43^' C O-W BLA CKBIRD. 



Ydunr/ frm-aTc. Similar tn tlie ndult, but (Inrker, witli a more decided gloss to the feathers alxive. There are indica^ 

 tions of du^ky maxillary lines, and the streakings lielo-n' are more ]iromiiient. 



Nrsllinrjs. Similar to the young female, liut streaked Iielow with yellowish- white,, the throat is ovcrwa.shed with yel- 

 Jow. There are decided maxillary littes, apd imiications (jf whitish wim; bars. 



OISSEiiVATIONS. 



There is a general uniformity ofootoration, among the males, hut the feiiKiles vary somewhat for there arc occasionally 

 maxillary lines and some arc darker aliovo than uthei-s. There are seldom any hlack featliei-s in this sex hut a specimen ia 

 the e(.>lloction of blasters Edward A. and Outram Bangs has a patch on one side of the Ijreast and a few feathers on other jior- 

 tions tipix'd with black, giving it a singiUar ap])earaace. This species assumes a plumage quite similar totheadult the 

 fiist season ami, contrary to the rule among this Order, the nestlings moult the wing and tail feathei's. These are much 

 broader in tlie liiNt jiluiriage than in the second, and the barbs of the webs are much farther ajiart giving tlie feathers a 

 coai'se apiicarauce. Thus 1 find that a secondary of tliefii-st jjluniage has five barbs to every ten hundredths of an inch- 

 while there are only four in one of the second, both feathei's being taken frcan the same specimen. The feathei's are alsO' 

 broader at fii-st, and uniler the microscope the barbules are seen to be wider and provided with i)ectinati(ms on both sides 

 as far a.s the curve wliich serves to interlock them with neiglilioring barbules. Known from all others by the jdumage a-i 

 described. Distributed in summer throughout the Middle and Southern sections of the United States. Winters in the 

 Southern States as far south as Northern Florida. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of ten male spechuens. Length, 7'69; stretch, I3*58; wing, 4'.'?7; tail, 2'(),'); bill, "07; tarsus, 

 -95. Longest specimen, 7'75; greatest extent ofwing, IS-fiS; longest wing, 4-45; tail, 3-15; bill, -fiS; tarsus, TOO. Shortest 

 specimen, 7-61; smallest extent ofwing, i:$-53; shortest wing, 4-30; tail,, 'Z-fO; bill, -6.5; tai-sus, 'OO. 



Average measurements of fourteen female specimens. Length, G'82; stretch, 11 'HO; wing, S'S.'j; tail, iJ'.').'5; bill, T)0; tar- 

 sus, 'fiO. Longest specimen, C'fil; greatest extent of wing, 1"3"00; longest wing, 3-9.5: tail, 2'(i(); bill, "05; tarsus, ■9,5. 

 Shortest s]K;cimea, 7' 12; smallest extent ofwing, ITGl; shortest wing, 3'70; tail, 2'40; bill, "55; tarsus, '85. 



DESCRIPTION OF EGGS. 

 Eijys, elliptical infonn, ashy-white in color, spotted ami blotched irregularly with yellowish-brown and lilac. Some- 

 times the eggs will be nearly white, there being butfcw spots, while oceasi(mally thesurface will be so covered thattheback 

 gnmnil is quite oliscured. They vary greatly in size also as will be seen in the following measurements. Dimensioas 

 from -00, X -72. to -DS.s 80. 



HABITS. 



Far back in my childhood, when all nature was full of delightful mysteries, I noticed 

 a Chipping SpaiTow busily engaged in feeding a young bird that was nearly double its own 

 size. This singular reversing of the usual order of things attracted my attention and, al- 

 though I Avas too young to follow up the matter that season, I never forgot the incident. 

 Then little by little the problem became solved and one of the fii-st unaided discoveries 

 that I ever made in Ornithology was the parasitical habits of the Cow Blackbird. I pre- 

 sume that there is scarcely a person in the country who is at all interested in birds, but 

 what is aware of the singular propensity of the Cow Blackbird to deposit its eggs in the 

 nests of other birds. They are also quite singular in almost all of their habits especially 

 when breeding. 



They arrive in New England during the latter part of March or early in April in com- 

 pany with other Blackbirds, being seldom seen in flocks by themselves at this season. The 

 males arrive first, and as soon as the females make their appearance, associate in small 

 companies. The former named sex predominate, there being at least three of them to one 

 female. At this time the males have a singular song that consists of two notes which, 

 although given with great energy and evidently costing the bird a great effort, are far from 

 being musical; for it is a kind of hiss combined with a croak. The Cow Birds are capable 

 of uttering a much better song, and one that I kept in confinement would give a series of 

 beautiful, liquid notes and never indulged in the uncouth performance above described 



