MOLOTHRUS RUFOAXILLARIS. 89 



was aroused by a shrill note, as of a bird in distress, issuing from the 

 neighbourhood of the Lefiatero's nest ; after hearing it repeated at 

 intervals for over twenty minutes, I went to ascertain the cause. Two 

 Bay-wings flew up from the ground under the nest, and on searching 

 in the rank clover growing under the tree, I discovered the female 

 Lenatero, with plumage wet and draggled, trembling and appearing 

 half dead with the rough treatment she had experienced. I put her in 

 the sun> and after half an hour, hearing her mate calling, she managed 

 to flutter feebly away to join him. The persecutors had dragged her 

 out of the nest, and would, no doubt, have killed her, had I not come 

 so opportunely to the rescue. 



Since writing the above, I have continued to watch the nest. Both 

 the Bay- wings and Leiiateros left it for some days. Six days after 

 picking up the ill-treated female, the Leiiateros came back and resumed 

 possession. Four days later the Bay-wings also came back; but on 

 finding the nest still occupied, they took possession of an unfinished 

 oven of an Oven-bird on another tree within twenty yards of the first, 

 and immediately began carrying in materials with which to line it. 

 When they had finished laying I took their five eggs, at the same time 

 throwing down the oven, and waited to see what their next move 

 would be. They remained on the spot singing incessantly, and still 

 manifesting anxiety when approached. I observed them four days, and 

 then was absent from home as many more ; on returning, I found that 

 the Lenateros had once more disappeared, and that the nest was now 

 held by the Bay-wings. I also noticed that they had opened an 

 entrance very low down at the side of the nest which they were using ; 

 no doubt they had killed and thrown out the young Lenateros. 



It was now early in November, the height of the breeding-season, 

 and numbers of Common Cow-birds constantly visited the nest ; but I 

 was particularly interested in a pair of Screaming Cow-birds that had 

 also began to grow fond of it, and I resolved to watch them closely. 

 As they spent so much of their time near the nest, showing great soli- 

 citude when I approached it, I strongly hoped to see them breed in it, 

 if the Bay-wings could only be got rid of. The Screaming Cow-birds 

 would not, or dared not, attack them ; and, as I always think that the 

 worst possible use one can put a little bird to is to shoot it, I could 

 not help them by destroying the Bay-wings. I therefore resolved 

 to take their eggs, hoping that that would cause them to leave in 

 disgust. 



When I was satisfied from their movements that they had finished 

 laying, I got up to the nest, and was astonished to find ten eggs instead 

 of five, as 1 had confidently expected ; for, though the Common Cow- 



