Life Histories of Various Species 
201 
was not disturbed by my entrance into the blind but as the 
camera lens appeared in the opening of tlie blind she left the 
nest and dashed repeatedly at the lens, snajjping her mandibles 
vigorously. This continued for several miuntes before she finally 
returned to the nest. At intervals during the morning she re- 
newed her attack on the lens but aside from this paid no at- 
tention to either the blind or my movements. 
The female brooded regularly thronghont the morning, usually 
staying from twenty to thirty minutes between trips for food. 
In the early morning hours while the nest was shaded the brood- 
ing bird sat closely on the nest. As the sun struck the nest dur- 
ing the heat of the day the parent stood in the nest with partially 
extended wings and open month. 
Several times the brooding bird left the nest to dash out after 
a passing insect, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing in 
capturing it. On every occasion of feeding the nestlings, the 
legs and antennae of small insects, largely dipterous, were visible 
in the beak of the parent bird. 
Both birds were quiet about the nest and apparently ab- 
solutely unafraid of either the blind or a person. Several times 
in watching various species of birds I have noticed the same 
absolute lack of fear in individuals and it has always been cor- 
related with the same period of the nest life, namely, the first 
twenty-four to forty-eight hours after hatcliing. It seems that 
at this time the brooding instinct reaches the stage of highest 
intensity during the nestling period and almost, if not quite, 
completely inhibits the instinct of fear. The following species 
of birds, which in my experience are usually among the most 
timid and retiring, have exhibited this same behavior : King Rail, 
Least Bittern and Pied-billed Grebe. The bittern and the rail 
alloAved me to touch them and pecked at my fingers like an angry 
hen. Such birds as the chickadee, robin, bluebird, and others more 
familiar with human beings also have frequently allowed unusual 
liberties to be taken with them at this period. 
Bronzed Grackle {Quiscalus quiscula aeneus) 
Although one of the most common birds in Marshall County 
the Bronzed Grackle was by no means the least interesting. 
Every coniferous grove for miles around Marshalltown con- 
tained its breeding colony of grackles. 
A nest in one of these colonies located close to town was 
chosen for the work of securing photos of the feeding activities 
