THE BOAT-TAILED GEACKLE. 507 



during the rest of the year In large flocks. In some sections thej' disappear 

 sometimes from their usual haunts in the late summer for a month or so, for 

 some unknown reason, probably going in search of better feeding grounds, only 

 to return later. They spend a good deal of their time on the ground, walking 

 along slowly and sedately while searching for food. It requires quite an effort 

 for one of the birds to rise from the ground, and until fairly started its flight 

 is slow, heavy, and laborious. 



Their food is largely derived from the sea, and consists mainly of small 

 mollusks and crustaceans of different kinds picked up in the salt marshes and 

 mud flats during low tide, and of dead fish, insects, etc., carried in hj tlie tides. 

 They also feed, though to a small extent only, on vegetable matter, such as rice 

 and other grains, and occasionally on fruit. 



In the more northern poi-tions of their range these birds usually an-ive about 

 the beginning of March, and are at first very restless, roving about from place 

 to place until the nesting season commences. They are unusually noisy during 

 this time, and their peculiar, grating notes can be constantly heard; some of 

 these are very shrill and unpleasant to the ear, but frequently during the mating 

 season a rather indifferent attempt at singing is made ; this is somewhat less dis- 

 agreeable, but impossible to describe on paper. 



Mr. Frank M. Chapman describes a singular note of theirs as resembling 

 the flapping of wings, as of a Coot tripping over the water. He says: "This 

 sound was very familiar to me, and so excellent is the imitation that for a long 

 time I attributed it to one of the numerous Coots which abound in most places 

 favored by Quiscalus major." ^ 



Mr. W. E. Grover, of Gralveston, Texas, writes: "One of their common 

 call notes, when sitting at ease in a tree, is a noisy, clucking ' clac-clac-clac,' fre- 

 quently followed by a long-drawn whistle like ' who-it, who-it.' In this vicinity 

 they nest principally in tule reeds growing in fresh-water ponds, and in the 

 thick matted grass on the edges of salt bayous, some nests being partly in 

 the water at high tide. Some also nest in Cherokee rosebushes, and occasion- 

 ally a pair will build in a tree, as much as 40 feet from the ground. The nests 

 of birds building in trees are not so deep nor so well made as those in the canes." 



Nidification appears to be somewhat irregular with this species. In southern 

 Florida some of these birds begin laying during the first week in March, when 

 quite a number have not even begun nest building. The nesting season lasts 

 until June here, and probably two broods are raised regularly. In the northern 

 portions of their range it begins in the latter part of April, and is sometimes pro- 

 tracted until May. The nests are usually strong, bulky structures, measuring, 

 on an average, about 7 inches in height by 8 inches in width. The inner cup is 

 about 3 inches deep by 4J inches in diameter. They are constructed mainly 

 of coarse grass, sedges, weed stalks, and fibrous roots, cemented and more or 

 less mixed with mud. In some nests no mud is used, and these are conse- 

 quently not as solid. Some are built principally of Spanish moss, others of eel- 



' The Auk, 1888, p. 273. 



