THE TRAVELS OF THE BOBOLINK 



high to be seen. But our eyes are not needed to 

 tell us that Bob is traveling. 



The wild rice marshes of New Jersey, Dela- 

 ware, Maryland, and Virginia have great attrac- 

 tions for the Ricebirds. It is not until the latter 

 part of August that they reach Charleston, South 

 Carolina. Great quantities of cultivated rice 

 were once raised here on the coast. The Rice- 

 birds' time-table seemed to be arranged so as to 

 bring them to South Carolina just as the kernels 

 of rice had reached the milky stage. 



In clouds they swarmed on the plantation. If 

 they alighted in the rice field its crop was soon 

 destroyed. No effort was spared to keep them 

 on the wing. Negroes were placed on platforms 

 built in the fields. Some were armed with whips 

 having long lashes ; others had guns. 



When a great flock of birds appeared the 

 whips were snapped with a pistol-like report, 

 guns were fired, the men shouted. Everything 

 was done that could be done to prevent the flock 

 from alighting. 



So numerous were the birds that killing 

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