130 BIRDS OF OHIO. 



With us the Bobolink is both interesting and useful. His 

 irresistible burst of song is one of our treasures, and his 

 destruction of insects and weed seeds makes him an aid to 

 the farmer. But in the south he has found the rice fields a 

 never failing source of food, and often pays the penalty of 

 thieving with his life. The year through he is more useful 

 than harmful. 



178. (495.) MOLOTHRUS ATER (Bodd.). 115. 



Cowbird. 



Synonyms: Icterus pecoris, Molothrus pecoris, Fringi.Ha pecoris. 

 Cowbird, Cow Blackbird, Cow Troupial, Cow Bunting, Com- 

 mon Cowbird, Chuckold, Blackbird, Shinyeye, Lazy Bird, 



Clodhopper, Buffalo Bird. 

 Kirtland, Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 162, 180. 



It is hard to find anything good to say about this lazy 

 tramp. He is, unfortunately, common all summer over the 

 entire state, so that nowhere can the other birds find refuge 

 from his depredations. We may have small pity for the stu- 

 pidity of the other birds in permitting the alien egg to remain 

 in their nests to work the destruction of their own young, but 

 how different are we when we find a poor human waif which 

 somebody may be too lazy to care for? Some birds, par- 

 ticularly the larger ones, do throw the egg out of their nest, 

 but few of the smaller ones seem to make any effort to free 

 themselves of the incubus. The presence of a young Cow- 

 bird in the nest of a species which is smaller than the Cow- 

 bird, frequently results in the death of the rightful inhab- 

 itants of the nest, and so great damage is done in the de- 

 struction of really beneficial birds. 



There are perhaps two good things about the Cowbird. 

 It eats the insects and grubs which are more or less injuri- 

 ous to cattle, and which are found in the pastures among 

 the herds, and its flesh is good to eat ! Cowbird and Eng- 

 lish Sparrow should find their way to the bill of fare of our 

 hotels. They are dainty tidbits. Call them Ricebirds if 

 you prefer. 



The Cowbird reaches Ohio during the middle of March 

 and returns south late in October. It frequently associates 



