78 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 



XVII. COWBIRD. 



Molothrus ater (BoDD.). 



Summer resident; abundant. Arrive early in March 

 to first of April ; begin laying about the last of May ; 

 return in October ; occasionally linger into November. 



HABITAT. The United States, from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific ; north into the southern British possessions ; 

 south in winter to southern Mexico. 



Iris brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 



This widely distributed species are strictly gregarious 

 and polygamous in their habits, and indiscriminate caters 

 of seeds, grains, berries and insects. During the winter 

 months, in company with the Boboliiik and Red-winged 

 Blackbird, do much damage in the rice fields, and are to 

 be looked for in summer about the corrals and grazing 

 grounds, following the cattle and horses about over the 

 range to catch the flies that bite and annoy them; wel- 

 come friends, they are allowed to perch and rest upon 

 their backs at pleasure. In spring and early summer 

 the males, with raised feathers, spread tails and throats 

 puffed out, utter a guttural song, or rather attempt fit 

 one, which is no doubt pleasing to the females, but in 

 all of their amourous actions there appears to be but 

 little rivalry or jealousy a happy family of free-lovers. 



These birds never build a nest, but drop their eggs into 

 the nests of smaller birds ; in doing so, do not try to take 

 possession by force, but by stealth, during the absence of 

 the owners, and, as these birds are polygamous, exhibit no 

 conjugal affection or love for their offispring, leaving the 

 labor and care of hatching and rearing their young to 



