56 



1' 1 1 K C(,)LUM B I A \ K I-:i )- \Vl N ( ; 



to courteous ex|x>stiilations, as they llutter wildly arKiind the iiitnulcrs 

 head. To the mischievous l)oy the chance «>t cailiiifj out these frantic atten- 

 tions is very allurin<j. even wlicn no harin is intended. 



I have said that the Red-winp prefers cat-tails for nesting: there is 

 probably no undisturlH.'d area <if cat-tails in eastern Washington which d<ies 

 not harljor Columbian Red-wings; yet, even so, the cover does not sutVice and 

 thev arc impcllc<l to occupy the extensive tule l)cds which border the larger 

 lakes. For the second nesting, which occurs in June, the Blackbirds arc likely 



NEST AND EGGS Ol THI: Col.lMItlAN KKDSV INC. 



to try the willows, now covered with foliage; or. in default of these, may 

 venture into any coarse vegetation which lines the swamp. 



Four or live eggs are commonly laid and sets of six are very rare. 

 On the iSth of May. 1S96. 1 to<ik a set of eight eggs, all l>elieved t.> be the 

 ppKluct of one female, from a nest in Okanogan County, and this set is ni>w 

 in the Oberlin College Museum. 



Of the economic value of the Red-wing there can i)C no question. The 

 bird is chietlv insectivorous and destroys an immense amount of insect life. 



