426 ^ Brewer^s RemarJcs on 



" Should the cow-bird deposit its egg in a nest newly . 

 finished and as yet empty, the owners of the nest, not un- 

 frequently desert it." Did he not read the following pas- 



L 



sage In Nuttall ? " The only example perhaps^ to the con- 

 trary, of deserting the nest when solely occupied by the stray 

 egg, is in the blue-bird, who^ attached strongly to breed- 

 ing places, in which it often continues for several years,' 

 has been known to lay, though with apparent reluctance, 

 after the deposition of the cow-bird's egg." From this 

 we see, that the one leaves us to infer that the rule is not 

 universal, — the other plainly tells us so. Be this, how- 

 ever, as it may, an interesting circumstance, that fell under 

 my observation the present summer, places the question 

 beyond controversy, so far as the universality of the rule 

 is concerned. On the 10th of June, T found the nest of 

 a red-eyed vireo nearly finished. It was situated on the 

 extremity of a branch of an oak, at the height of about 

 thirty feet. As in its situation then, it was quite inacces- 

 sible, I succeeded in fastening a cord to the end of the 

 limb, and by bringing it nearer to the body of the tree 

 and securing it in that situation, I brought it within reach, 

 with a view of obtaining specimens of its eggs. Although 

 the nest was by this means nearly inverted, the bird did 

 not forsake it, but built up a new side where the nest had 

 been brought down, and thus adapted it to its new situa- 

 tion. This process rendered the nest of a very peculiarly 

 deep shape. About a fortnight after, on e^^amining the 

 nest, I found in it two eggs of the cow-troopial, consider- 

 ably advanced in incubation, althouo-h there were none of 

 the owners of the nest. On the 30th of the same month, 

 one egg of the vireo was found to have been added. This 

 had evidently been set upon but a few days ; those of the 

 cow-troopial appeared about to hatch. This fact is of the 



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