
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
Ç IZ E of a Blackbird: length eleven inches and three quarters.
The bill is black, and fixteen lines long : irides white : the
whole bird is black, but molt beautifully and richly gloffed with
purple, efpecially on the head and neck : the irides are of a
pearly grey : the tail is cuneiform : the legs and claws black.
The female is wholly of a brown colour, deepeft on the wings
and tail.
This inhabits Carolina, Mexico, and other parts of North America
-, alfo Jamaica.
Thefe birds for the molt part feed on maize, whence the name
o f Maize-thieves has been given them ; but this is not their only
food, for they are known alfo to feed on many other things.
In fpring, foon after the maize-feed is put into the ground, thefe
birds fcratch it up again ; and as foon as the leaf comes out,
they take it up with their bills, root and all ; but when it is ripe
they ftill do more damage, for at that time they come in troops
* P. 44j. N° 37.
of
of thoufands, and are fo bold, that if difturbed in one part of a field
they only go to another *.
In New Jerfey and Penfylvania three pence per dozen was once
given for the dead birds 5 and by means of this premium they
were fo nearly extirpated in 17JO, as to be few left; but it was
obferved that the worms in the meadows encreafed fo, that they
abated in the perfection of them, as it was obferved that they
fed on thefe worms, till the maize was ripef.
Thefe build in trees, and are called by fome the purple Bern..
They now and then mix- in company with the red-winged Maize-
thieves % and blue Jays, though for the moft part are by them-
fclves. They are faid to pafs the winter in fwamps, which are
quite overgrown-with wood, from thence only appearing in mild
weather; and after the maize is got in, are content to feed on-
other things,, as the aquatic tare grafs ||, and, if pulhed by hunger,,
buck-wheat and cats, and even wheat, barley, and rye; they
are laid alfo to deftroy that pernicious infedt the bruchus pifi §.
We are told that their note is pretty and. agreeable; but their.-
flefh is not good to eat, as it is black and unfavoury.
* Kalm. cTraeVi i. 291.
+. In 1749 the worms left fo little hay in New England, that it wa& forced, toi
be imported from other parts. Kalm,
£ Oriolus Phamiceus. Lin* || Zizania aquatica. Lin*
% Lin. Syjf, i. p . 165 ,
vfi
El
ill
Graculsu