THE BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE. 55 



The flight of this bird exhibits long and decided undulation, repeated at 

 intervals of about forty yards, it being performed at a considerable elevation, 

 and protracted to a great distance. It flies in loose flocks, when it never 

 ceases to utter its peculiar cry of Jeirrick, crick, crick. In autumn, or as 

 soon as the females and their broods associate with the males, their move- 

 ments are regular from south to north, while returning towards their roosting 

 places, and the reverse next morning when going out to look for food. They 

 seldom rise from the rushes in compact bodies, unless they should happen to 

 be surprised. At the report of a gun they fly to a great distance, and are 

 always extremely shy and wary. The female does not carry her tail so 

 deeply incurved as the male. During the breeding season they return to 

 their stand, after a chase, with a quivering motion of the wings, and the tail 

 is more deeply incurved than at any other season. 



The notes of these birds are harsh, resembling loud shrill whistles, fre- 

 quently accompanied with their ordinary cry of crick, crick, cree. In the 

 love season they are more pleasing, being changed into sounds resembling 

 tirit, tirit, titiri, titiri, titiree, rising from low to high with great regularity 

 and emphasis. The young when first able to fly emit a note not unlike the 

 whistling cry of some of our frogs. 



Some of these Grakles migrate from the Carolinas and Georgia, although 

 fully a third remain during the winter. At that season they frequently 

 associate with the Fish Crow, and alight on stakes in the mud flats close to 

 the cities, where they remain for a considerable time emitting their cry. 

 They are fond of the company of cattle, walking among them in the manner 

 of the European Starling and our own Cow Bunting, but they never enter 

 the woods. On the ground they walk in a stately and graceful manner, with 

 their tail rather elevated, and jetting it at each cluck. 



The males often attack birds of other species, driving them from their 

 nest, and sucking their eggs. I have seen seven or eight of them teasing a 

 Fish Hawk for nearly an hour, before they gave up the enterprise. When 

 brought to the ground wounded, they run off at once, make for the nearest 

 tree, assist themselves by the bushes about it, and endeavour to get to the top 

 branches, moving all the while so nimbly, that it is difficult to secure them. 

 They bite and scratch severely, often bringing blood from the hand. 



They are courageous birds, and often give chase to Hawks and Turkey 

 Buzzards. My friend Dr. Samuel Wilson of Charleston, attempted to raise 

 some from the nest, having found four young ones in two nests, and for some 

 weeks fed them on fresh meat, but they became so infested with insects that 

 notwithstanding all his care they died. 



In the plate are represented a pair in full spring plumage. I have placed 

 them on their favourite live-oak tree. 



