504 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



ing arrangements of most of the smaller feathered 

 denizens of copse and woods. This is the well- 

 known cow blackbird, who disdains to shackle her 

 freedom with the care of a family, and shifts a 

 mother's responsibility by farming her progeny 

 out, while she seeks the incongruous but apparently 

 congenial companionship of the cattle, with whom 

 she appears to be on the most intimate terms. 



THE COW BLACKBIRD 



deposits its eggs indiscriminately among the nests 

 of smaller birds. The blackbird's eggs generally 

 hatch out a day or two before the adopted mother's 

 own eggs, so, when the legitimate members of the 

 family do come, it is to find their nest already oc- 

 cupied by the strong, lusty interlopers, who, on 

 account of their superior size and strength, come 

 in for the lion's share of all the food brought to 

 the nest. Thus the innocent parents 



REAR THE ALIENS, WHILE THEIR OWN YOUNG 

 STARVE. 



It is really a pitiable sight to see a couple of little 

 greenlets anxiously searching from daybreak till 

 evening for food to fill the capacious crop of one 

 or more young cow blackbirds, considerably larger 

 than the foster parents themselves. 



The summer yellowbird, though confiding little 

 creatures, are not readily duped or imposed upon. 

 Their instinct is sufficiently near reason for them 



