300 BIRDS 



but it is safe to say at least half is waste grain, and conse- 

 quently of no value. Although the crow blackbird eats in 

 their season a few cherries and blackberries, and in the fall 

 some wild fruit, it apparently does little damage in this way. 



" Large flocks of grackles no doubt do considerable 

 injury to grain crops; and there seems to be no remedy 

 except the destruction of the birds, which is in itself expen- 

 sive. During the breeding season, however, the species does 

 much good by eating insects and by feeding them to its 

 young, which are reared almost entirely upon this food. 

 The bird does the greatest amount of good in spring, when 

 it follows the plow in search of large grub-worms, of which 

 it is so fond that it sometimes Hterally crams its stomach 

 full of them." (Farmers' Bulletin No. 54.) 



The bronzed grackle is the Western form of the purple 

 grackle, commonly known as the crow blackbird. These 

 birds are very sociable, and frequently nest in colonies. 

 Until recent years, the bronzed grackle exhibited a decided 

 preference for coniferous trees, and the scarcity of these 

 birds in Chicago was probably due to the fact that few 

 places afforded suitable nesting sites. Outside our ceme- 

 teries, evergreen trees were uncommon. Since 1904 the 

 bronzed blackbird has become abundant in northern Illinois, 

 nesting in public parks and shade trees. This bird is not 

 legally protected in many of our States, owing to the great 

 ravages they make upon the grain fields and berry crops. 

 Their notes are hoarse and unmusical; the flight slow and 

 laborious. 



The nest is a bulky affair of dried grass, stems, and 

 roots, lined with light grass, and placed usually in a conif- 



