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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



The Grackles build large bulky nests of twigs, grasses and mud. 

 They are generally placed on horizontal bough preferably especially 

 where only a number are nesting, on coniferous trees. In some locali- 

 ties large colonies of them breed together, but scattered throughout 

 their range will be small bands of perhaps a dozen individuals which 

 nest in some small clump of trees. They are not afraid of man's do- 

 mains and will very often build their nests in trees in the yard. They 

 lay from four to six eggs, the markings of which vary very greatly. 

 The ground color is bluish white and is blotched and streaked with 

 dark brown and fainter patches of lilac. 



Photo by Ross Nicholas. 



YOUNG PURPLE GRACKLES. 



