The morning times., 1895-09-01
CrOWning Glory Of the Menu Is
Now in the Market.
HOW THEY ARE HUNTED HERE
1t Is the BobollnlS OF New England the
Ricebird OF the Carolinas and the
ortoIan OF the w est Indies-Fa-
vorite Spots for the Sport Near at
Hand-A Toothsome Murscl.

Doubly blessed TO the epicure is the 1st
OF September 1t is marked in bis calendar
with a big black cross, for not only does
Il bring with 1t the oyster after his sum
mer's banishment, but heralds the advent
of the reed bird, justly famed asone OF the
daintiest products of the Chesapeake and
It's tributaries.
BY virtue Of the laws Of the District,
Maryland and Virginia, this toothsome
creation of the marshes becomes to-day
the legal prey OF any one who has the
time, skill and money to pursue him, OF
would II the calendar had not placed Sep
TENDERS birth upon Sunday Already they
are arriving In punches and fIocks from
their summer on the Massachusetts coast,
and during the past week the surreptitious
crack Of the gun has been heard in the more
lonely and unfrequented marshes.
The flight has not however, yet reached
its flood. The birds are still lingering along
the New England coast, and 1t viii not
be until the cool nights Of middle septem-
ber that they will begin in earnest their
annual pilgrimage to the rice fields Of the
CaroIinas and the reedy wastes Of Florida.
reed bird is known as the bobolink, for he is
thing OF many names and dons as the year
grows many garbs Along In the early
spring they leave their winter quarters in
the Western isles and the extreme Southern
States, and flying mostly by night and in
small companies journey to New England.
NEW ENGLAND's BOBOLINK.
It's not a game bird, but one Of the merri-
est and brightest OF songsters. His CHEEKY
cry has been verscd, and as the bobolink
be is known to the poet and writer 1t
is later that lie descends from the realm
ofpOetry to the prosaic and more comforting
role OF chief attraction Of the menu card Of
the big hotels and cafes.
tits there in New England that he dons his
brightest garb The male is gorgeous
In a dress of many hues. The upper part
OF the head shoulders, wings, tail and the
whole OF the under plumage is a glossy
black. In beautiful contrast the lower
part OF the back is blush white, an in
describable tint, harmonizing eXquisitely
with the ietty body The scapulars, rump
and tan coverts are snowy white On the
nape and back of the neck he jauntily wears
a large patch of brownish yellow In
May the bill is blueish black, but later be-
comes a pale flesh tint, adding another
spot OF color to his hareqLin dress.
The female is moresober, aDda eseason
advances her lord also quiets down, loses his
foppishDess and dresses sedately in the same
colors, brownish black and dun yellow,
and in this, his travelling suit, he is seen here
at that season.
The song of the male in the breeding season
is very beautiful 1t is a merry, quick song
and with it be regales his dutiful mate as
she rests on the nest.
He chants out&' says Wilson. ''such
jingling medley of short, variable notes,
uttered with such Seeming confusion and
rapidity, and continued for zconsidera BILE
time, that it appears as if half dozen
birds of different kinds were singing all
together. Many of the tones are in them
selves charming, but they succeed each other
so rapidly that the ear can hardly separate
them