Il8 BIRD WORLD. 



A Bobolink is a much-beloved bird in New Eng- 

 land. It would seem a crime against nature to shoot 

 him, and there would be no motive save to enrich a 

 museum or milliner's window. 



But in South Carolina or Georgia a farmer might 

 be pardoned for finding a way to save his crops from 

 the Rice Birds, and if he, for his part, gets morsels for 

 his table, he would not be half paid for the young rice 

 grains that the great flocks of passing birds devour. 



By the time those that have escaped the perils of 

 gunners reach Central America, they are said to be 

 dainty eating as Butter Birds for those wdiose con- 

 sciences let them secure them, and we cannot blame 

 the people much, since the birds keep their gay holi- 

 day, wear their bright plumage, sing their gay songs 

 with us, and make themselves much less attractive in 

 the land of their w^inter exile. 



The female bird wears only the yellow^ish brown 

 with dashes of light and dark on wings, tail, and back. 



Modest and shy as a nun is she, 

 Pretty and quiet, with plain brown wings, 

 Passing at home a patient life, 

 Broods in the grass while her husband sings, 

 " Bob-o-link, Bob-o-link, 

 Spink, Spank, Spink." 



