THE BIRD DIARY 175 



now left the hatchery, which was located out in 

 one of the largest sloughs, and are foraging 

 afield during the day. The numerous young iii 

 the flocks can readily be picked out, as they lack 

 the black hood of their parents. The amount of 

 insect life consumed during the summer by a 

 colony of five hundred or so of these birds would 

 be startling, if it could be correctly computed. 

 The big, pulpy, short-horned grasshopper of the 

 fields is a favorite victim. 



Noticeable too in the evening were the numer- 

 ous warbler voices in the grove. The faint, lisp- 

 ing " tsip " of the warblers is unmistakable, 

 though many species have the same call-notes. 

 A close inspection of the elms, however, revealed 

 no other than the yellow species, which by this 

 date is on the southward journey. 



The night was not without incident. At mid- 

 night a coyote yelled clear and shrill out at the 

 bend in the lake shore, and a few minutes later a 

 commotion arose in the same direction. There 

 came the terrified " Peep peep peep " of a young 

 mallard, accompanied by much splashing and the 

 distressed quacking of the mother; then silence. 

 Later there was a bluster, as several hundred 

 blackbirds were routed from the rushes, but 



