824 Uiii'ouT OF State (Jeologist. 



3'()iiiig. Tliey begin to leave early in August. August IG, 1897, at 

 9:15 p. m., Mr. Baniett heard one in Vermillion County flying south. 

 'Pliey sometimes are pairing when they arrive; again they mate soon 

 after arrival. They are very numerous in May, in southern Indiana — 

 one who has not observed them does not know how plentiful they are. 

 Then they frequent orchards, lawns, and woods. Both species are 

 called Rain Crow, Cow-Cow, and Wood Pigeon. 



I have seen them mating May 8 (1886), and as late as June 10 

 (1893). I have found their nest and eggs by May 20. Prof. B. W. 

 Evermajin found a nest, with fresh eggs, June 30, 1885. They build 

 their nests in thick bushes, on ends of low limbs of trees, especially of 

 beech, and wild grape vines, from 5 to 15 feet high. The usual nest 

 is a mere pretense, a flimsy structure of a few sticks, with a few blos- 

 soms, generally of the oak, with us, upon which to lay the eggs. Occa- 

 sionally a very substantial nest is built — one such was found at Bloom- 

 ington, Ind., by my friend, Mr. 0. M. Meyncke. Often eggs are found 

 upon the ground, bcnecath the nest; either the bird flirts them out as 

 she loaves the nest or they are thrown out as the limb or bush is 

 swayed by the wind. Incubation begins when the first egg is laid. 

 Young birds and eggs in various stages of incubation, some almost 

 fresh, are often found together. This and the next species occasionally 

 lay in each other's nests, also in the nests of other birds. They, how- 

 c\or, do not do this habitually, as the European Cuckoo does. 



Its common call, that may be heard throughout its stay, is Cook- 

 coolc-cooik-cook : another call is, Gow-cow-cow-cow ; another is, Ocl-- 

 oeh-och-ocTc, sometimes changed into Ke-ock, ke-ock, ke-ock, ke-ock. 



Few birds are of so much seiwice to the farmer. Especially are the 

 fruit growers and nurserymen its debtors. In early spring, they love 

 the orchard. I have known them to destroy every tent caterpillar 

 (Clisiocampa amcricana) in a badly infested orchard, and tear up all 

 the nests in a half day. "While they may have eaten some caterpillai's, 

 out of most of them the juices were squeezed and the hairy skin 

 dro|)])ed to the ground. Almost every watchful fruit grower has had 

 a similar experience. Prof. F. II. King found, upon examination, 

 llial one had eaten nine lai'v;v of a speeies that destroys the foliage 

 of black walnut trees. They also eat many canker-worms. Of nine 

 specimens dissec-ted by Dr. Ix IT. WarrtMi. all but one had eaten in- 

 sects, chiefly taken from shade and forest tives; these were beetles 

 and caterpillars, besides one had eaten gra,sshoppers and snails 

 (Helix), and one had eaten berries. While they occasionally eat 

 some of the smaller fruit, their work all summer long is to protect the 

 fruit tree from its enemies. Although it has been accused of robbine: 



