The Red-winged Blackbirds 



traceries, and "pen-work" of dark sepia, purplish black, drab, and helio- 

 trope purple. Or a spot of color appears to be deeply imbedded in the 

 fine, strong texture of the shell, and carries about it an aura of diminish- 

 ing color. Occasionally, the whole egg is suffused with pale brownish, 

 or, more rarely, it is entirely unmarked. 



Incubation lasts fourteen days and the young are ready to leave the 

 nest in a little over two weeks more. They are frizzly, helpless, com- 

 plaining little 

 creatures, but if 

 they cannot fly well 

 they can clamber, 

 and they cling with 

 the grip of terrified 

 monkeys. 



Of course the 

 Redwings are the 

 self-appointed 

 guardians of the 

 swamp. They are 

 not less jealous of 

 unlicensed avian in- 

 truders than of 

 humans. Sometimes 

 they fail to discrimi- 

 nate, and their 

 pugnacity leads either to ridiculous or dangerous lengths. Once, at Los 

 Banos, I saw a company of Bicolored Redwings set upon an unoffending 

 Marsh Hawk, a handsome blue male bird who was attending strictly to 

 his own business. The big fellow stood the abuse for a while, then, quick 

 as a flash, seized a blackbird in his talons and bore it away. A moment 

 later, to our astonishment, he released the little bully, who flew off promptly 

 and, let us hope, gratefully. It was just as though the Marsh Hawk had 

 purposely restrained his power, and had done it all to teach the saucy 

 little fellows a salutary lesson. 



At another time a rascally Redwing was seen taking after a pair of 

 Shovellers, as they rose from the creek. His act could have meant 

 scarcely more than bravado, but, once launched, he seemed to find 

 delight in the fact that the ducks would fly from him, and that he could 

 nearly keep up with them. It was all as silly as little Willie playing at 

 horse with Grandpa. The old gentleman prances off in mock terror, and 

 little Willie toddles after shrieking with glee. Round and round and up 



Photo by Donald R. Dickey 



BABY ALL ALONE! 



122 



