

COW BUNTING 193 



curiosity. It soon became clamorous for food, and from that 

 moment the Red-bird seemed to adopt it as his own, feeding it 

 with all the assiduity and tenderness of the most affectionate 

 nurse. When he found that the grasshopper which he had 

 brought it was too large for it to swallow, he took the insect 

 from it, broke it in small portions, chewed them a little to sof- 

 ten them, and with all the gentleness and delicacy imaginable 

 put them separately into its mouth. He often spent several 

 minutes in looking at and examining it all over, and in picking 

 off any particles of dirt that he observed on its plumage. In 

 teaching and encouraging it to learn to eat of itself, he often re- 

 minded me of the lines of Goldsmith, 



He tried each art, reprov'd each dull delay, 

 Allur'd to " fav'rite food," and led the way. 



This Cow-bird is now six months old, is in complete plumage; 

 and repays the affectionate services of his foster parent with a 

 frequent display of all the musical talents with which nature 

 has gifted him. These, it must be confessed, are far from being 

 ravishing; yet for their singularity are worthy of notice. He 

 spreads his wings, swells his body into a globular form, bristling 

 every feather in the manner of a turkey cock, and with great 

 seeming difficulty utters a few low, spluttering notes, as if pro- 

 ceeding from his belly; always, on these occasions, strutting in 

 front of the spectator with great consequential affectation. 



To see the Red-bird, who is himself so excellent a performer, 

 silently listening to all this guttural splutter, reminds me of the 

 great Handel contemplating a wretched cat-gut scraper. Perhaps, 

 however, these may be meant for the notes of love and grati- 

 tude, which are sweeter to the ear, and dearer to the heart, than 

 all the artificial solos or concertos on this side heaven. 



The length of this species is seven inches, breadth eleven 

 inches; the head and neck is of a very deep silky drab; the up- 

 per part of the breast a dark changeable violet; the rest of the 

 bird is black, with a considerable gloss of green when exposed 

 to a good light; the form of the bill is faithfully represented in 



VOL. n. B b 



