RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 89 
in the most affectionate manner, nestling down on 
the branch with their soft white feathers fluffed 
out prettily. They did not mind me, and closed 
their eyes as if the warm sunlight made them 
sleepy. All of a sudden their mother flew up to 
one of them with a fly, but was so startled on see- 
ing me that instead of giving it to him she sprang 
up on top of his head and was off like a flash, 
~ almost tumbling him off the branch, and leaving 
him very much scared and bewildered. As soon 
as her nerves recovered from the shock she came 
back again and went on with her work as if I had 
not been there. The father seemed to be as rest- 
less and pugnacious as the mother, and, if appear- 
ances were to be trusted, was quarreling with his 
neighbors in a tree near by, while his wife guarded 
the picket and fed her young. 
XXYV. 
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 
THE large flocks of blackbirds seen coming 
north in the spring are confusing at first, but by 
careful observation you will soon be able to dis- 
criminate between them. Sometimes the crow 
blackbird and the red-wing fly together, but they 
more commonly go in separate flocks. At a dis- 
tance, the flight of the two is perhaps the most 
distinctive feature — the “ keel-tail” steering ap- 
