THE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 389 
grass he builds his nest, composed of a mass of dry 
weeds or some other material for an exterior, and 
lined with fine grass or horse-hair. The female lays 
from four to six eggs of a light blue color, slightly 
spotted with brown. It is after the second brood is 
fully fledged that these birds congregate in such vast 
numbers, and commence their depredations upon the 
growing corn, which, being still young and tender, 
attracts them in such numbers as to darken the air 
and fairly to blacken the spot upon which they settle. 
At such times scare-crows avail little to protect the 
grain, and even the report of a gun will but drive 
them from one part of the field to another. This, 
however, does not continue long ; as the corn advances 
toward maturity, it soon becomes too hard for their 
tastes, and away they fly to try their chance among 
the rice-fields of the South. The plumage of the 
male bird is very beautiful, and one of these vast 
flocks in their early spring dress presents a very 
grand and imposing appearance ; their bodies of jetty 
black, with a broad patch of bright vermilion on each 
shoulder, which sparkles in the sun’s rays with pleas- 
ing effect. 
It is very interesting, in studying the habits of 
birds, to notice the peculiar methods adopted by the 
different species in the construction of their nests. 
While we see that some, with careless ease, build a 
fragile tenement upon the ground, others, with the 
skill of an architect, put together a most elaborate 
structure, such as would almost defy art to imitate. 
The bird we are now about to introduce is in this re- 
