268 



CITIZEN BIRD 



it 



are either surrounded by a little creek, hidden deep in 

 the reeds, or the ground is so marshy that neither man 

 nor beast can come near. That is the one reason why 

 the males fly about so boldly, showing their glossy uni- 

 forms with the red and gold epaulets. When we try 



to visit that grouj^ of 

 alders, where the col- 

 ony lives, you 

 will see for your- 

 selves how nicely 

 is protected. 

 ''We welcome 

 this Blackbird 

 in the spring, 

 because his is one 

 of the earliest bird- 

 notes. In au- 

 tumn, when he 

 leaves the marsh 

 and brings his flock 

 to the grain-flelds, 

 we do not like him 

 quite so well ; but 

 the Wise Men say 

 that even then he is 

 a good fairy in disguise, eating cutworms, army-worms, 

 and other injurious kinds ; even when stealing a bit of 

 green corn, they tliink he clears away the worms that 

 bore under the husks." 



Kki)-\vingei) Blackbird. 



The Red-winged Blackbird 



Length nine and a half inches. 



IMale : glossy black, except the scarlet shoulders, edged with buff. 



