ICTERIDyE — THE ORIOLES. 151 



also be witnessed early in April, in the vicinity of Washington, the Smith- 

 sonian grounds being a favorite place of resort. 



By the time these birds have reached, in their spring migrations, the 40tli 

 parallel of latitude, they no longer move in large flocks, but have begun to 

 separate into small parties, and finally into pairs. In New England the 

 Bobolink treats us to no such concerts as those described by Audubon, 

 where many voices join in creating their peculiar jingling melody. When 

 they first appear, usually after the middle of May, they are in small parties, 

 composed of either sex, absorbed in their courtships and overflowing with 

 song. When two or' three male Bobolinks, decked out in their gayest spring 

 apparel, are paying their attentions to the same drab-colored female, con- 

 trasting so strikingly in her sober brown dress, their performances are quite 

 entertaining, each male endeavoring to outsing the other. The female 

 appears coy and retiring, keeping closely to the ground, but always at- 

 tended by the several aspirants for her affection. After a contest, often 

 quite exciting, the rivalries are adjusted, the rejected suitors are driven 

 off by their more fortunate competitor, and the happy pair begin to put in 

 order a new home. It is in these love-quarrels that tlieir song appears to 

 the greatest advantage. They pour out incessantly their strains of quaint 

 but charming music, now on the ground, now on tlie wing, now on the top 

 of a fence, a low bush, or the swaying stalk of a plant that bends with their 

 weight. The great length of their song, the immense number of short and 

 variable notes of which it is composed, the volubility and confused rapidity 

 with which they are poured forth, the eccentric breaks, in the midst of 

 which we detect the words " bob-o-link " so distinctly enunciated, unite to 

 form a general result to which we can find no parallel in any of the musical 

 performances of our other song-birds. It is at once a unique and a charm- 

 ing production. Nuttall speaks of their song as monotonous, which is 

 neither true nor consistent with his own description of it. To other ears 

 they seem ever wonderfully full of variety, pathos, and beauty. 



When their contests are ended, and the mated pair take possession of their 

 selected meadow, and prepare to construct their nest and rear their family, 

 then we may find the male bird hovering in the air over tlie spot where his 

 homely partner is brooding over her charge. AU this while he is warbling 

 forth his incessant and happy love-song ; or else he is swinging on some 

 slender stalk or weed that bends under him, ever overflowing with song and 

 eloquent with melody. As domestic cares and parental responsibilities in- 

 crease, his song becomes less and less frequent. After a while it has degen- 

 erated into a few short notes, and at length ceases altogether. The young 

 in due time assume the development of mature birds, and all wear the sober 

 plumage of the mother. And now there also appears a surprising change 

 in the appearance of our gayly attired musician. His showy plumage of 

 contrasting white and black, so conspicuous and striking, changes with 

 almost instant rapidity into brown and drab, until he is no longer distin- 

 guishable, either by plumage or note, from his mate or young. 



