Nests in Holes in Trees, Stumps, or Logs 



Nest in a hollow in a tree ; it is rather bulky, composed 

 of grasses, weeds, feathers, and frequently cast-off snake skins. 

 The eggs, 3 to 6 in number, are buff-colored, with numerous 

 light and rather dark wine-colored or purplish longitudinal 

 streaks and scratches. Size — .82 x .62. See Fig. 2, Plate C. 



This noisy flycatcher is in some places a very common bird. 

 He chooses almost any sort of hole for his nest, the size making 

 but little difference to him ; neither does he seem very particular 

 as to the kind of tree, though most of the nests 1 have found were 

 in dead or partly dead apple trees. Once 1 knew of a bluebird's 

 nest containing young about four days old ; near this nest a pair 

 of Crested Flycatchers were constantly to be seen. Day after day 

 I visited the place in order to watch and photograph the young 

 bluebirds, and my friends the flycatchers were invariably either 

 on some part of the tree or very near to it. This was during the 

 third week in May, and therefore rather early for them to be 

 nesting. A week after the bluebirds had flown, the flycatchers 

 commenced building, placing their collection of material on the 

 top of the bluebird's abandoned nest. Usually the hole chosen 

 is not more than twenty feet from the ground, and often not 

 more than six feet. 



The nesting season commences about the last week in May. 



51 1. Purple Crackle; Crow Blackbird: Quiscalus 

 quiscula (Linn.) 



Eggs greenish, dashed and streaked with reddish brown or 

 black ; very variable. 



See Page 140, Chapter Vlll. 



511a. Florida Crackle : Q. q. aglaeus (Baird.) 



Eggs similar to the preceding. 



See Page 140, Chapter VIII. 



511b. Bronzed Crackle: Q. q. aeneus (Ridgw.) 



Eggs greenish or dull bluish, scrawled, blotched, and spotted 

 with browns ; very variable. 



See Page 141, Chapter VIII. 

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