Notes on the Red-Winged Blackp.ird 



299 



was from 15 to 20 feet from the edge of the water. Begin- 

 ning at the water's edge and going towa-rds the nest we found 

 several more or less well defined areas of growth : first, in the 

 edge of the water was a dense growth of arrow-head lilies 

 {Sagittaria spf) in a strip of six cr eight feet in width; sec- 

 ond, from three to five feet inland was a region of ba-re earth 

 or a short growth of a sedge of an unknown species ; third, 

 a band of smartweed {Polygonum spf) ; and lastly, a mixed 



The Attitude of Iiisiiectioii. 



growth in which nettles (Urtica spf) and burdock (Arctiiiui 

 spf) predominated. This growth touched the nest on one side 

 and on the other was the willow belt. The Red-wing con- 

 fined her hunting as far as we could determine to the weed 

 growth and particularly to the smartweed and burdock. We 

 never saw her enter the willow thicket to hunt but always 

 found her along the water's edge or in the weeds. The 

 ground was damp and sticky and the region furnished good 

 foraging. Gi-asshoppers were by far the most abundant 

 forms and the Red-wing took advantage of the fact. Many 



