ICTERID^ — THE OKIOLKS — MOLOTHRUS. 259 



their own number is not complete. The Virco even sometimes deserts the 

 nest if the egg of the cow-bird is taken. The Dcndneca, however, is not so 

 easily deceived, as it sometimes builds a new Hoor or entire nest over the 

 strange egg, burying it completely. Larger birds have been known to throw 

 the egg out, but small ones are unable to do this. The Idcria, whose own 

 egg is nearly as large, and quite differently colored, seemed, in the instance 

 I saw, a willing dupe, though probably quite able to eject the parasite. 



The color of the cow-bird's egg is greenish-white, thickly sprinkled with 

 points and blotches of olive-brown, of two shades, most numerous near the 

 large end. Sometimes the egg is nearly pure white with very dark spots. 

 It is small for the size of the bird, obtuse, measuring about 0.71 X 0.56 

 inch, and is supposed to be hatched in about twelve days, developing sooner 

 tlian tlie smaller eggs, perhaps because it obtains more warmth by contact 

 with the Ijody of the bird. When the legitimate eggs are liatched, the 

 young are soon stifled by the larger and stronger foundling, which gets most 

 of the food brought by the old birds, and fills up the small nest in a few 

 days. The parents then carry off their own dead oflspring, and drop them at 

 a distance, while the foundling, receiving their whole attention, grows rapidly, 

 and after becoming firlly fledged deserts its deluded foster-parents for the 

 society of its own species. 



Another Molothrus in South America has the same habits, and the cele- 

 brated cuckoo of Europe, with several of its relatives in the Old World, has 

 long been known for the same perversity, the chief difference being that the 

 young cuckoos throw out their foster-brothers while stiU alive. The reason 

 why they cannot or do not V)uild for theiuselves is one of the mysteries of 

 nature. 



The name of cow-liird is derived from tlie partiality of tliis species for the 

 society of cattle and horses. In the districts they inhalnt they may almost 

 always lie fjund among herds of cattle, walking after them to pick up the 

 insects disturbed by their feet, and often alighting on their backs and heads. 

 They also associate with their relatives, the other blackbirds, especially in 

 fall and winter. 



The males, especially in spring, utter a few guttural croaking notes, either 

 from the top of a tree, or occasionally on the ground, sounding as if they 

 tried to imitate the more musical red-wings. They are at all times watch- 

 ful and suspicious, and the female, when desirous of laying, shows much 

 artfulness in searching for a suitable nest through the thickets, watching 

 until the owner is absent, and then taking the opportunity to deposit her 

 egg. Two eggs have been found in one nest, but ISTuttall thinks that in 

 these cases one is always abortive. 



^\niy they do not approacli the Pacific Coast is somewhat strange, as tliey 

 are common near that of the Atlantic. The prevailing sea breeze is the 



