Nest and Eggs of the Rusty Grackle (Scolecophagus ferrugineus).— I 
have found but one nest of this species, but its location differs so from 
that given in the books that I am induced to record a description of it. 
During the spring of 1884 a pair of Rusty Crackles were noticed for 
several weeks about the garden of a neighbor in the suburbs of St. J'ohn, 
and apparently making their head-quarters in a large spruce which grew 
within 30 feet of the house, on the edge of a lawn that formed the daily 
playground of a bevy of children. 
I had spent many an hour looking for the nest of this species “among 
the foliage of low alders overhanging the water,” “in low trees and bushes 
in moist places,” and “in swampy tangle,” and I was puzzled to deter- 
mine why this pair were spending the breeding season far away from all 
such surroundings. There was no doubt about the identification of the 
birds; I had grown familiar with their appearance from handling numer- 
ous specimens, and I saw these daily, frequently within a few feet of me. 
They did not appear in the least disturbed by my presence, but if a Crow 
invaded their territory it was at- once made the object of a vigorous 
assault. The Grackles were, however, frequently chased by both Robins 
and Rey-eyed Vireos. 
At last something aroused my suspicion that a nest was in that spruce, 
and on June 24 I climbed up to investigate the matter. When my head 
was about 28 feet from the ground and among the dense foliage of the 
upper branches I came in sight of a bulky nest— extremely large for the size 
of the bird — set close to the stem and loosely laid upon a limb, portions of 
it spreading over several smaller branches and twigs. But it was merely 
resting upon them, they being not imbedded in the mud which formed 
part of the structure. In the nest were two young birds and two eggs 
unhatched; the latter were secured and the youngsters left for future 
study. 
There was considerable difference in the size of the eggs and in their 
coloration. The smaller of the two measured 1.09 X .76, and was very 
similar in color and markings to those described in ‘New England Bird 
Life.’ The largest egg was ‘pipped’ and was destroyed before measured. 
The markings on it were less distinct than on the other, giving it a some- 
what clouded appearance. 
On examining the nest it proved to be very roughly constructed, with- 
out any approach to artistic work. It was composed chiefly of dried vines 
of honey-suckle loosely entwined at the sides and by an admixture of mud 
welded into a solid mass at the bottom. There was no attempt at a 
lining of any sort. 
I noticed that while the young were in the nest both parents were 
attentive in feeding them, though the male was more frequently found 
guarding the nest, of which he was most watchful.— James W. Banks, 
St. John, N. B. AUk, 2> Jan>( 1885. p. /Ohr/Of. 
mV 
(X jr 
Birds of Dead River Region, Me. P. H, 0. 
57. Scolecophagus ferrugineus, (Rusty Black- 
bird). This species was seen at both Tim and 
Seven Ponds. At Flagstaff Lake they were ob- 
served in small flocks in September. Along Dead 
River just below Stratton they nested, evidently in 
considerable numbers, but I was unable to find 
only two nests. According to Mr. Samuels, who 
affirms to have found nests on the Magalloway 
River, they are ‘ ‘large structures and can be seen 
at a considerable distance.” Such is not the case 
at this place, as they nested in the small hemlocks 
and were very effectually hidden from view. In 
my own experience during the ascent of the 
Magalloway in 1884, I could not discover their 
conspicuous nests. Their eggs present more of a 
contrast with Quiscalus than one would suppose, 
being blotched, with none of the lines so charac- 
teristic of many of the Ictendai. 
O.&O. XI. Nov. 1886. p. 161 
