DOLICHONYX OEYZIVORUS, BOBOLINK. 179 



a few, it is stated, linger to breed south of New Englaud, but the main 

 body pnsses on, spreading; over that portion of the Union and the neigh- 

 boring British Provinces, occupying in pjurs almost every meadow. The 

 change of plumage with the finishing of the duties of reproduction is 

 rapid and complete before the return njovement is made, although this 

 takes place in August. As far north at least as Maryland, I never saw 

 or heard of a decidedly black individual, among the millions that re- 

 pass that State late in the summer and during September. The males 

 are, indeed, distinguishable by their superior size and a sort of diffuse- 

 ness of tawny coloration, not quite like the cleaner and lighter pattern 

 of the females, aside from the black traces that frequently persist; but 

 the difference is not great. They are now songless — who ever heard 

 Bobolink music in the fall? — they have a comfortable, self-satisfied 

 chinl; befitting such fat and abandoned gourmands as they are, throng- 

 ing in countless hordes the wild-rice tracts and the grain fields, loafing 

 and inviting their souls. So they go, until the first cold snap, that sends 

 them into winter quarters at once — chiefly in the West Indies, but also 

 much further south. They have successively filled the role of Bobolink, 

 Eeed-bird, Rice-bird, and Butter-bird ; and as soon as the season relaxes 

 once more, in March, they will re-enter the United States, and do it all 

 over again. 



The Atlantic Coast is the favorite highway of this species, but it 

 travels also by other routes in the interior. It goes up the Mississippi 

 Valley ; there some stop to breed, as low at least as the mouth of the 

 Missouri, but numbers keep on, pushing past the United States, and 

 resting at last in the region of the Saskatchewtm. The very consider- 

 able westward extension of the species has been only lately determined. 

 Thus Mr. Allen and Mr. Merriam both found it "common" in September 

 at Ogdeu, in Utah, where it is said to breed. Dr. Hayden remarks that 

 it is " very common at Fort Pierre," and " one of the most abundant 

 birds on the western i)rairies." Dr. Cooper has an interesting note 

 from an extreme locality : " At several points in the valley of the Bit- 

 terroot River, I heard and saw at a distance what I took for the Bobo- 

 link, the flight and flying-call exactly resembling that bird's. At Cceur 

 d'Alene Mission I again met with it, but could not get near enough to 

 shoot it or determine the species, though they frequented a wheat-field 

 for several mornings. I know no bird likely to be mistaken for it, and, 

 having been found at Fort Bridger, a few probably go north to 47° 30', 

 as they go to latitude 54° east of the mountains." The westward ex- 

 tension of several eastern birds in this latitude is apparently an indica- 

 tion of the oblique westward trend of the Eastern Province, which 

 reaches the Pacific in Alaska. It breeds very abundantly, in June, on 

 the prairies bordering the Red River of the ]Sorth, to 40^ at least. 



The Bobolink makes a rude and flimsy nest of dried grass on the 

 ground, and lays four or five eggs, 0.85 long by about 0.G3 broad, dull 

 bluish-white, sometimes brownish-white, si)otted and blotched with dark 

 chocolate or blackish-brown surlace-marks, and others of i)ak'r hue iu 

 the shell. The general effect is much as in Pa,ssen'ulus, or Fooecetcs, 

 but the variability is very great. The nest is cunningly hidden, and 

 often further screened from threatened observation by ingenious devices 

 of the i)arents. 



It appears to me most probable that this si)ecies and the Cow-bird 

 will require removal from the family Ictcridcv, where they have long 

 rested, to a position nearer that assigned by the original and several 

 early describers. 



