162 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



or even on the ground. In one instance, in an island on the marshes of 

 Esse.x Eiver, Mr. ilaynard found lliese nests placed in trees twenty feet 

 from the ground. One nest was huilt on a slender sapling at the distance of 

 foTutoen feet from the ground. The nest was pensile, like that of the 

 Baltimore Oriole. It was wo\en of bleached eel-grass. 



When built in a bush, the outer, basket-like frame of the nest is carefully 

 and strongly interwoven with, or fastened around, the adjacent twigs, and, 

 though somewhat rudely put together, is woven firmly and compactly. 

 "\\'itliin this is packed a mass of coarse materials, with an inner nest of 

 sedges and grasses. The outer I'ramework is usually made of rushes and 

 strong lea\'es of the iris. Tiio male bird is a \ery attentive and watchful 

 parent, constantly on tlie lookout for the approach of danger, and prompt 

 to do all in liis power to a\ert it, approaching close to the intruder, and 

 earnestly remonstrating against the aggression. If the nest is pillaged, 

 for several days he evinces great distress, and makes frequent lamentations, 

 V)ut soon prepares to remedy the disaster. So tenacious are they of a se- 

 lected locality, that I have known the same j^air to build three ne.sts with- 

 in as many weeks in tlie same bush, after having been robbed twice. The 

 third time the pair succeeded in raising their brood. 



In New England these birds have but one brood in a season. Farther 

 south they are said to have three or more. In August they begin to collect 

 in small flocks largely composed of young birds. The latter do not reach 

 their full plumage untU their third summer, but breed in their immature 

 plumage the summer following their appearance. When the Indian corn is 

 in the milk, these birds are said to collect in numbers, and to commit great 

 depredations upon it. As soon, howe\er, as the corn hardens, they desist 

 from these attacks, and seek other food. In the grain-growing States they 

 gatlier in immense swarms and commit great ha\'oc, and although they are 

 shot in immense numbers, and though their ranks are thinned by the at- 

 tacks of hawks, it seems to haxe but little effect upon tlie survivors. These 

 scenes of pillage are, for the most part, confined to the low sections, near 

 the sea-coast, and only last during a short period, when the corp is in a con- 

 dition to be eaten. 



On the other hand, these Blackbirds more than compensate the farmer for 

 these brief episodes of mischief, by the immense benefits they confer in the 

 destruction of grub-worms, caterpillars, and various lands of larvae, the 

 secret and deadly enemies of vegetation. During the months of IMarch, 

 April, ^lay, June, and July, their food is almost wholly insects, and during 

 that period the amount of their insect food, all of it of the most noxious 

 kinds, is perfectly enormous. These they both consume themselves and 

 feed to their youug. Wilson estimated the number of insects destroyed 

 by these birds in a single season, in the United States, at twelve thousand 

 millions. 



The notes of this bird are very various and indescribable. The most 



