164 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



of song. On the arrival of the females, he quickly makes a 

 match by ardent wooing, and with all the impetuosity of his 

 nature settles down to family cares. No bird is a more de- 

 voted parent. Every one on the farm is a witness to his 

 solicitude. The mother bird is perhaps no less anxious for 

 the welfare of her children, but she is more timid. Not alone 

 for sentimental reasons are bobolinks prized by the inhabi- 

 tants of their summer home-land, for they are highly thought 

 of on account of their destructiveness to insects. During 

 this season they eat insects almost exclusively. To the young 

 they bring grasshoppers. Careful watching at the nest has 

 shown that they discriminate as to color. No less than nine 

 out of every ten 'hoppers brought to the nest are green. 

 There appears to be no choice of species, for long-horned and 

 short-horned 'hoppers were brought in about the same num- 

 bers. As a rule, nymphs are preferred to adult specimens. 

 So far as the bobolink's conduct in the North is concerned it 

 is above reproach. 



Early in August there is a gathering together of families 

 into flocks, and the movement southward is begun. Then 

 come trying times for "bob" and his enemies. Along the 

 coast of the Middle Atlantic States reed-birds, as they are 

 called there, are slain for the table by untold thousands. 

 Further south they enter the rice-fields when the grain is in 

 the milk, and it is there they cast off virtue and become 

 thieves. The rice-planters have abundant cause for hating 

 them and employ destruction. There is mutual distress. It 

 has been stated that two million dollars' worth of rice is 

 annually destroyed. The number of birds slain is beyond 

 reckoning. 



In spite of the enormous drain upon their numbers, the 

 flocks seem as numerous as ever. It is probable, however, 

 that they are actually decreasing. It does not seem possible 

 that the immense numbers annually slain in the South can be 

 made good. Then, in New Hampshire, at least, farmers past 



