130 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 211 



his tail, slightly opens his wings, puffs out all his feathers, and sings his quonk- 

 quer-ee, or his still more watery and gurgling song, appropriate to an oozing bog, 

 his ogle-dggle-yer. Now when he puffs out his body feathers he especially puffs 

 out, erects, and otherwise displays to their best advantage the gorgeous scarlet 

 epaulettes. These patches become actually dazzling in their effect as he slowly 

 flies toward the object of his affections, for these beauty spots are most effective 

 when seen from in front. 



While admiring the gorgeous display of brillant scarlet and gold 

 set in its framework of glossy black, one is apt to overlook the awk- 

 ward posture of the bird; standing on some prominent perch, he 

 leans forward, pointing his bill toward his tail beneath the branch, 

 with his back hunched up, as if he were to become violently nauseated, 

 suggesting the ludicrous performance of the cowbird. 



Allen (1914) mentions another form of courtship: 



In addition to the ordinary display and erection of feathers, a method of soaring 

 is now indulged in. In comparison with that of the Lark, it is rather crude, but 

 undoubtedly it is akin to it. Mounting in a rather irregular spiral, the male 

 bird attains a considerable height, where he hovers, oftentimes for long periods, 

 while his wings barely flutter. Song is not generally indulged in. Eventually, 

 with half-closed wings, the bird drops down in a zigzag course to the marsh. A 

 dozen or more birds may frequently be seen in the air at once, as they perform 

 these evolutions. At this time, also, hovering at a much lower height is frequently 

 indulged in. With a few quick strokes of his wings, the male vaults from his 

 post into the air, and with quivering wings and flaming shoulders, gives vent to 

 his pent-up passion in the "scolding song" described above. 



Nesting. — Redwings build their nests in a variety of situations, 

 though usually in a marsh, swamp, or wet meadow, where the nests 

 are placed in cattails (Typhus) dead or living, rushes (Scirpus), 

 sedges (Carex), tussocks of marsh grass, or such water-loving bushes 

 as button bushes (Cephalanthus) , alders (Alnus), or willows (Salix). 

 Such associations in shallow ponds, or along the shores of lakes or 

 the banks of sluggish streams, afford suitable nesting sites. Although 

 the birds prefer the vicinity of water, their nests are often found on 

 dry uplands, sometimes at a considerable distance from any water, 

 in fields of tall grass, clover, and daisies, where they must be built 

 close to or even on the ground. Nests in bushes and trees also have 

 been reported by several observers. 



A. D. Du Bois has sent me the data for 42 nests found in four 

 Northern States; 3 of these were in trees or bushes from 8 to 9 feet 

 above the ground; 2 were in clumps of nettles on the margin of a 

 marsh, 2 feet above the dry ground. Of 24 nests, reported to me by 

 T. E. McMullen, found in New Jersey, 6 were in bayberry bushes 

 near marshes and among sand dunes near the ocean; one was 9 inches 

 up in a clump of goldenrod in a clover field; and another was 8 inches 

 up in a wild rose bush standing in 8 inches of water. Alexander F. 

 Skutch tells me that he found two nests in upland alfalfa fields near 



