THE OOLOGIST 



a 2 



they wander about among the grass 

 and seldom remain long in one place. 

 It is amusing to see the youngsters 

 trying to look invisible, but it must be 

 said however, that some striking cases 

 of protective mimicry are sometimes 

 met with. 



In the early part of July, 1907, just 

 a few days before the hay was to be 

 cut, I was, as usual out taking my 

 last nesting notes of the season on 

 the Bobolink. The fields at that time 



were very dry and even brown in cer- 

 tain places. While walking through 

 one of these brown spots, I heard a 

 chirp of a young bird somewhere in 

 the grass. After searching for nearly 

 an hour, the bird was discovered with- 

 in six inches of where I had planted 

 by foot many times during the search. 

 Its coloring was nearly identical with 

 that of its surroundings, owing to the 

 dry state of the grass. I had probably 

 passed the bird time and again with- 



