A MIDSUMMER EXCURSION 255 



frighten the invaders away. Fires are lighted by night 

 to scare them, for the birds travel both night and day. 

 The Bobolinks do not stop for all this noise, though of 

 course a great many are shot, ending their lives inside 

 a pot-pie, or being roasted in rows of six on a skewer. 

 But the rest fly on when they are ready, leaving the 

 United States behind them, and go through Florida to 

 Brazil and the West Indies. 



"In spring, on the northward journey, the rice-fields 

 suffer again. The males are jolly minstrels once more, 

 all black, white, and buff, hurrying home to their nest- 

 ing grounds. They think that rice newly sown and 

 sprouting is good for the voice, and stop to gobble it 

 up in spite of all objections. 



"Their song is not easy to express in w^ords. 'Bobo- 

 link,' from wdiich they take their name, is the sound 

 most frequently heard in it ; but every bird-lover has 

 tried to give it words, and some have written it down 

 in rhyming nonsense verses, like poetry. I think Mr. 

 Lowell's are the best. 



" ' Ha ! ha ! ha ! I must have my fun. Miss Silver- 

 thimble, thimble, thimble, if 1 break every heart in the 

 meadow. See ! see ! see ! ' is one translation." 



" That does sound exactly like a Bobolink," laughed 

 Dodo ; " and here is one now, right over in that tree, 

 so crazy to sing that he doesn't mind us a bit." 



" Kick your slipper ! Kick your slipper ! Temper- 

 ance ! Temperance ! " said Bob, as the white horses 

 turned into the road again. " Temperance I take a 

 drink ! go to grass, all of yoti ! " 



