194 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



Fig. 59. Bobolink, Female 



though absent apparently from Cape Cod, and local in the 

 vicinity of New York city. It arrives early in May, and 



stays till Septem- 

 ber. It breeds in 

 mowing-land of 

 grass or clover, and 

 at the edges of 

 grassy marshes. 

 Here the males 

 through May and 

 June pour forth 

 their rollicking 

 song, either from 

 the tops of the 

 neighboring trees, 

 or from some bending weed, or tuft of grass. Often they 

 sing in the air, either gliding with curved wings or chasing 

 each other furiously over the field. About the first week in 

 July the young ones leave the nest, and now the song of the 

 males ceases abruptly. If one approaches the grass where 

 a young one is hiding, both parents hover near, uttering a 

 chuck of alarm, flying from one perch to another, spread- 

 ing the tail nervously. Towards the end of July the males 

 begin to lose the black-and-white plumage ; it is replaced 

 by a dress similar to the female's, but yellower. About this 

 time old and young gather in large flocks, which roost each 

 night in the long grass of some low meadow. As they pass 

 to and fro they utter a mellow chink, which is one of their 

 ordinary call-notes ; this note may be heard at night in 

 August and early September from migrant flocks. 



The young birds and the males in autumn may be known 

 by their unstreaked yelloivish under parts, and by the 

 buffy line over the eye ; in spring the presence of the 

 brightly marked males will often help one to identify the 

 plain-colored females. 



