THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY 127 



flies. The meadowlark has the impolite habit of turning 

 its back upon one to conceal its conspicuous yellow breast 

 from human eyes. It flaps and sails through the air much 

 like a bob-white. But flying is not its specialty. It is a 

 strong-legged, active walker, and rarely rises from the 

 ground unless an intruder gets very near, when away it 

 flies, with a nasal, sputtered alarm note, to alight upon a 

 fence rail or other low perch. 



The tender, sweet, plaintive, flute-like whistle, Spring- 

 o'-the-year, is a deliberate song usually given from some 

 favorite platform — a stump, a rock, a fence or a mound — ^to 

 which the bird goes for his musical performance only. He 

 sings on and on delightfully, not always the same song, for 

 he has several in his repertoire, and charms all listeners. 



The one most interested keeps well concealed among the 

 grasses where her grassy nest is almost impossible to find, 

 especially if it be partly arched over at the top. No farmer 

 who realizes what an enormous number of grasshoppers, 

 not to mention other destructive insects, meadowlarks 

 destroy, is foolish enough to let his mowing-machine pass 

 over their nests if he can but locate them. By the time 

 hay is ready for cutting in June, little meadowlarks are 

 usually running about through grassy run-ways, but eggs 

 of the second brood too frequently, alas ! meet a tragic end, 

 and eggs of either brood may have had large toll taken by 

 meadow-mice and snakes — ^the greatest foes of all birds 

 that nest on the ground. 



The Red-winged Blackbird 



Length — ^Usually about an inch smaller than the robin. 

 Male — Coal-black. Shoulders scarlet, edged with yellow. 



