Plate VIL 



QU ISC ALU 8 PURPUREUS var. /ENEUS. Rdgw.-Grow Blackbird. 



The Bronzed Grackle, as this variety should be called, arrives about the first of March, and, if 

 the weather is warm, may at once begin to build; two broods are seldom raised during the season. 



LOCALITY: 



For the purpose of nesting either a cavernous tree is selected, or the nest is situated directly 

 among the branches of such trees as grow about the margin of swamps and ponds, and upon the banks 

 of ditches, creeks, and larger streams. The dead sycamores which remain standing in the fertile river 

 lands, furnish many hollow limbs which are particularly well adapted to the requirements of the bird; if, 

 however, no natural cavity can be found, the deserted home of a large Woodpecker may be chosen. But 

 these natural haunts arc frequently forsaken for orchards and ornamental evergreens in yards and parks. 



POSITIO]^: 



The nest is either supported by the Avails of a cavity, or placed in a perpendicular fork formed by 

 a number of branches; when in the former position, it is high and inaccessible; while in the latter one, 

 it is commonly within ten or fifteen feet of the ground, or even loAver. 



MATERIALS : 



The foundation is composed of dried grasses, straws, and weed stems. The superstructure is com- 

 posed also of grasses and weed fibres, with occasionally pieces of wool and feathers, and is thoroughly 

 plastered with mud or manure, pressed solidly against the walls by the breast of the bird. The lining 

 is principally of round grasses, and sometimes a few horse hairs, completely concealing the plaster. 



I have had an opportunity to examine but two nests from holes in trees ; these were similar to 

 those just described, except the foundation, which in one was entirely absent, and in the other very 

 bulky. The amount of material used in such nests of course depends upon the size of the cavity, just 

 as the external dimensions of the nest Avhen placed in a crotch, depend upon the angle formed by the 

 branches ; when this angle is small, the structure may measure twelve or fifteen inches in outside 

 depth ; when it is large, the depth may be even less than four and one-half inches. 



The inside diameter of the nest is quite constant, wherever it may be i:)laced, averaging about four 

 and one-eighth inches ; inside depth is from two and one-half to three and three-fourths inches. 



JEGGS : 



The complement of eggs is from four to six; they are uniform in shape, but vary much in 

 markings. The ground color is light greenish or smoky blue, >vith irregular dark brown or black 

 blotches, dots, lines, and scrawls, distributed promiscuously over the surface, often resembling Japanese 

 characters. The deep shell-markings have a dirty purplish brown appearance. In excej)tionallv colored 



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