•Fall Migration, Bristol County , Mass. 
1885. Charles H. Andros . 
Auo-. 23; this morning I was the witness of a 
spectacle of which I have often heard, but never 
had noted before. Looking from my window 
shortly after dawn, I saw several Itobins, which by 
their actions were in great distress. On looking 
about to see the cause of this outcry, I perceivet 
in the top ofa tall elm a Pu rple Crac kl e , who ap- 
appeared busy over something which lie held in 
his claws. On nearer investigation I found this 
to be a young Robin, which he was devouring 
with great eagerness. The glutton was evidently 
satiating his hunger, and by the time the tender 
morsel was in his stomach lie must have been t c- 
cidedly replete. For such feats of cannabalism 
F *' 1 S'KS Aoa°rS ,M ‘”' 
Hi- Towards night a large flock of 
Purple Grackles passed over ns towards their 
roost near the “clay beds.” At this time we were 
within forty rods of their nightly abode and the 
noise was fairly deafening. Two or three of their 
number stood higher upon the trees than their 
companions, as if keeping sentinal duty. In a 
moment another flock came sailing over the trees 
and swelled the tumult until the air seemed tur- 
bulent with the racket. By skillful manoeuvres we 
managed to get directly underneath them, and 
; the air seemed filled with hundreds of revolving 
! wheels, all decidedly in need of lubrication. 
O.&O. XI. Jan.l88Q.p. L 
The Purple Grackle as a Bee-Eater. 
BY L. O. PINDAR. 
In my note book for Nov. 7, 1887, is the fol- 
lowing, which notes a trait of the Purple 
Grackle. I have never heard of it before, and 
therefore send it to the O. and O., thinking it 
may be new to some other readers of that 
paper. 
“ Several days ago, a neighbor’s little girl 
I , caught a Purple Grackle which had been slight- 
ly wounded, and made a pet or it. it is now so 
tame it may be trusted to go all around the 
yard. This morning, I saw it, (the grackle), 
standing in front of the bee-hive, and on closer 
inspection found that it was eating the bees as 
fast as they came out of the hive. I am afraid 
the Purple Grackle will have a hard time in the 
| struggle for existence if he does not behave 
better. Mr. C. H. Andros has already recorded 
(O. and O., Jan. 1886), an instance of one de- 
vouring a robbin. As it is, they are eagerly 
sought after by many embryo huiiters, some of 
whom consider a blackbird stew a delicacy, 
j The same holds true with Robins and Cedar 
birds.” 0 ,& o. XII. Dec. 18S7 p. J ter. 
