244 



MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



the latter change the roosting place. Thus they are found roosting in all the 

 woods of Ward Eight," Gloucester. 



The farmers of Essex County generally adopt one of three methods to scare 

 the Crows from their cornfields. They either erect scare-crows, figures more or 

 less human in appearance, clad in old clothes and a battered hat ; or they run 

 several lines of white string irregularly across the fields from poles ; or they 

 shoot two or three Crows and hang their dead bodies to sticks put up in the 

 fields. Another method which often has the desired effect is to scatter com on 

 the surface of the ground after planting. This is eaten by the Crows and the 

 planted corn is untouched. 



198 [494] Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linn.). 

 • Bobolink. 



Abundant summer resident; May i to September 18. 

 Eggs: June 3. 



In the grassy fields of the County, especially in those adjoining the salt 

 marshes, these birds are abundant. They delight to feed in these marshes. I 

 have seen on May 15th, 1904, twelve adult males feeding together in the salt 

 marsh at Ipswich, and seven others in one bush in an adjoining field, several 

 of the latter singing at once. Their delightfully merry song begins to grow 

 less frequent early in July; by the 12th it is rare and generally incomplete, 

 although the males still appear in full plumage. Soon after this, however, their 

 plumage becomes very scrubby as the sober brown suit is gradually taken on. 

 My latest record for a partial song of a Bobolink is of one heard on July 19th. 

 The flocks which begin to form at the end of the first week in July, have 

 mostly departed by the end of August. 



A male Bobolink that I kept in a cage during the winter and spring of 

 1875-76, remained in the brown immature plumage but sang vigorously during 

 April and May. 



199 [49s] Molothrus ater (Bodd.). 



COWBIRD. 



Common summer resident ; March 22 to October 20. 

 Eggs : May 26 to June 8. 



