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NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [11:4— Apr., 1915 



hour takes his place near the nest with pencil and paper ruled to 

 receive the records, to watch and make note of all that occurs. 

 After an hour another observer takes his place and so on until dark 

 closes the birds' working-day. 



The following is such a record of a grackle's nest observed June 

 26, 19 13 : The nest was about eight feet from the ground and con- 

 tained four young birds, probably eight days old. The observa- 

 tions began at 3 150 a. m. when it was not yet light under the trees. 



Grackle on nest. 



The parent birds were awake, however, and immediately began 

 demonstrations that called in several of their neighbors, all of 

 whom began hopping from branch to branch and uttering "chut" 

 — ^"chut" — ^"chut." At 4:20 it was light enough to see that the 

 female held an insect in her beak which she was too much disturbed 

 to give to her nestlings. More birds gathered and the excitement 

 increased for half an hour but gradually all but the parents left 

 to attend to their own family duties. At 5 :oo the female still held 

 the insect but later dropped it. I did not go to the nest till 6 142. 



