14 2 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



moment with bill pointing skyward as if searching the heavens for food 

 then darting quickly forward he would bring forth a worm from the 

 grass. The Grackle walked about in a dignified manner keeping time 

 to his steps by the bobbing of his head, and all the while keeping a 

 close watch, which was frequently rewarded by a big fat worm. 

 Many a pleasant moment I spent watching these Grackles and often 

 thought how I would miss them when they went away, little dreaming 

 how soon and sad would be their departure. I was sitting before the 

 window writing and kept hearing their cries but was so absorbed that 

 I didn't heed them for some time when the significance of the loud 

 "clacks'' came to me with almost the suddenness of a shock. I looked 

 out and saw both of them walking about in a circle, on the ground, 

 their eyes fastened on something in the grass, and looking the very 

 pictures of grief and misery. On hastening to the scene I found the 

 cause of disturbance to be a black snake into whose large gluttonous 

 mouth a young Grackle was just disappearing. But he was not 

 destined to enjoy the benefit of his feast for he was speedily dispatched 

 although too late to save any of the little birds, as, from the knotty 

 appearance of his body, he had already swallowed three. How the 

 snake discovered the nest and climbed to it is a mystery to me. As he 

 took the last one from the nest the old birds through sheer force of 

 desperation had evidently dislodged him and he had fallen to the 

 ground below, where I found him. When I appeared both old birds 

 ceased their protests and after the snake was killed they disappeared 

 and I saw them no more. Many a tragedy in bird life is caused by 

 birds flying against telephone wires. Still the damage done in this 

 way is not serious. During the spring and autumn when many species 

 roam about the country in flocks it is not uncommon in riding along 

 the road to see birds hopping along with a broken wing while we find 

 others that have struck the wire with such force as to mutilate their 

 bodies, killing them instantly. I never was an actual witness to a col- 

 lision but once. I watched a dove which flew swiftly and straight into 

 the wire, not apparently seeing it at all, but as the wire was loose, a 

 half dozen summersets in midair, following a rather sudden and per- 

 haps shocking halt, was the only inconvenience the dove was put to, so 

 far as I could see. 



One evening just after sunset when the Swifts were wheeling and 

 darting about over the house preparatory to entering the chimneys for 

 the night, one of them flew against the point of a lightning rod where 

 he stuck fast. A member of the family quickly went to the rescue and 

 when the Swift was freed he went off among his fellows as if such 

 accidents were every day occurrences with him. 



