24 THE BIED-LIFE OF A YEAR. 



July. 



The full development of the bird year is attained 

 in June, and as early as the first week in July, when, 

 among some migratory birds, there are evidences 

 of preparation for the journey southward, the sea- 

 son begins to wane. The young of certain species 

 which rear but one brood have now left the nest, 

 and, accom])anied by their parents, wander about the 

 country. In localities which we had thoroughly 

 explored in June, we may therefore find species not 

 met with before. In some cases, these families join 

 others of their kind, forming small flocks, the 

 nucleus of the great gatherings seen later. Ex- 

 amples are Grackles, Eed-winged Blackbirds, and 

 Tree Swallows. The latter rapidly increase in num- 

 ber, and by July 10 we may see them, late each 

 afternoon, flying to their roosts in the marshes. 



During the first week in the month we shall also 

 find that certain birds have concluded their season 

 of song. 



Bobolinks and Eed-winged Blackbirds are rarely 

 heard after the tenth of the month ; their young are 

 reared, the cares of nesting-time have passed, and, 

 with other one-brooded birds, they begin to renew 

 their worn breeding plumages by molting. After the 

 fifteenth we miss the voices of the Yeery, Orchard 

 and Baltimore Orioles, Chat, Brown Thrasher, and 

 others. But in place of the songs of these more 

 prominent members of the bird choir, we notice the 

 calls of certain young birds who, long after they 

 have left the nest, are still dependent on their par- 

 ents ; thus the squawkings of young Crows and trem- 



