PURPLE GRACKLE 385 



about the same until the last week in February, when the migration 

 begins. "Probably five thousand birds use the roost during the last 

 few days in February." In March the "number of birds rapidly 

 increases throughout the month until from twenty to twenty-five 

 thousand are using the roost nightly." In April and May, the nesting 

 months, the numbers fall off, "but the number never seems to fall below 

 two or three thousand — birds which have not mated as yet or else 

 males which have nests near by, probably both." June is very much 

 like May, except that a very few females and the first of the early 

 young begin to come in. But all this is changed soon after August 

 first. 



The birds have for the most part completed their domestic cares and family 

 groups are rapidly consolidated into large flocks which come to the roost from 

 considerable distances. The numbers are very greatly increased and the birds 

 in flying to and from the roost follow much more closely a regular well-defined 

 route. 



During September and October the greatest numbers are reached and the 

 birds come in at night in great flights, one flock following another so closely as 

 to give the impression of a single long-drawn-out flock. The flight begins about 

 5:30 p.m. and lasts for about twenty or twenty-five minutes, but scattered birds 

 and small flocks continue to come in until dark. I believe that from fifty to 

 seventy-five thousand birds visit the roost every night during these two months. 

 * * * Robins use the roost to the number of one thousand or more, their num- 

 bers being hard to judge with any degree of accuracy on account of the way they 

 mix with the Grackles. 



By 6:30, on September 17, the noise from the birds had begun to 

 subside; and by 6:45 darkness and silence had come. 



When grackles and starlings select a roost in a thickly settled com- 

 munity, or in the trees of a city street, as they sometimes do, they 

 create a decided nuisance. Lewis W. Ripley (1914) tells how such 

 a roost was established in one of the finest residential streets in 

 Hartford, Conn., and what was done about it: "The birds, numbering 

 probably several thousand, began to come in just before dark, and 

 by seven o'clock all had arrived, and from this time until about six 

 in the morning constituted a first-class nuisance, whistling and 

 chattering until about 8 p.m., and beginning about 4 a.m., making 

 a tremendous racket so that it was difficult to sleep. Not less annoy- 

 ing was the filthy condition of the walks and lawns, and the damage to 

 the clothing of those passing along the street was not inconsiderable." 



Several plans were discussed for getting rid of them and some were 

 tried without much success; ordinary roman candles had no perma- 

 nent effect, even when fired by men in the trees; but finally it was 

 learned that the persistent use of high-powered, 10-ball candles, 

 weighing 56 pounds to the gross, would produce the desired result. 

 "As a net final result, about eight dozen candles were used at a total 



