File:Ornithology and oy of New England- containing full descriptions of the birds of New England, and adjoining states and provinces (1867) (14725746286).jpg

Identifier: ornithologyoyofn00samu (find matches)
Title: Ornithology and oy of New England: containing full descriptions of the birds of New England, and adjoining states and provinces ..
Year: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Samuels, Edward A. (Edward Augustus), 1836-1908
Subjects: Birds -- New England Birds -- Eggs
Publisher: Boston, Nichols and Noyes
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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number: they vary incolor from a light-brown with obscure spots of darkerbrown, to a dirty-gray color with bold blotches of brownish-black. Dimensions vary from .90 by .65 to .86 by .62 inch.But one brood is reared in the season. This bird is nogreat favorite in the southern portions of the United States,because of its habit of visiting the rice-fields in immensenumbers, and devouring and destroying great quantities ofthat grain ; but in New England it is a general favorite. Itsfood while here consists of all kinds of insects and worms, the various kinds of grass seeds, crickets and grass-hoppers, as well as beetles and spiders. The following interesting description of the generalhabits of this species is given by Alexander Wilson: — The winter residence of this species I suppose to be fromMexico to the mouth of the Amazon, from whence, in hosts innu-merable, they reguhirly issue every spring, perhaps to both hemi-spheres ; extending their migrations northerly as far as the banks of
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BoiUM.iNK, Hfctl-hird, Dlivh(iiii/.r nn/zirorns. Swiiiiisoii THE BOBOLINK. 337 tlie Illinois and the shores of the St. Lawrence. Could the factbe ascertained, which has been asserted by some writers, that theemigration of these birds was altogether unknown in this part ofthe continent, previous to the introduction of rice plantations, itwould certainly be interesting. Yet why should these migrationsreach at least a thousand miles beyond those places where rice isnow planted ; and this, not in occasional excursions, but regularlyto breed, and rear their young, where rice never was, and probablynever will be, cultivated ? Their so-recent arrival on this part ofthe continent, I believe to be altogether imaginary ; because, thoughthere were not a single grain of rice cultivated within the UnitedStates, the country produces an exuberance of food of which theyare no less fond. Insects of various kinds, grubs, May-flies, andcaterpillars; the young ears of Indian corn and the seed of

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