CHAPTER XXIX. 



July 9 July 15. 



THE BOBOLINK. 



Order Passeres Suborder Oscines 



Family Icteridse Genus Dolichonyx 



Species Dolichonyx oryziverous. 



Length 6.30 to 7.60 ; wing, 3.70 to 4.00 ; tail, 2.60 to 2.90. 

 Migration North, May; south, July. 



"Bobolink, that in the meadow 

 Or beneath the orchard's shadow 



Keepest up a constant rattle 



Joyous as my children's prattle, 



Welcome to the north again! 

 Welcome to mine eye the sight 



Of the buff, the black and white!" 



The bobolink, a bird of our meadows, has many other 

 names, such as American ortolan, white-winged blackbird, 

 skunk blackbird, Maybird, butterbird, ricebird, rice-bunting, 

 reed-bird and meadowbird, and each of these has been sug- 

 gested by some characteristic of the bird. 



The bill of the adult male bobolink is short and heavy, 

 like that of a sparrow, and of a bluish brown color; iris of 

 eye, hazel ; when he comes to us in the spring and during the 

 period of nidification the plumage of the upper part of his 

 head, shoulders, wings, tail and the whole of the under part 

 of his body is black ; nape and back of neck brownish yellow ; 

 back black, seamed with brownish yellow ; scapulars, edges 



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