FIRST-COMERS. 49 
Never absent from such a reedy picture are the black- 
birds, especially the redwing (Agelwus pheniceus), whose fa- 
vorite resort is where the rushes grow most densely, among 
which he places his nest. The little swales in the meadows, 
also, where tufts of rank grass flourish upon islands formed 
by the roots of many previous years’ growth, and stunted 
alders and eranberry-bushes shade the black water, are near- 
ly always sure to be the home of a few pairs, so that thev 
become well known to everybody, whether inland or along- 
shore, as soon as the ice melts. Such extensive marshes as I 
have just described are, however, the great centres of black- 
bird population, where they breed, where they collect in 
great hordes of young and old as the end of the season ap- 
proaches, and whence they repair to the neighboring fields 
of Indian-corn to tear open the husks and pick the suceu- 
lent kernels. In September I have seen them literally in 
tens of thousands wheeling about the inundated wild-rice 
fields bounding the western end of Lake Erie, their black 
backs and gay red epaulets elistening in the sun “like an 
army with banners.” The Canadian voyageurs call them 
“‘ officer-birds,” and the impression of an army before him 
is always strong upon the beholder as he gazes at these pro- 
digious flocks in autumn. It is extremely interesting to 
watch the swift evolutions of their crowded ranks, and ob- 
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