U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 211 



Courtship. — The courtship antics of this race are similar to those 

 described for the eastern form (see p. 366) . A great variety of locations 

 may be used by the displaying or singing bird; E. A. Mcllhenny, 

 (1937), writing about the bird in Louisiana, gives a clear picture of 

 such proceedings as follows: 



Their favorite station for plumage exhibition is the top of a small bush or low 

 tree. If these are not available, they will alight on the ground or on a muskrat 

 house or pile of debris. Here they stay quietly for some minutes, with their 

 feathers compressed and beak and neck pointing skyward, then suddenly one of 

 them will give a series of squeaking, chuckling, raucous cries, during which all the 

 feathers are fluffed, tail spread, wings half opened and vibrated rapidly, making a 

 loud, rattling sound [see Voice]. The others of the group immediately follow the 

 leader's example, and for a minute or two each individual is animated and noisy, 

 only to drop back to the compressed statuelike pose. This noisy exhibition takes 

 place either while at rest or on the wing. * * * 



If, over such a group of males, flies a female seeking a mate, all of the males at 

 once take flight on loudly flapping wings and with rattling quills, squeaking and 

 calling in their most seductive manner, begin chasing her. Should none of this 

 group of males attract her, she quickly outflies them and proceeds to look over 

 other groups until she finds her choice. When a mate is selected she flies in front 

 of and near him, leading him off to one side, until the other males in the group 

 drop out of the chase. The pair then alights on the ground and mating is 

 accomplished. 



This race, like the eastern one, is more or less polygamous, as may 

 be inferred from a statement by C. J. Pennock (1931): "Observe 

 a glistening old male atop a buttonbush, in a sawgrass marsh, his 

 seraglio close under his view." Brooks (1932) commenting on this, 

 said, "the implication of polygamy in Mr. Pennock's concluding 

 paragraph also calls for investigation. Seraglios are always interest- 

 ing. Is it possible that we have at our very doors an Icterine with 

 the fascinating habits of an Oropendola?" It is indeed possible. 



E. A. Mcllhenny (1937), however, remarks that, "the boat-tailed 

 grackles are not monogamous; neither are they polygamous. They 

 seem to be promiscuous. The female chooses her mate, who is de- 

 cidedly temporary, and as soon as sexual mating is accomplished, 

 she leaves him, and he does not attempt to follow." On the other 

 hand, S. A. Grimes writes (MS.) that in his opinion, "the Florida 

 birds * * * are polygamous rather than promiscuous in breeding 

 habits." Thus, even experienced observers differ about polygamy 

 and promiscuity. 



Courtship takes place in early February in Louisiana, and in south 

 Florida activity among the males usually starts about the middle of 

 that month, though forward and backward seasons may vary the 

 time. Courtship has been noted at Lake Okeechobee in late January, 

 but a month later is more normal. 



Nesting. — The nesting habits of the Florida boat-tail are similar 



