Open Nests on the Ground 



edge of some likely looking field, and watch each female bobo- 

 link as she drops in the long grass to where you think her nest 

 may be ; but when you arrive at the place she flies up, and in 

 vain you may search for the carefully concealed nest. The most 

 satisfactory method is for two persons to walk through the field 

 holding either end of a cord along which sticks should be 

 fastened at intervals. These striking the grass frighten the sitting 

 bird, and she flies up directly from the nest, instead of running 

 along through the grass, as she usually does when she sees her 

 disturber. 



The best place to find these birds during the breeding time 

 is in the large tracts of moderately moist meadow land, usually 

 not very far from water. The nest is completed about May 15th 

 in northern New Jersey. 



Long before the breeding season the male is conspicuous 

 with his fine feathers, but in early August he dons the same 

 colours as his mate and children, when they all start in large flocks 

 for their winter quarters in South America, stopping in a leisurely 

 manner en route among the reedy swamps, and visiting again the 

 rice-fields which were in the springtime the scene of the depre- 

 dations of the old birds. Then it is no longer a day of riotous 

 song ; that day is forgotten, for now it is that the so-called 

 sportsman claims them under the name of Reedbird, and instead 

 of being seen perched on the tall swaying grass or reed, you 

 may look for them in the markets, hung up in bundles of a dozen 

 or so, each happy little life gone, leaving but a mouthful or two 

 of food. 



501. Meadowlark: Sturnella magna (Linn.) 



Eggs white spotted with reddish brown, chiefly at the 

 larger end. 



See Page 73, Chapter III. 



540. Vesper Sparrow; Bay-winged Bunting: Poocaetes 

 gramineus (Gmel.) 



Adult — Upper parts brownish gray with dark streaks ; tail dark 

 brown, the outer feathers white; under parts grayish buff 

 streaked with black. Length — 6.12. 



Breeding Range — From southern Virginia northward ; westward 

 to the plains. 



42 



