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The Reed Bird, Rice Bird, or Bobolink {Dolichonyx 
cryzivorus) is well known to epicures. They migrate in vast 
numbers from South to North at the approach of summer and 
back again towards autumn, at which time they become 
very fat on the ripened seeds of the reeds which grow on 
marsh lands along the rivers near the coast, and are shot in 
great numbers as a table delicacy. 
•The Long-tailed Weaver Bird {^Chera progne). This 
species may be known by the great elongation of the centre 
tail feathers of the male. These reach so great a length that 
a celebrated African traveler says of them : — I am informed 
that in the breeding season, when the male has assumed his 
nuptial livery and long tail feathers, his flight is so la- 
bored that the children constantly run them down. They 
are quite unable to fly against the wind and in rainy weather 
