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moderate size, the second quill being longer than the rest; the tail is of great length, and each 

 individual feather composing it terminates in a sharp point ; the feet are not large, but powerful, and 

 the plumage compact and glossy. The body of the Boblink measures seven inches, its breadth 

 being about eleven inches, the wing three and a half, and the tail two and a half inches. 

 The plumage varies considerably at different seasons of the year. During the period of incuba- 

 tion the male is black upon the head, the lower portion of the body, and the tail ; the nape is 

 brownish yellow, and the feathers upon the back black, with a broad yellow margin ; the shoulders and 

 rump are of a yellowish white ; the wing-covers and quills are black, bordered with yellow. The eye 

 is brown, the upper mandible dark brown, and the lower one blueish grey ; the feet are light blue. 

 The female is smaller than her mate, of a pale yellowish brown upon the back, the shafts of the 

 feathers being marked with a dark tinge ; the lower parts of the body are of a pale greyish yellow, 

 the sides streaked in the same manner, as is the back ; the bridles are brown, and a yellow line 

 passes over the eyes ; the quills and tail-feathers are much lighter than in the gala dress of her mate. 

 During the winter months the male bird wears a coat closely resembling that of the female. The 

 young are similar to the mother, but all their tints are greyer and paler. 



When upon the ground, the movements of this species may be described as being more like a step 

 than a hop ; its flight is light and graceful, and its powers of climbing amongst the stubble by no means 

 inferior to those of the Reed Sparrow. The Boblink (so called from its well-known cry) appears 

 regularly in North America during the summer months, visiting the West Indies and the northern parts 

 of South America in the course of its migrations. About May these birds begin to make their appear- 

 ance in New York by small parties, which gradually increase in numbers until they literally swarm 

 throughout the whole State — indeed, Audubon tells us that it would be impossible to find a field 

 unoccupied by these destructive visitors. Even the breeding season does not interfere witii their 

 social relations, for the nests are built near together upon the ground, each pair, however, keeping 

 possession of a distinct territory, in the centre of which the little home is made with much art, amidst 

 the grass or stubble. The cares of the brood devolve entirely upon the females, their mates, mean- 

 while, disporting themselves over the neighbouring fields, and making the air resound with their 

 endeavours to rival each other in the beauty of their song, which is so rich and varied in its tones as 

 frequently to lead the hearer to imagine that he is listening to the voices of many singers, when in 

 reality the sounds are produced by a solitary bird. Wilson describes the performance of the Boblink 

 as resembling a series of notes struck upon all parts of the pianoforte in rapid succession, and 

 tells us that the effect, though strange, is extremely pleasing. When perched, die male accompanies 

 its song by a variety of animated gestures and movements of its wings. The eggs are laid about 

 the end of May ; they are from four to six in number, white, and thickly marked with dark blue or 

 black spots irregularly distributed. Each couple breeds but once during the year. The young 

 are fed upon insects : they rapidly attain their full size, and are ready to join their parents in 

 the work of destruction about to commence. No sooner is the period of incubation over than 

 the nature of these birds seems to undergo an entire change. The male completely loses his 

 song, and doffs his brilliant coat, which is replaced by a comparatively quiet dress, resembling that 

 of the female, and all exchange their hitherto harmless demeanour for a life of active and really 

 formidable mischief. In vain are every means adopted by the inhabitants to scare the destructive 

 flocks from their fields of young corn ; hundreds of thousands are shot, but with little result 

 beyond driving the enemy from one district to take refuge in another, and it is only when the work 

 of devastation has been fully carried out that these enormous swarms leave the locality to carry 

 on their terrible raids in another part of the country. It would seem as though the hatred with 

 which the farmers regard this bird had made them entirely overlook the service it renders them 



