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favorite repast; .... towards the close of September . . . 

 they begin to roost in the reeds, whither they repair in large 

 flocks every evening from all the neighboring quarters of the 

 country; upon these they perch or cHng, so as to obtain a 

 support above the surrounding waters of the marsh. . . . 

 Early in November they generally leave the Northern and 

 colder States, with the exception of straggling parties, who 

 still continue to glean subsistence, in the shelter of the sea- 

 coast." Samuels (1867) states that ''Two broods are usually 

 reared in the season : as soon as the last brood leaves the nest, 

 the whole family joins with its neighbors into a flock of some- 

 times a hundred or hundred and fifty or more," and ''about 

 the last of October, they depart on their southern migration." 

 In 1885 Bicknell noted the disappearance of the Redwings 

 during a period of the fall, stating that the adult males dis- 

 appear about the end of July, while the females and young 

 remain abundant and congregate in mowed meadows. In 

 September, the females and young likewise disappear, in some 

 years almost altogether. He offers no explanation for this 

 disappearance. Lloyd (1887) states that in Tom Green and 

 Concho Counties, Texas, the Redwings winter, the males 

 keeping in separate flocks with the young males, only a few 

 of the latter being found with the females. Lawrence (1889) 

 records that on New York Island "the first birds flying south 

 were the Red- winged Blackbirds {Agelaius phoeniceus) ; from 

 the middle of July, for some weeks, there would be a flight 

 of this species every afternoon, coming in flocks of from twenty- 

 five to fifty or more individuals." The disappearance of the 

 Redwings during a period of the fall is again noted by Coombs 

 (1892) in Louisiana. "About the middle of August this 

 species, as also the Great-tailed Grackle, becomes temporarily 

 scarce, presumably leaving for the better feeding grounds of 

 the rice districts further northward. Returning later, much 

 swelled in numbers, they continue abundant until about April 

 first, when the departure of migrants thins the ranks appre- 

 ciably." Loomis (1892) likewise notices this disappearance 

 during the fall: "The gathering of clans of Red- winged Black- 

 birds and their subsequent disappearance form one of the 



