BLACKBrRDS 345 



breeds, (Homer). Sagadahoc; common summer resident, (Spinney). Som- 

 erset; common summer resident, (Morrell). Waldo; common local summer 

 resident, (Knight). Washington; abundant summer resident, (Boardman). 

 York; common summer resident, (Adams). 



Though I have seen the Red-wings as early as March 21, 

 that date is unusual and they are more generally here about 

 April 10. From then until late August the species occurs in 

 local abundance. The rather loosely scattered colonies of 

 three to fifteen or twenty pair may be found scattered through- 

 out the State in suitable localities along the shores of ponds, 

 sluggish streams, cattail swamps and similar situations where 

 reedy, sedgy, bushy meadows and swamps afford suitable nest- 

 ing sites. 



The males may generally be both seen and heard as they 

 perch on top of convenient bushes and other points of obser- 

 vation, uttering lazily "conk-a-ree" "con-quaree" as long as no 

 danger menaces. When human intruders appear they rise, 

 one after another and circle overhead and flit from perch to 

 perch uttering a squeaky "che-w-e-e-e-e-e" or a harsh "chack, 

 chack." 



The females soon appear at this alarm and likewise add their 

 "chuck, chuck" to the turmoil. As quiet again holds sway 

 after the danger has departed the birds go back to their nests 

 or perch lazily on the bushes, the males lazily stretch their 

 wings and feet, running out a foot and wing on one side in a 

 peculiar characteristic "stretch" and shortly going through 

 the same on the opposite side and ad interim uttering more 

 "conk-qua-rees." In the west I have seen colonies of hundreds 

 and thousands, but here in Maine usually only a dozen or 

 fifteen pair at the outside may be found in a given locality. 



The nests are well woven from sedges, rushes and grass leaves, 

 lined with finer sedges and grasses, being woven into and sup- 

 ported by the stems of cattails, rushes, sedges and bushes over 

 the water or near the water's edge. A nest taken at Pittsfield, 

 June 31, 1900, was in a tussock of sedge near the shore of the 

 pond, and was the usual typical nest of woven grasses and 



