40 
OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 250 
ground, covered by low, bushy growth. One of the most familiar 
sounds of the marsh is the piercing note of alarm, or the rich, bub¬ 
bling song of the male. 
The food of this species is similar to that of the preceding. The 
vegetable portion is in excess of the animal matter, and comprises 
74 percent of the total food. Most important of the grains eaten are 
corn, wheat, and oats, which together, comprise but 13 percent of 
the whole food; oats, which is largely waste grain, forms nearly 
half the amount. Weed-seed is the most important item of food and 
amounts to about 75 percent for the year. Among the most im¬ 
portant weeds, the seeds of which are eaten, are ragweed, barn 
grass, smartweed, and a few others. Animal food comprises 26 per¬ 
cent of the entire food, of which ten percent consists of beetles, 
largely harmful species. Weevils comprise 25 percent of the food in 
June, and 4 percent for the year; grasshoppers amount to 5 percent. 
About 7-8 of the food of this species is made up of weed-seeds, or of 
insects injurious to agriculture. (Beal). 
COWBIRD, Molotlirus ater ater (Bodd.) 
From its association with cattle, this species derives its name. 
It is a bird of very unusual traits, a parasite among birds. Its food 
is largely weed-seeds and injurious insects, and considered from its 
food habits alone, it is beneficial. The habit of depositing its eggs 
in the nests of other species results in the partial or complete de¬ 
struction of eggs or young of the rightful owners. The smaller, 
beneficial insectivorous birds are usually victimized, and at least two 
of their young are sacrificed for each young cowbird reared. Mr. 
John Burroughs considers it detrimental and destroys eggs and 
young whenever he finds them. The English Cuckoo presents a 
parallel case, but our Cuckoos are not habitually guilty of this practice. 
BOBOLINK, Dolt'chonyx orYzivorus (Linn.) 
Prior to the razing of the forest, this species was confined to the 
plains country. It was first seen in the state in Geauga and Frank¬ 
lin counties in 1857. Since that time it has steadily increased, and, 
at the present time, is one of the few species, the increase of which 
is noticeable. It is resident in summer only in the northern half of 
the state, occuring as a migrant in the southern half. These birds 
love the open country, and are always associated in one’s mind with 
broad meadows, particularly with clover fields. While in their 
breeding range, they feed and live on or near the ground, the nest 
being built in a depression. As a songster, the Bobolink is famous. 
During May and June the meadows are flooded with his gushing, 
bubbling melody, poured fourth while the singer perches on a sway¬ 
ing weed or while on the wing. 
