BIRDS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 323 



The males chase each other madh', and SAviftly pursue the 

 females over the grass tops ; or, sailing with down-bent 

 wings, pour forth their torrent of music. The alarm note is 

 a metallic c/tenl\ When the young have been reared, the 

 males begin to lose their striking dress, the song ceases, 

 and early in August the Bobolinks are seen flying about 

 in small flocks, uttering mellow 

 chinks, as they prepare for their 

 southern journey. 



In May, June, and July insects 

 form about eight} -five per cent, 

 of the Bobolink's food. The bird 



is very destructive to grasshop- ^'^- 145.- Bobolink, female. 



pers and caterpillars, particularly to the army worm. It 

 eats some parasitic IIymciio})tera, and this may be looked 

 upon as a bad ha])it ; but otherwise little fault can be found 

 Avith the Bobolink while it remains in the meadows of the 

 north. 



Boljolinks once caused a great loss to the Atlantic coast 

 rice growers, and in September most of their employees 

 were enffaffed in shooting at or frightening the birds. Now, 

 coast rice orowinii" is a vanishing industry, and the l)irds are 

 shot mainly for the market. This should be prohiljited by 

 law. It has reduced the number of l)irds breeding in the 

 north, and Bobolinks are not so common in Massachusetts 

 as they were years ago. They have l)een depleted some b}^ 

 early mowing, and their diminution from year to year is 

 more and more perceptible. 



PIGEONS AND DOVES. 



This group of birds is now represented in Massachusetts 

 by but one species, the Mourning Dove, as the Passenger 

 Pigeon appears to have disappeared, and may now be ex- 

 tinct. The Mourning Dove, Avhich is often mistaken for it, 

 is now protected by law at all times, and })ro))ably will be 

 saved from the fate of the Pigeon. Presumably all the sup- 

 posed " wild Pigeons " now reported by difl'erent observers 

 in Massachusetts are Mournino- Doves. 



