18 FOOD OF BOBOLINK, BLACKBIRDS, AND GRACKLES. 



America was first settled, the whole northeastern part of the country 

 must have presented but few localities, and those of limited area, 

 suited to their wants. When the great forests of New England and 

 New York were cleared away and transformed into farms with exten- 

 sive areas of mowing land intersected with springs and brooks, the 

 bobolinks were not slow to avail themselves of these new opportunities 

 and soon colonized the whole. At the same time the southeastern 

 coast region was also brought under cultivation, and the tidal and 

 river lands were devoted to the raising of rice, thus furnishing the 

 food needed for the augmented numbers, as noted by Wilson. As 

 settlement, with its attendant clearing away of forests, spread west- 

 ward, suitable nesting areas were continually added to those already 

 created, and the birds had abundant opportunit}^ for great increase in 

 numbers. 



Since the bobolinks pass the winter in South America, the southern 

 coast of Florida naturall}^ presents to most of them the point of depart- 

 ure for the long sea flight to their winter homes. Before reaching this 

 spot, however, they stop to rest and feed in the rice fields of the South- 

 east, where they remain and recruit their exhausted energies prepara- 

 tory to final migration. A small contingent, representing those that 

 have nested in the extreme western portion of their range, migrate 

 directly down the Mississippi Valley to the rice fields of Louisiana. 

 When the birds arrive from the North they are in poor condition, 

 having been debilitated by the exertion of reproduction, but they at 

 once begin to recuperate with the abundant food furnished by the 

 rice, soon become ver}' fat, and, after a few weeks' rest, arc able to 

 safely resume the southern journc}'. On the return migration the con- 

 ditions are similar; the ])irds arrive from their winter home tired out 

 with their long flight, and find the fields cither newly sown with rice 

 or else with the tender l)lade just appearing al)ove the ground. In 

 each case there is an al)undant supply of food, and they are soon in 

 condition to pursue the journey to their northern breeding ground. 



Here we sec the two causes which have combined to bring about all 

 the trouble between the rice planters and the bobolinks: (1) The fact 

 that the species has probably much increased through the extension of 

 its northern breeding ground, and (2) the fact that the rice fields lie 

 directly in the path of migration, and afford a convenient place for 

 rest and recuperation before and after the flight across the sea. It is 

 almost certain that if the rice fields were far outside of the lines of 

 migration, they would never be molested. It is probal)lc that long 

 before America was discovered the bobolinks gathered in the marshes 

 on the southeastern coast and fed upon wild rice and other wild plants 

 previous to departure for their winter home. Cultivation of the land 

 int^-oduced a more abundant supply of food in the South just at the 

 time it afforded a great increase in nesting area in the North. 



