416 U. 8. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 211 



blood of the bronzed grackle has been described by Coatney and 

 West (1938). 



Fall, — It is in late summer and autumn when the gregarious 

 bronzed grackles congregate by the thousands, and often in hundreds 

 of thousands, that they become one of our most conspicuous forms of 

 bird life. These birds attract unusual attention when the roosts are 

 near human habitations in the midst of our cities and towns. Dr. 

 Lynds Jones (1897) has written an excellent paper concerning such 

 a roost that was located on the college campus at Oberlin, Ohio, during 

 the summer and fall of 1896. He describes conditions typical of many 

 similar roosts. The vanguard of the grackles, which reached Oberlin 

 on March 9, was greatly increased by March 28. From this time on 

 flocks of varying size visited the roost but none passed the night in it. 

 On April 20 the first nest was found and by May 14, young birds. 

 May 16 was the first day when considerable numbers began to spend 

 the night at the roost. On May 21, 100 birds were counted leaving 

 the roost in the morning and on May 23, 352, of which all were adult 

 males except one young with tail feathers half grown. Since the 

 birds did not go far, Jones assumed that most of them had nests in 

 or near the village. 



This small company was recruited from day to day by old males 

 and a little later by the more forward young. About July 10 adult 

 females and more young came to the roost as the nests were deserted. 

 At this time the trees became so crowded with birds that other places 

 were sought by the overflow. On July 17 the birds came in at the 

 rate of 52 per minute for an hour, the flight terminating with the 

 arrival of an uncountable company just at sunset. Approximately 

 5,000 birds were in the trees of the roost, and many others in 

 neighboring trees. 



During the early part of Jhily the birds did not wander far from the 

 roost at any time, but by August 1 none were seen in the town during 

 the day. From this time on the birds arrived in greater companies, 

 after considerable flights across the country. The gregarious instinct 

 asserted itself more and more as the season advanced and the necessity 

 of a wider feeding ground increased. The numerous small flocks 

 joined together until there was but the one huge flock, with a few 

 stragglers. 



On September 7 the first note heard in the colony was at 4 a.m. By 

 4:30 many were singing and shifting about in the trees; and at 4:40, 

 300 were counted leaving the trees. At 5:04, the birds of the roost 

 arose, not in one mass — 



but in consecutive order from the south to the north edge of the group of trees, as 

 though by previous arrangement, giving the impression that the foliage was melt- 

 ing away into that black stream. * * * As long as it could be seen, the flock re- 



