334 PURPLE GRAKLE. 



with fine bent and horse hair. The eggs are five, of a bluish 

 olive colour, 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 farmhouse, and overlook the plantations. 

 From thence they issue in all directions, and with as much 

 confidence, to make their daily depredations among the sur- 

 rounding fields, as if the whole were intended for their use 

 alone. Their chief attention, however, is directed 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 satisfaction, and, without waiting for a formal invita- 

 tion from the proprietor, descend on the fields, and begin to 



* 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 suc- 

 cession, until, a choice being made, and a few dry weeds and feathers 

 collected, the female deposits her eggs, which are from four to 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 in a con- 

 venient 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 blanches 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 flesh is little better than that of a 

 crow, being dry and ill-flavoured ; notwithstanding it is often used, 

 with the addition of one or two golden-winged woodpeckers or red- 

 wings, to make what is called pot-pie. The eggs, on the contrary, are 

 very delicate." — Ed. 



