292 
STRANGE DWELLINGS . 
Purple Grakle, however, is devoid of such fears, at all events as 
far as one species of predacious bird is concerned, and boldly 
takes up its abode with the osprey or fish-hawk ( Pandion 
halia'etus). 
The nest of the osprey is a very large edifice, made of sticks, 
grass, seaweed, leaves, and similar materials. The foundations 
are made by sticks almost as thick as broom-handles, and some 
two or three feet in length, on which are piled smaller sticks, 
until a heap some four or five feet in height is made. Inter- 
woven with the sticks are stalks of corn and various herbs, the 
larger seaweeds and large pieces of grass, the whole mass being 
a good load for an ordinary cart, and as much as a horse can 
be reasonably expected to draw. 
As the sticks of which the foundation of the nest are made 
are very large, and not regular in form, considerable interstices 
are left between them, and in such spots the Grakle chooses to 
nidificate. 
In writing of the osprey, Wilson remarks as follows : 4 There 
is one singular trait in the character of this bird which is men- 
tioned in treating of the Purple Grakle, and which I have had 
many opportunities of witnessing. The Grakles, or Crow-Black- 
birds, are permitted by the fish-hawk to build their nests among 
the interstices of the sticks of which its own is constructed, — 
several pairs of Grakles taking up their abode there like humble 
vassals around the castle of their chief, — laying, hatching their 
young, and living together in mutual harmony. I have found 
no less than four of these nests clustered round the sides of the 
former, and a fifth fixed on the nearest branch of the adjoining j 
tree, as if the proprietor of this last, unable to find an unoccupied 
corner on the premises, had been anxious to share, as much as 
possible, the company and protection Of this generous bird.’ 
In another place, the same writer remarks that the curious 
allies 4 mutually watch and protect each other’s property from 
depredators.’ 
The Purple Grakle is, however, perfectly capable of building a 
nest for itself. Indeed, the generality of the birds build in tall 
trees, usually associating together, so that fifteen or twenty nests 
