1 66 Birds of Buzzard's Roost 



of wings, rump and tail coverts are of a dull white ; tail 

 formed like those of the woodpecker, and often used in the 

 same manner; legs and feet of a brownish flesh color. The 

 female, the color of whose plumage the male assumes after 

 the breeding season, is yellowish brown ; crown and back con- 

 spiciously streaked with black, nape and rump with smaller 

 markings ; crown with central stripe, and stripe over each eye 

 olive-buff, or olive-gray; wings and tail feathers, sharp point- 

 ed. Below, yellowish or whitish, shaded with buffy or olive ; 

 sides and lower tail-coverts, more or less streaked with black ; 

 bill, brown. 



"Modest and shy as a nun is she, 

 Pretty and quiet, with plain brown wings, 



Passing at home a patient life 

 Broods in the grass while her husband sings, 



'Bobolink, bobolink, 



Spink, spank, spink.' " 



In the bobolink we have another interesting study in mi- 

 gration. They come north in May and return south the last 

 of August, although some of them linger until the middle of 

 September. The males come north in flocks in advance of the 

 females. On my way to Buzzard's Roost in May, 1902, I 

 noticed that two medium sized wild cherry trees ahead of me 

 were full of birds. Before I got close enough to them to 

 identify them by sight, I was able to do so by hearing their 

 joyous song of, 



"Winkle-wankle-wonkle-winkle, 

 Tee-a, tee-a, tumple, tinkle," 



and knew that they were bobolinks. A jollier and happier set 

 of birds than they were I have never seen. The northward 

 journey from their winter home in South America begins in 

 March and April. Of their advance in Florida, Captain Wil- 

 liam Miles Hazzard in a letter to Major Bendire says : "The 

 bobolinks made their appearance here during the latter part 

 of April. At that season their plumage is white and black, 

 and they sing merrily when at rest. Their flight is always at 

 night. In the evening there are none. In the morning their 

 appearance is heralded by the popping of whips and the firing 



