306 



OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION. 



The construction of the nest is initiated sometimes early in April, but full com- 

 plements of eggs have not been found until about the first of May. Sets of eggs have 

 been taken from May 6 to Mav 24 ; those on the latter date being, however, from 

 abandoned nests. The eggs appear to be usually five, not uncommonly four in num- 

 ber ; and they are quite often in varying stages of incubation. 



The nests are by no means always easy to locate among the thick foliage of the 

 evergreens, the conduct of the parent birds being at times decidedly misleading. 

 Where a number of pairs breed near together, careful watching is frequently neces- 

 sary to properly discriminate between those birds which visit the trees for the purpose 

 of nest-building, and those that are indifferently moving about. Close observation, 

 managed so that the attention of the birds be not attracted, will reveal the fact that 

 the female, on her trips to the nest with material for its construction, is commonly ac- 

 companied by the male, who perches upon the same or a neighboring tree, while his 

 mate, alighting near the end of a limb and slowly working her way inward, finally 

 disappears among the foliage close to the nest. Should, however, the pair imagine 

 themselves observed, their actions are apt to be very different ; for under such circum- 

 stances they w r ill sometimes pass by the tree that contains the nest, and alight uncon- 

 cernedly some distance away. If the cause of their distrust be not removed, no visit 

 to the nest will then be made ; and the female may carry her deception even to the 

 extent of dropping from her bill the grass or straw that she holds, thereupon soon 

 flying with her mate carelessly away. The female is very cautious in leaving the nest, 

 and is not readily surprised in the act of incubating. A nest containing eggs not far 

 advanced in incubation, if even once examined, is liable to be deserted by the birds. 



Ten nests exhibit the following measurements : 



During the season of reproduction this species does not hesitate to attack even 

 Crows and large Hawks, should they venture too near its breeding ground ; and the 

 harmless Mourning Dove, which nests often in close proximity to the Grackle, some- 

 times, indeed, in the same tree, is also very frequently thus persecuted. 



