Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-04-22
The RObOIInk.

The BObOIInk.
This well-known songster of the
North-reed-bird OF ortolan of the mid
die States, and rice-bird of the South
is abundantly distributed through.
! out most sections of the continent,
ranging from the latitude of Quebec tc
Canada, to the middle States, in sum.
mer, and from the southern continent,
in winter.
Earl y IN the spring it makes its north
ern migration, moving leisurely through
the southern and middle States, and
arrives in New England and its latitude
about the middle of May. During this
northern passage the birds depend for
subsistence very greatly upon the
newly soWn fields of grain, and the
havoc they intiict is quite considerable.
The male birds usually arrive at the
northern breeding grounds several days
before the females, during which in
term they frequent meadows and
fields in cultivated districts, in prefer
ence to thinly settled localities, and
soon become very tame and familiar,
notwithstanding the severity with
which they have been pursued by the
inhabitants of all the countries they
have had to traverse in their migra-
tions, by whom they are regarded only
as pest and nuisance. The bobolink
knows when he has arrived among his
friends; and the bird, who would care
fully avoid you in the south, will perch
on your garden fence in New England,
as Familiarity as if he were to the manor
born, and regale you with food of his
choicest melody.
Everybody iD the North knows his
song perfectly, and has at some time
laughed, in spite of himself or herself,
at the grotesque singer, as, perched on
twig in the cherry tree by the house,
or in the elm by the roadside, or alder
by the brook, he nodded his head,
quivered his wings, opened his mouth;
and ratified out the most curious, in
comprehensive, jingling. roundabout,
careless, joyous and altogether sweet
medley that any bird ever uttered. As
soon as the females arrive, they become
the great objects of attention with
their male neighbors and the combats
both in music and-I am forced to say
it-anger, for the possession of favor.
ed one, between the contesting suitors,
are almost innumerable. The female
is, at the outset, apparently indifferent
to the attractions of any particular
male, and, in fact, seems little bored
at their manifestations but all her in
difference is unreal, and the cavalier
who can out-sing and Yanquish his rival,
becomes the possessor of her maiden, or,
it may be, thrice widowed affections,
''to have and to hold" until the next
autumn.
As soon as the birds are mated, early
in June, they commence the structure
in which their family is to be reared
Selecting tussock of grass in field or
meadow, through which or near which
brook prattles of cool draughts, and
sweet refreshing baths in the hot and
thirsty summer, they begin to entwine,
beneath the bending and concealing
leaves, fine grasses and rootlets into a
loose and not deeply-hollowed nest.
The position is so well chosen that,
nine times out of ten, if you walk the
meadow over, knowing it to be there,
you will not discover the nest. The
male bird flies over your head, chiding
and complaining, as soon as you draw
near his home, and the female, skurry-
ing of through the thick grass, rises
away from her nest, that you may not
discover its locality.
Tho a,,s -, for,r E,-a - v,r,r,ha-
and vary, in color, from a light ashley
blue, with spots of blackish brown, to
a pale broWnish clay, with spots and
blotches of number, of different shades.
During the season of incubation, and
until the young birds leave the nest,
Bob has but little to do with his neigh
bors; but when the young are turned
aside to shift for themselves, the men,
bers of different families unite into a
large scattered flock, and roam through
the neighborhood, feasting on all the
good things available.
1t is at this period thst the male ex-
changes his nuptial suit, for one more
in keeping with his "old folks" con-
dition; and he arrays himself in a
dress very similar to the sober one Of
his mate, dropping at the same time his
jolly song, and uttering only a single
note, like the syllable "clink." At
this time it is almost impossible to dis
tinguish the male from the female or
young bird, as they fly away from you
in the field, so much do they resemble
each other.
Early in September the bo5olinks
begin to move southwark; and although
they obtain a great portion of their
sustenance from fields and meadows,
cleaning seeds of grasses, and weeds,
and insects, they make sad mischief
in the fields of late grain and rice; and
the firing of guns during the passage
through the middle and southern
States, not only by farmers and plant
ers, but by sportsmen, who shoot them
for the table and market, is at some
seasons almost incessant.-E. Il. Sam-
usLs in OhUer Optics Magazine.