RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 251 



found out the strength of this, which I was so slow to 

 find out ! ^ 



May 13, 1855. I heard from 2i female red-wing that 

 peculiar rich screwing warble — not o gurgle ee — made 

 with r, not with I. 



June 14, 1855. See young red-wings; like grizzly- 

 black vultures, they are still so bald. 



June 1, 1857. A red-wing's nest, four eggs, low in a 

 tuft of sedge in an open meadow. What ChampoUion 

 can translate the hieroglyphics on these eggs? It is 

 always writing of the same character, though much 

 diversified. While the bird picks up the material and 

 lays the ^gg^ who determines the style of the marking? 

 When you approach, away dashes the dark mother, be- 

 traying her nest, and then chatters her anxiety from a 

 neighboring bush, where she is soon joined by the red- 

 shouldered male, who comes scolding over your head, 

 chattering and uttering a sharp jpihe phee-e. 



March 19, 1858. By the river, see distinctly red- 

 wings and hear their conqueree. They are not associ- 

 ated with grackles.^ They are an age before their 

 cousins, have attained to clearness and liquidity. They 

 are officers, epauletted ; the others are rank and file. I 

 distinguish one even by its flight, hovering slowly from 

 tree-top to tree-top, as if ready to utter its liquid notes. 

 Their whistle is very clear and sharp, while the grackle's 

 is ragged and split. 



It is a fine evening, as I stand on the bridge. The 

 waters are quite smooth ; very little ice to be seen. The 



1 [See under Yellow Warbler, pp. 350-352.] 



2 [That is, rusty blackbirds. See note on p. 255.] 



