RAVENS. 215 



The COW-BIRDS (Molothrus) constitute a group of Starlings distinguished by their short, 

 conical, sharply-pointed beaks, the upper mandible of which is almost straight, and compressed 

 towards its edges ; the wings are tolerably long, the three first feathers being of nearly equal length. 

 The tail is of moderate size, and straight at its extremity, the individual quills becoming broader 

 towards their tip ; the tarsi are compact, but rather high, and the soft plumage, which in the young 

 bird is brown, at a later period turns to a bright metallic blue. 



THE COW STARLING. 



The Cow Starling {Molothrus Icterus pecoris~) is the best known, or, perhaps, we should say, 

 the most notorious of these birds. The plumage of the male is simple in its coloration, but by no 

 means without beauty ; the head and neck are brown, the rest of the plumage brownish black, with a 

 blueish gloss upon the breast, and a green and blue shimmer on the back ; the eye is dark brown, the 

 beak and feet brownish black. The length of this species is about seven inches, and the span of its 

 wings eleven and a half inches ; the female is rather smaller, and her colour almost entirely brown, the 

 lower part of the body being of a lighter shade than the back. 



The Cow Starlings inhabit North America, where they frequent such marshy spots as are at no great 

 distance from pastures containing cows or horses, whose backs they relieve from many tormenting 

 parasites. In the northern parts of the United States these birds make their appearance in small 

 flocks about the end of March, frequently associating with parties of red-winged Troopials, and gradu- 

 ally increasing in numbers until their swarms become really formidable ; by the end of September they 

 have left the country in company with many of their feathered companions. Though bearing a great 

 resemblance to their congeners, there is much that is decidedly peculiar in their habits, more especially 

 as relates to the rearing of their young. Anything like family affection would seem to be quite 

 unknown amongst them, both male and female having many mates, and living in such entire 

 indifference as to each other's movements that the withdrawal of one of the party does not seem to 

 excite the slightest attention. Their eggs, moreover, are laid, like those of the Cuckoo, in the nest of 

 any other bird who may for a moment have left its young charge ; on more than one occasion we have 

 been much amused in following and watching a female Cow Starling as she flew anxiously about in the 

 woods, until she succeeded in finding a nest into which she might steal and deposit her eggs during 

 the absence of its owner. Should this, however, not be possible, force is often used to drive the 

 weaker bird from its brood until the object is accomplished. The egg of this species is small as com- 

 pared with the size of the mother ; it is usually pale blueish grey, marked with dark brown spots and 

 streaks, which are the most numerous at the broadest end (see Coloured Plate IV., fig. 3). According 

 to Audubon, the Cow-bird never deposits more than one egg at a time ; the resulting progeny, he 

 tells us, is soon hatched, and receives every care from its foster parents, who are, however, deserted 

 by their strange nursling as soon as it has strength enough to fly. 



The YELLOW or GOLDEN STARLINGS {Icteri) are distinguished from the rest of the 

 family by their superior size, and long, slender beaks, which are straight at the ridge and sharply 

 pointed towards the extremity ; the wings are of moderate size, the tail long, graduated at the sides, 

 and rounded at its tip ; the legs are strong, the toes powerful, and armed with sharp and crooked claws. 

 The plumage is principally of a yellow colour, the female in this respect resembling her mate, but the 

 young birds never exhibit the bunting-like markings that distinguish others of the family. 



The " Yellow Birds," as they are usually denominated, are inhabitants of the southern portions 

 of America, though by no means rare in its more northern countries, and must be regarded as holding 

 the same place in the Starling family as the Weaver Birds do amongst Finches, for their nests arc built 



