130 BIRDS OF OHIO. 
With us the Bobolink is both interesting and useful. His 
irresistible burst of song is one of our treasures, and his 
destruction of insects and weed seeds makes him an aid to 
the farmer. But in the south he has found the rice fields a 
never failing source of food, and often pays the penalty of 
thieving with his life. The year through he is more useful 
than harmful. 
178. (495.) MoLotHRus ATER (Bodd.). 115. 
Cowbird. 
Synonyms: Icterus pecoris, Molothrus pecoris, Fringilla pecoris. 
Cowbird, Cow Blackbird, Cow Troupial, Cow Bunting, Com- 
mon Cowbird, Chuckold, Blackbird, Shinyeye, Lazy Bird, 
Clodhopper, Buffalo Bird. 
Kirtland, Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 162, 180. 
It is hard to find anything good to say about this lazy 
tramp. He is, unfortunately, common all summer over the 
entire state, so that nowhere can the other birds find refuge 
from his depredations. We may have small pity for the stu- 
pidity of the other birds in permitting the alien egg to remain 
in their nests to work the destruction of their own young, but 
how different are we when we find a poor human waif which 
somebody may be too lazy to care for? Some birds, par- 
ticularly the larger ones, do throw the egg out of their nest, 
but few of the smaller ones seem to make any effort to free 
themselves of the incubus. The presence of a young Cow- 
bird in the nest of a species which is smaller than the Cow- 
bird, frequently results in the death of the rightful inhab- 
itants of the nest, and so great damage is done in the de- 
struction of really beneficial birds. 
There are perhaps two good things about the Cowbird. 
It eats the insects and grubs which are more or less injuri- 
ous to cattle, and which are found in the pastures among 
the herds, and its flesh is good to eat! Cowbird and Eng- 
lish Sparrow should find their way to the bill of fare of our 
hotels. They are dainty tidbits. Call them Ricebirds if 
you prefer. 
The Cowbird reaches Ohio during the middle of March 
and returns south late in October. It frequently associates 
