140 



i)ird r.rrivcs tVoin tlic South abuiit the iniddk' or hist of March, 

 and imiiiedlatcly cstahhshc:^ itself in the meadows and swanip.s. 

 About the iir.<t of ]\Iay tlic preparaticjns for building" ooni- 

 Hience. The nest is ])laccd in a low bnsh and is built oi 

 course grasses woven together and deeply hollowed. The 

 eggs, whieh :ire four or five in number, are of a light, blue 

 color, and are marked with streaks and blotches of brown and 

 ?>laek. This bird is rather injia-ious in its hal)its, as it eats a 

 good deal of corn and otlier grain. 



IcTKias 1>altim()j;e — Jiudtihon. 

 B.VLTiM( )!;!■: OifiOLE, (GoLT)EX RoHix.) — This is, perhaps, 

 the most beautiful bird in plumage and song we have. With 

 the colors of gold and orange-red contrasted Avith the black 

 on the wings, aud with a Aoiee of the purest harmony, it is 

 descrvedl}- a great faxorite. The nest of this bird is a very 

 curious alfair. It is commenced by winding and weaving to- 

 gether a lot of string, thread ravcllings, or anything else of 

 the sort, and binding the whole finally to the drooping branch 

 of an elm oi- willow tree. Thus a sort of [»on<'h is formed 

 five or six inches deep, i!i Avhich the nest proper is placed. 

 This consists princi[)ally of hair and a few fine grasses. The 

 «iru's arc four or iiv*,; in number and are of a l)luish-whitc 

 color, marked with.in-cgular spots and blotclics of dark brown 

 :ind I (lack. 



("<)i;\"rs Am KIM CAM s — Audubon. 

 TifK ('n.M.Mox Ciiow. — No bird has ever exci(cd so much 

 rontroversv and conunent as the Crow. At one tim(> all the 

 nii-ricultural j):ipcrs wer(^ continually saying something for or 

 ^igainst tin- bird, ;nid the question Avhether it is beneficial 

 or injurious has not yet been settled to the satisfaction of 

 all. In our opinion llic (Vow is very injurious, and Ave Avill 

 give a few reasons for this opinion. \t is Avell known to all 

 ikrmers that the ( Vow docs actually jiull up and eat a good 

 <k^al of corn. liut lliose Avho defend this bird say tliat the 

 insei'ts he destrovs eomjiensate for this Ios<. No«-, ii we 



