THE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 61 
prevent a good tithe of it from becoming the prey of the 
Blackbirds. The Indians, who usually plant their corn in 
one general field, keep the whole young boys of the village 
all day patrolling round and among it; and each being fur- 
nished with bow and arrows, with which they are very 
expert, they generally contrive to destroy great numbers of 
them. 
It must, however, be observed, that this scene of pillage 
is principally carried on in the low countries, not far from 
the sea-coast, or near the extensive flats that border our 
large rivers; and is also chiefly confined to the months 
of August and September. After this period, the corn 
having acquired its hard, shelly coat, and the seeds of the 
reeds or wild oats, with a profusion of other plants, that 
abound along the river shores, being now ripe, and in great 
abundance, they present a new and more extensive field for 
these marauding multitudes. The reeds also supply them 
with convenient roosting places, being often in almost 
unapproachable morasses; and thither they repair every 
evening, from all quarters of the country. 
In some places, however, when the reeds become dry, 
advantage is taken of this circumstance, to destroy these 
birds, by a party secretly approaching the place, under 
cover of a dark night, setting fire to the reeds in several 
places at once, which being soon enveloped in one general 
flame, the uproar among the Blackbirds becomes universal ; 
and, by the light of the conflagration, they are shot down 
