U LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



pugnacity of disposition and pertinacity of character, which 

 characterize his near cousin. 



When the young- are hatched, they are objects of the most 

 earnest devotion and deepest solicitude upon the part of the 

 parents, who labor to outdo each other in deeds ot love and 

 acts of attention. 



The young are fed upon earthworms, the larva? of ephe- 

 merids, I^acJinostcrua qucrcina^ and Zerene catenaria; and 

 when older, upon mature forms of OEdipoda uebnlosa* CK. 

 sulphttrea, Acheta nigra* various dragon-flies, and moths 

 of the family Noctnidcz. In about three weeks the young 

 are able to quit the nest, and in fifteen days more, sever their 

 connection with the family-circle and seek their own living. 

 But a single brood is reared in a season 



In some points of character, this species resembles C. 

 America/ins, but lacks its thievish propensities. This has 

 been our expeiience, although Audubon accuses them of 

 stealing the eggs and young of other birds, and especially 

 was this noticed on the Florida Keys, where they even had 

 the courage to plunder the nests of the Cormorants and those 

 of the Ibis alba of Vieill. Its bill of fare is voluminous and 

 various, and both vegetable and animal in character. A fisher 

 by trade, it holds all other occupations at a discount. We 

 have detected remains of the following insects in our numer- 

 ous stomach-examinations : CEdipoda Carolina, CE. neb- 

 nlosa, CE. sulpJnirea, Acheta nigra, Pangus caliginosus, 

 Rhynchcenus strobi, Stomoxys calcitrans, Culex t&nior- . 

 hynchus, Anisopteryx vernata, Zerene catenaria, Spilo- 

 soma -cirginica, Callimorpha Lccontei, and many neurop- 

 terous and lepidopterous forms. Among vertebrate types, 

 remains of Rhinichthys atronasus, Plargyrus americanus, 

 Hypsolcpis cormitus, and others among fishes ; with Pseudot- 

 riton rubcr and Spelerpes longicauda. 



Wilson found them feeding upon the reptiles that frequented 

 the various rivers and ponds of Mississippi. The cow-yards 

 were also visited. During the shad and herring fisheries 



