86 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
Among the birds that come to us in the spring the 
case may be different, and weddings and housekeeping 
follow fast after arrival. Very few, if any, migrant 
birds come to us paired, because, as noted, the males, 
especially of good singers, come first. They, taking 
up a definite location, determine often the region 
where the nest will eventually be, but the female 
usually has a word to say about its exact situation. 
In the case of the blackbird that chose the pond bush, 
there was never any redwing’s nest near it. 
There is some evidence that among ducks and 
some low birds an agreement is reached before the 
northward migration begins, or at least while they are 
on the way later; but the small birds mostly pass us 
unpaired, and their “ wedding journey ” is usually be- 
fore marriage. Bobolinks go by us in the spring in 
unpaired groups, the males very much dressed up, and 
singing in concert as if each now was practicing for a 
special occasion further on; and it is probable that 
all the songsters, wherever they stop in their journey, 
sing, although no feminine ear be near to heed. It 
may be that when the male reaches the end of his 
travels and begins the announcement of his loverlike 
condition, he has ‘‘a girl that he has left behind him ” 
whom he expects to meet him in the region of last 
year’s romance, and the peculiar little variations in 
the songs of various individuals may be for her recog- 
nition. It is just as likely, however, that his wife for 
this season will be a “summer girl” only, and that. his 
old flame has “gone with a handsomer man.” It 
may happen, therefore, that both he and she may 
