A MINSTREL OF THE MARSHES 
The adult yellow-heads are graceful, easy 
vocalists so far as any physical effort 1s con- 
cerned, and I am curious to know whether 
all the young find song as dificult as did 
this brood. 
The ordinary food of these interesting 
babies was waterbeetles, slugs, and dragon- 
flies, but the many empty snail-shells, some 
bored in from the top, led us to suspect that 
these were dainties not to be despised in the 
blackbird menu. They are even accused of 
being cannibals and robbing the nests of 
their weaker neighbors of other species. 
Having no proof of this, and remembering 
the gentleness, beauty, and good-breeding 
of this particular family, I indignantly deny 
this slander upon them. 
