APRIL 71 



flock soon breaks into small tribes that settle 

 each in its own clump of evergreens. Our 

 broad-leafed trees are still bare and would 

 offer small concealment to a blackbird's nest. 

 Fortunately, however, our pines, spruces, 

 and hemlocks are more hospitable. Any 

 one who has several of these on his place is 

 almost sure of a colony of his own, and a 

 cemetery with its shady cluster is certain to 

 be seized upon. 



By April the nests are quite well under 

 way. To this part of his duty the father 

 blackbird is very faithful. He is quite 

 willing to take care of the eggs while his 

 wife goes out for a little exercise. This 

 is the more creditable because in this matter 

 many bird husbands do not have any realiz- 

 ing sense of their duties, lacking the im- 

 pulse to do more than provide their home- 

 keeping folks with abundant food. 



While he has young in the nest, the black- 

 bird gathers insects almost exclusively. 

 When the farmer begins to plow, the bird 

 follows him fearlessly through the furrows. 

 It is a cut-worm now and a wire-worm 



