.K 



the Coto Blaclc-Bird. 433 



V 



ishing from hunger, were carefully and affectionately 

 nursed by the surviving male. Such things are of com- 

 mon occurrence among birds in general, but it is what 

 would hardly have been expected from the hated and 

 much injured cuckoo. 



Among the foster parents of the cow-troopial, Wilson 

 enumerates the blue-bird, the chipping-sparrow, the 

 golden-crowned thrush, the red-eyed fly-catcher, the 

 goldfinch, the Maryland yellow-throat, the white-eyed 

 fly -catcher, and the blue-grey flycatcher. To these 

 Audubon adds the summer yellow-bird. Nuttall adds 

 the indigo-bird, the song-sparrow, and Wilson's thrush. 

 Ord mentions the wood-thrush. To these may be added 

 the small pewee in the Society's collection, the purple- 

 finch in that of Mr. S. Cabot Jr., and the bay-winged finch 

 in my own. ^ 



1 must crave the indulgence of the Society for tres- 

 passing upon so much of their time. The importance of 

 having every new fact that is advanced in science duly 

 considered, must be my excuse. If I have hesitated 

 from insufBcient grounds, to dismiss old positions and 

 adopt the new ones of Mr. Ord, I trust I have given the 

 facts he brings forward, all the weight they deserve. If 

 I have felt called upon to notice and animadvert upon a 

 spirit of hostility towards co-laborers in the cause of 

 science, which but too clearly shows itself in his paper, 

 I trust I have done no more than every friend of fair and 

 honest criticism will be willing to do in similar cases, no 

 matter who be the ofiender. 



Since making the above communication, I have been 

 able to investigate with a little more fulness, the sub- 



VOL. I. PART IV. 56 



