218 PURPLE GRAKLE. 
of which they destroy prodigious numbers, as if to recompense the 
husbandman beforehand for the hayock they intend to make among 
_his crops of Indian corn, Towards evening, they retire to the near- 
est cedars and pine-trees to roost, making a continual chattering as 
they fly along. On the tallest of these trees they generally build their 
nests in company, about the beginning or,middle of April; sometimes 
ten or fifteen nests being on the same tree. One of these nests, taken 
from a high pine-tree, is now before me. It measures full five inches 
in diameter. within, and four in depth; is composed outwardly of mud, 
mixed with long stalks and roots of a knotty kind of grass, and lined 
with fine bent and horse hair. The eggs are five, of a bluish olive 
color, marked ‘with large spots and straggling streaks of black and 
dark brown, also with others of a fainter tinge. They rarely produce 
more than one brood in a season.* ; 
The trees where these.birds build are often at no great distance 
from the farm-house, and overlook the plantations. From thence they 
issue, in all directions, and with as much confidence, to make their 
daily depredations among the surrounding fields, as if the whole were 
intended for their use alone. Their chief attention, however, is di- 
rected to the Indian corn in all its progressive stages. As soon as the 
infant blade of this grain begins to make its appearance above ground, 
the Grakles hail the welcome signal with screams of peculiar satisfac- 
tion, and, without waiting for a formal invitation from the proprietor, 
descend on the fields, and begin to pull up and regale themselves on 
the seed, scattering the green blades around. While thus eagerly 
employed, the vengeance of the gun sometimes overtakes them ;: but 
these disasters are soon forgotten, and those 
who live to get away, 
Return to steal, another day. 
About the beginning of August, when the young ears are in their 
milky state, they are attacked with redoubled eagerness by the Grakles 
and Redwings, in formidable and combined bodies. ‘They descend 
* Audubon’s account of their manner of building is at considerable variance 
with that given above by our author. “The lofty dead trees left standing in our 
newly-cultivated fields, have many holes and cavities, some of which have been 
bored by Woodpeckers, and others caused by insects or decay. These are visited 
and examined in succession, until, a choice being made, anda few dry weeds and 
feathers collected, the female deposits her eggs, which are from fourto six in number, 
blotched and streaked with brown and black.” Such is the manner of Building in 
Louisiana ; but, in the Northern States, their nests are differently constructed, and, 
as mentioned'by our author, it is a singular circumstance that a comparatively short 
distance should so vary this formation. ‘In the Northern States, their nests are 
constructed in a more perfect manner. A pine-tree, whenever it occurs ip a conve- 
nient place, is selected by preference. There the Grakle forms a nest, which, from 
the ground, might easily be mistaken for that of our Robin, were it less bulky. 
But it is much larger, and is associated with others, often to the number of a dozen 
or more, on the horizontal branches of the pine, forming tier above tier, from the 
lowest to the highest branches. It is composed of grass, slender roots and mud 
lined with hair and finer grasses.” Mr. Audubon has.also once or twice observed 
them build in the'fissures of rocks. ‘‘ The ficsh is little better than that of a Crow, 
being dry and ill-flavored; notwi:hstanding it is aften used, with the addition of 
one or two Golden-winge-d Woo lpeckers, or Re ~wings, to make what is called 
pot-pie. The eggs, on the contrar /, are ve: delicate.” — Ep. 
