COW-BIRD. —Cocci/gus Amcricdnus. 



ground, sliaded by a convenient tuft of grass. It is a large and rather clumsily con- 

 structed edifice ; liaving two apertures, through one of which the hen, while sitting, thrusts 

 her head, and through the other she pokes her tail. Tlie eggs are generally from 

 three to five in numlier, and are more spherical than is generally the case among birds. 

 Their colour is greyish white, sometimes blotched with brown, and they are remarkable 

 for the roughness of their shells. 



The colours of this bird are not brilliant, but are rich and warm in their tone and dis- 

 posed so as to form veiy bold markings. The upper surface of the body is black devoid 

 of gloss, with the exception of the shafts of the feathers ; wliich are highly polished and 

 glittering. The wing-coverts are brown mottled richly with black. The wings are ruddy 

 chestnut barred witli black, and tlie tail is dark brown glossed with green, freckled with 

 brown, barred with white, and tipped witli the same colour. The young birds are much 

 lighter in colour tluin their parents, are more liberally streaked, and have more white 

 about them. 



In a former part of this work, the reader was warned not to confound the cow-troopial 

 with the Cow-Bird which is here presented to his notice. 



Tliis bird is a native of America, and is one of the most familiar of the feathered tribes 

 which inhabit that country. The name of Cow-Bird is derived from the cry which sounds 

 like the word " Cow, cow !" constantly repeated. From the colour of its beak, it is some- 

 times known by tlie name of tlie Yellow-billed Cuckoo. It is one of the migrators, 

 arriving in Pennsylvania about the end of April, and returning to the south towards the 

 middle of September. Eespectmg this bird and its habits, Wilson has the following 

 interesting remarks : — 



"The singular, I will not say unnatural, conduct of the European Cuckoo (CticiiJiis 

 canorus), which never constructs a nest for itself, but drops its eggs in those of other 

 birds, and abandons them to their mercy and management, is so universally known, 

 and so proverbial, that the whole tribe of Cuckoos have, by sonu' inconsiderate people, 

 been stigmatised as destitute of all parental care and affection. Without attempting to 



