THE BOBOLINK THE COW-BIRD. 35 



name, and is now the famous Rice-bird of the Caro- 

 linas. 



"Last stage of his career, behold him spitted 

 with dozens of his corpulent companions, and served 

 up a vaunted dish on the table of some Southern 

 gastronome. 



" Such is the story of the Boblink : once spiritual, 

 musical, admired, the joy of the meadows, and the 

 favorite bird of spring ; finally a gross little sensual- 

 ist, who expiates his sensuality in the larder. His 

 story contains a moral worthy the attention of all 

 little birds and little boys, warning them to keep to 

 those refined and intellectual pursuits which raised 

 him to so high a pitch of popularity during the early 

 part of his career; but to eschew all tendency to that 

 gross and dissipated indulgence which brought this 

 mistaken little bird to an untimely end." 



The Bobolink and the Cow-bird form a small 

 group which connects the Finches with the true 

 Blackbirds ; the shape of the bill showing their al- 

 liance with the former, while the feet, wings, and 

 other prominent characteristics, establish their posi- 

 tion with the latter. The Meadow Lark and Hang- 

 ing-birds (incorrectly called Orioles) belong also to 

 this family, which differs very little from the Star- 

 ling group of the Old World. 



The Cow-bird is one of those curiosities of Nature 

 for whose singular habits it is difficult to account. 

 Like the Cuckoo of Europe, the female builds no 

 nest of her own, but confides the care of her young 

 to various small birds, by watching their absence 



