OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 355 



caution. It is eminently gregarious, and, like most 

 of its family relatives, is exceedingly terrestrial in 

 its habits of feeding; occasionally visiting, however, 

 r >mall trees and bushes, more for repose than 

 aught else. It is chiefly a denizen of dense forests, 

 and waste fields overgrown with bramble bushes 



iD 



and shrubs. 



Its flight is moderately lofty and quite well sus- 

 tained, resembling soim;:vhat that of the Icteriimz. 



The Cowbird subsists upon seeds, grains, and 

 berries of various kinds, besides clivers insects. 

 We have detected in our examinations, the grains 

 of Triticun vnlgare, Sec ale cereale, and Hordcum 



Igare; besides the seeds of Amara ntus hybridus, 



A. albus, Phleum pratense, and Trifolium pratense. 



\ he berries of Juniperus comniunis, J. Virgmiana> 



J y ninus serctiihi, Pnuuis ccrasus, Fragaria l r ir- 



<j 



giniana* Rubus villosus, R. stngosus, R. occidcntalis, 

 Amelanckier canadensis, Vaccinium stamineum, and 

 Liquidambar styraciflua y dire devoured with a gusto. 

 The following insects constitute a portion of its 

 bill of fare : -Diccclus dilatatus, Pangiis caliginosus, 

 Cyiuindis viridipennis\ Scaritcs subtcrranciis, Cra~ 

 Jonychus cincrcus, C. pertinax, Harpalus pensylva- 

 nicits. Haltica clialybca, Macrodactyla subspinosa, 

 Cetoniainda, and other beetles ; Formica sanguinea, 

 F. subterranea, Apis mellifica, Selandria rose?, &c v) 

 among hymenoptera; besides aphides, diptera, 

 earthworms, and lepidopterous forms of Zerene 

 catenaria, Ennomos subsignaria, Chczrodes trans- 

 versata, Hybernia tiliaria, Utetheisa del la, Eudryas 



