338 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



brownish clay, with spots and blotches of umber of different 

 shades ; their form is usually a perfect ovate, and they vary 

 in dimensions from .90 of an inch in length by .65 of an inch 

 in breadth, to .86 of an inch in length by .62 of an inch in 

 breadth. 



As soon as the young birds are hatched, the father, hith- 

 erto full of song and merriment, becomes more quiet, 

 spending a great part of his time in family cares. The 

 young birds are fed on grasshoppers, crickets, and various 

 other insects ; and this food is the chief sustenance of the 

 parents as well, at this period, for the seeds of the wild 

 grasses are not yet ripened, and incursions in the grain- 

 fields are tabooed while the young are in the nest. Is there 

 not a little of judicious reasoning in this ? look at it : if the 

 bird cultivates the good will of the farmer, by destroying 

 his insect enemies, and letting his crops grow in peace, he 

 is permitted to rear his family in security, and is even 

 rather liked, his song being a most pleasant companionship 

 to the farmer who delves and plods in the fields around him. 



When the young birds leave the nest, the parents provide 

 for them for a few days, and then turn them away to shift 

 for themselves : this is in about the middle of July. The 

 old birds then pass a comparatively idle season, roaming 

 through the country, recuperating from the cares of parent- 

 age, and exchanging their nuptial dress for one more in 

 accordance with their matured, respectable, old folks' con- 

 dition ; the male assumes the sober, and lately more sober, 

 attire of his mate, and dropping his song, contents himself 

 with repeating her simple " chink" 



So much do the old and young birds resemble each other 

 that, in the flocks of from fifty to one hundred individuals, 

 in which they gather in early fall, it is almost impossible by 

 the plumage to distinguish either. 



Early in September the Bobolinks begin to move south- 

 ward, and although they obtain a great portion of their 



