192 COW BUNTING. 



" sical. The sort of simple cackling complaint it utters at be- 

 " ing disturbed, constitutes also the expression of its pleasure 

 " at finding its companions, varying only in a more rapidly re- 

 " peated monotony. The deportment of the male, during his 

 " promiscuous intercourse with the other sex, resembles much 

 " that of a pigeon in the same situation. He uses nearly the 

 " same gestures; and by attentively listening you will hear a 

 " low, guttural sort of muttering, which is the most agreeable 

 " of his notes, and not unlike the cooing of a pigeon. This, Sir, 

 "is the amount of my information on this subject; and is no 

 " more than a transcript from my notes made several years ago. 

 " For ten years past since I have lived in this city, many of the 

 " impressions of nature have been effaced, and artificial ideas 

 "have occupied their places. The pleasure I formerly received 

 " in viewing and examining the objects of nature, are, however, 

 "not entirely forgotten; and those which remain, if they can 

 " interest you, are entirely at your service. With the sincerest 

 " wishes for the success of your useful and arduous undertaking, 

 "I am, dear Sir, 



" Yours, very respectfully, 



"NATHANIEL POTTER." 



To the above very interesting detail I shall add the following 

 recent fact which fell under my own observation, and conclude 

 my account of this singular species. 



In the month of July last I took from the nest of the Mary- 

 land Yellow-throat, which was built among the dry leaves at 

 the root of a briar bush, a young male Cow Bunting, which fill- 

 ed and occupied the whole nest. I had previously watched the 

 motions of the foster parents for more than an hour, in order to 

 ascertain whether any more of their young were lurking about 

 or not; and was fully satisfied that there were none. They had 

 in all probability perished in the manner before mentioned. I 

 took this bird home with me, and placed it in the same cage 

 with a Red-bird (Loxia cardinalis), who, at first, and for seve- 

 ral minutes after, examined it closely, and seemingly with great 



