THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY 129 



These tuneful blackbirds congregate in large numbers 

 where the wild rice is ripening and make short excuTsions to 

 the farmers' fields, where they destroy some grain, it is 

 true, but so httle as compared with the quantity of in- 

 jurious insects and weed seed, that the debt is largely in 

 the red-wings' favor. 



The Cowbird 



Length — 7 to 8 inches. About one fifth smaller than the 

 robin. 



Male — ^Iridescent black, with head, neck, and breast 

 glistening, coffee-brown. 



Female — ^DuU, grayish brown above, a shade lighter below, 

 and streaked with paler shades of brown. 



Range — United States, from coast to coast. North into 

 British America, south into Mexico. 



Migrations — ^March. November. Common summer resi- 

 dent. 



This contemptible bird everyone should know if for no 

 better reason than to despise it. You will see it alone, or 

 in small flocks, walking about the pastures behind cattle; 

 or, in the western cattle country, boldly perching upon 

 their backs to feed upon the insect parasites — a pleasant 

 visitor for the cows. So far, so good. 



But the male cowbird's morals are awful, for he makes 

 violent love to any brownish-gray cowbird he fancies, but 

 mates with none. What should be his song is a squeaking 

 Umk tse-e-e, squeezed out with difficulty, or a gurgle, like 

 water being poured from a bottle. When he goes a-woo- 

 Ing, he behaves ridiculously, parading with spread wmgs 

 and tail and acting as if he were violently nauseated in the 



