AVES-COW-BUNTING. 527 



flies, and caterpillars. They pour down upon the oat fields in a torrent, and 

 resort to the shores of the Delaware and Schuylkill in immense numbers, to 

 feed upon the reeds or wild oats. At this time they are extremely fat. Their 

 note is a single chink, and is heard overhead with little intercession from 

 morning to night. These are halcyon days for our gunners, and many a 



lame and rusty gun-barrel is put in requisition for the sport. The report of 

 musketry along the reedy shores of the river is almost incessant, resembling 

 a running fire. The markets of Philadelphia at this season exhibit proofs of 

 the prodigious havoc made among the birds. In the fall, they swarm in the 

 rice fields, and devour great quantities of that grain. 



THE COW -BUNTING. i 



The cow-bunting has a most remarkable character, which is the unac- 

 countable practice it has of dropping its eggs into the nests of other birds, 

 instead of building and hatching for itself; and thus entirely abandons its 

 'amily to the care and mercy of strangers. I have often found the young 

 cow-bunting in the nests of small birds ; and have seen these last followed 

 by the young foundling, calling out clamorously for food; and I once took a 

 very line one i'rom the nest 01 the Maryland yellow throat, where it was 

 f ostered with great care. 



1 Emberiza pccoris, Wilson. 



