RICE BIRD, OR BOBOLINK. 97 



came back to the same little field again ; there 

 was no mistaking the note; if not the same bird, 

 it must have been one of his descendants who 

 inherited the father's voice exactly. That birds 

 form attachment to their old locations, and will 

 come back to them, there is no doubt ; and I be- 

 lieve in this instance, that this was the same 

 identical bird that had come thousands of miles, 

 and passed over many lakes and rivers, and 

 many a field of grass, to the old spot where it 

 had been so happy the season before, again to 

 raise another family. 



In the month of July, the male of this bird 

 (the plumage of which is white and black) be- 

 gins gradually to change in color, and about the 

 end of August the plumage is like the female and 

 young, yellow, streaked with brown; but I have 

 now in my possession four Rice Birds, or Bobo- 

 links, who have not yet changed the color of 

 a feather.^ They are in beautiful plumage, the 

 same as in the spring; not a shade lighter, and 

 sing every fine day. Their not changing is 

 very remarkable. I have kept these birds for 

 many years, and I never knew an instance of 

 the kind before. 



* Dec. 25. 



