1818.] GENUS GRACUL V. ^59 



orchard; sometimes on a pine tree, if situated near cultiva- 

 ted places. It lays five (:ggs, which are hatched the lat- 

 ter part of April. Four or five pairs of this species con- 

 structed their nests, the present season, in a pine tree at 

 Bartram's botanic garden, on the Schuylkill, occasioning 

 no small uneasiness to the venerable botanist^ who appre- 

 hended the expulsion of those residents which annually 

 breed in his garden; it being the practice of the Crow 

 Blackbirds to destroy the eggs and young of those 

 small birds which dwell in their vicinity. The Grakles 

 in their turn suffer from the depredations of the Com- 

 mon Crow and Hawks; and to guard against their attacks 

 is one reason why they choose to build near farm houses. 

 Along the coast they resort to a singular mode of protec* 

 tion. The Fish Hawk,* Falco piscator, Briss. F. Carols 

 ?iensis, Gmel. builds a nest composed of a mass of 

 sticks, sometimes upwards of three feet high; in the inter- 

 stices of these sticks the Grakles construct their nests; and 

 I have seen as many as five attached to one of the Fish 

 Hawk. The whole thus established appear to dwell in 

 amity; each watches over the property of the other; and 

 from a coalition of interests and strength they find secu- 

 rity. It is a highly interesting spectacle to behold the 

 generous Fish Hawk^ surrounded by his chattering re- 

 tainers, all of whom appear to testify by their actions 

 their gratitude for his protection. 



What species Linnaeus described from when he made 



* Wilson, after Latham and some others, considered the American Fish 

 Hawk or Osprey, as the /Wco Aa/mtf^os, or Bald Buzzard. Mensieur VieilJot 

 was of a different opinion wljen lie published an account of it in his Hist. J\'at. 

 ties Oiseavx de V a merique septentrional e\ but subsequently, in the .Xonveau die- 

 tionnaire (Vllistoire JVaturellgy he coincides with the belief that they are the 

 same. I shall take another opportunity to prove them specifically distinct. 



