THE BOBOLINK 



HE bobolink has a widespread geographical 

 range, extending from the central por- 

 tion of South America northward to the 

 fifty-fifth parallel, and embracing all of the United 

 States except the extreme western portion. It breeds 

 from southern New Jersey northward to Nova Scotia 

 and westward to Utah. Many are the names to which 

 the bobolink answers : in the Southern States it is called 

 the rice-bird, in the Middle States it is the reed-bird, 

 while in the Northern States bobolink. May-bird, 

 meadow-bird, butter-bird, and skunk-bird. 



From the extreme southern limit of their winter 

 home, south of the Amazon, the males, travelHng in 

 flocks of several hundred, start on their northward 

 journey about April first, arriving in Florida toward 

 the latter part of the month and some days before 

 the appearance of the females. Upon their arrival 

 in the United States the males are in full song, and 

 only one who has heard the wondrous melody of the 



bobolink can form any idea of the effect produced by 



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