292 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 



Purple Grakle, however, is devoid of such fears, at all events as 

 far as one species of predacious bird is concerned, and boldly 

 takes up its abode with the osprey or fish-hawk (Fa?idion 

 haliaetus). 



The nest of the osprey is a very large edifice, made of sticks, 

 grass, seaweed, leaves, and similar materials. The foundations 

 are made by sticks almost as thick as broom-handles, and some 

 two or three feet in length, on which are piled smaller sticks, 

 until a heap some four or five feet in height is made. Inter- 

 woven with the sticks are stalks of corn and various herbs, the 

 larger seaweeds and large pieces of grass, the whole mass being 

 a good load for an ordinary cart, and as much as a horse can 

 be reasonably expected to draw. 



As the sticks of which the foundation of the nest are made 

 are very large, and not regular in form, considerable interstices 

 are left between them, and in such spots the Grakle chooses to 

 nidificate. 



In writing of the osprey, Wilson remarks as follows : ' There 

 is one singular trait in the character of this bird which is men- 

 tioned in treating of the Purple Grakle, and which I have had 

 many opportunities of witnessing. The Grakles, or Crow-Black- 

 birds, are permitted by the fish-hawk to build their nests among 

 the interstices of the sticks of which its own is constructed, — 

 several pairs of Grakles taking up their abode there like humble 

 vassals around the castle of their chief, — laying, hatching their 

 young, and living together in mutual harmony. I have found 

 no less than four of these nests clustered round the sides of the 

 former, and a fifth fixed on the nearest branch of the adjoining 

 tree, as if the proprietor of this last, unable to find an unoccupied 

 corner on the premises, had been anxious to share, as much as 

 possible, the company and protection of this generous bird.' 

 In another place, the same writer remarks that the curious 

 allies * mutually watch and protect each other's property from 

 depredators.' 



The Purple Grakle is, however, perfectly capable of building a 

 nest for itself. Indeed, the generality of the birds build in tall 

 trees, usually associating together, so that fifteen or twenty nests 



