, THE BliONZED GKACKLE. 503 



also frequenth' used, especially trees covered V)y grapevines. In the West 

 natural cavities and hollow stubs, as well as the excavations of the larger Wood- 

 peckers, are often resorted to. 1 found several nests jjlaced in open spaces in 

 stacks of cord wood near Fort Custer, Montana. 



Both ^Ir. M. ('hainl)erlin and Mr. J. W. Banks inform me that in New 

 Brunswick these Grackles nest frequently in hay barns. The hay is taken away 

 from the marshy islands bordering the rivers on the ice in winter, and these 

 birds take possession of such ])arns in large numbers in the spring, placing their 

 nests in the angle of a brace or on the beams and girders, much in the same 

 fashion as that adopted by the Robins. 



Mr. J. W. Preston, of Baxter, Iowa, in referring to their nesting habits in 

 the lake regions of northern Iowa and Minnesota, says: "A vast colony occu- 

 ])ied a brusliy flat near Cairo Lake, Hamiltcm Ccnuity, Iowa, during the season 

 of 1881. When I saw them the young birds were leaving the nests, and the 

 noise and din of the scolding, squalling parents and crying young were deafen- 

 ing as one walked among the nests, wdiich were crowded in the tops of wild- 

 plum trees. I also saw a large colony in a tract of bushy land at the northern 

 extremity of Heron Lake, Minnesota. Here the nests were placed in hnv 

 shrubs and wild-gooseberry bushes, some not more than 1 fciot from the ground. 

 The construction differed somewhat from the ordinary nest. The structures 

 were deep and heavy, and were made of dry grass, with a filling or wall of 

 nnid between the outer wall and the lining. I have seen an odd nest of this 

 Grackle built in a bunch of common reed (Fhraffmites), which looks like broom 

 corn at a distance and grows from 5 to 12 feet higli. This nest resendjled that 

 of a Yellow-headed Blackl)ird, the material being evenly woven together." 



There is not much difference in their nests; compared with those of the 

 Purple and Florida Grackles, they vary like these in composition according to 

 locality, and tlieir nesting habits and eggs are also similar. The nund)er of 

 eggs to a set varies from four to six or rarely seven ; sets of fi^■e are most often 

 found, and six are not iniusual. 



The average measurement of a series of one hundred and forty-eight 

 specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 29.02 by 20.90 

 millimetres, or al)out 1.14 by ().S2 inches Tlie largest egg measures 31.50 by 

 21.51) millimetres, or 1.24 by 0.S5 inches; the smallest egg, 25.40 by 19.05 

 millimetres, or 1 by 0.75 inches. 



The type specimen, No. 2320G (PI. 7, Fig. 2(^), from a set of five eggs, 

 taken by Mr. V. N. Edwards, near Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on May 27, 1887, 

 represents one of the darkest eggs in the entire series; while No. 25889 (PI. 7, 

 Fig. 27), from a set of four eggs, Palph collection, taken by Dr. William L. 

 Ralph, on May 18, 1S87, near Holland Patent, New York, shows one of the 

 rarer types of coloration. 



