74 BRIGHT FPERATAE RS, 
Mr. Beard’s very happy account of this Warbler and its famous 
characteristic, is of too interesting a nature to be omitted. He says: 
“While the expanding leaves of tree and shrub retain the tender 
tints of pink, and the broad lily pads commence to mosaic the surface of 
the ponds with green, in perfect harmony with the bursting bud and 
opening flower comes the summer yellowbird, and from hedge and bush 
may be heard his song, as simple and pleasing as the tasteful but modest 
plumage that covers his little person. Almost immediately after the 
first appearance of these industrious little birds they commence their 
preparations for housekeeping. The male bird flies busily about select- 
ing such material as feathers, plants, fibers, the furze from ferns, the 
catkins from willows, and other similar objects, all of, which he brings 
to his mate, who arranges and fashions their delicate nest. So 
quickly and deftly do this little couple labor that they build the greater 
part of their house in a single day.” 
“There is often a third party interested in the construction of this 
nest, a homeless, happy-go-lucky Bohemian bird, who has a sort of 
tramp’s interest in the housekeeping arrangements of most of the smaller 
feathered denizens of copse and woods. This is. the well-known cow 
blackbird, who disdains to shackle her freedom with the care of a family 
and shifts a mother’s responsibility by farming her progeny out, while 
she seeks the incongruous but apparently congenial companionship of 
the cattle, with whom she appears to be on the most intimate terms.” 
“The cow blackbird: deposits. its eggs indiscriminately among the 
nests of smaller birds.. The blackbird’s eggs generally hatch out a day 
or two before the. adopted mother's own eggs, so, when the legitimate 
members of the family do. come, it is. to ;find their nest already occupied 
by the strong, lusty interlopers, who, on account of. their superior size 
