824 Eei'ort of State Geologist. 



young. They begin to leave early in August. August 16, 1897, at 

 9:15 p. m., Mr. Bamett heard one in ^^ermillion County flying south. 

 They sometimes are pairing when they arrive; again they mate soon 

 after arrival. They are very numerous in May, in southern Indiana — 

 one who has not observed them does not know how plentiful they are. 

 Then they frequent orchards, lawns, and woods. Both species are 

 called Rain Crow, Cow-Cow, and Wood Pigeon. 



I have seen them mating May 8 (1886), and as late as June 10 

 (1893). I have found their nest and eggs by May 20. Prof. B. W. 

 Evermann found a nest, with fresh eggs, June 30, 1885. They build 

 their nests in thick bushes, on ends of low Hmbs of trees, especially of 

 beech, and wild grape vines, from 5 to 15 feet high. The usual nest 

 is a mere pretense, a flimsy structure of a few sticks, with a few blos- 

 soms, generally of the oak, with us, upon which to lay the eggs. Occa- 

 sionally a very substantial nest is built — one such was found at Bloom- 

 ington, Ind., by my friend, Mr. 0. M. Meyncke. Often eggs are found 

 upon the ground, beneath the nest; either the bird flirts them out as 

 she leaves the nest or they are thrown out as the lim b or bush is 

 swayed by the wind. Incubation begins when the first egg is laid. 

 Young birds and eggs in various stages of incubation, some almost 

 fresh, are often found together. This and the next species occasionally 

 lay in each other's nests, also in the nests of other birds. They, how- 

 r^er, do not do this habitually, as the European Cuckoo does. 



Its common call, that may be heard throughout its stay, is Cook- 

 codk-cooh-cooh ; another call is. Cow-cow-cow-cow ;. another is. Ock- 

 ock-ock-och, sometimes changed into Ke-ocTc, ke-ock, ke-ock, ke-och. 



Pew birds are of so much service to the farmer. Especially are the 

 fruit growers and nurserymen its debtors. In early spring, they love 

 ilie orchard. I have known them to destroy every tent caterpillar 

 (Clitiorampa amcncana) in a badly infested orchard, and tear iip all 

 IJie nests in a half day. While they may have eaten some catei-pillais, 

 out of most of them the juices were squeezed and the hairy skin 

 dropped to Ihe ground. Almost e\ery watchful fruit grower has had 

 a similar experience. Prof. P. H. King found, upon examination, 

 that one had eaten nine larAiv of a species that destroys the foliage 

 of black wahiut trees. They also eat many oanker-worms. Of nine 

 spccimcjis dissected by \)y. B. H. Waa-ren, all but one had featen in- 

 sects, chiefly taken from shade and forest trees: these were beetles 

 and caterpillars, besides one had eaten grasshoppers and snails 

 (Helix), and one had oaten berries. While they occasionally eat 

 some of the smaller fruit, their ■s\-ork all summer long is to protect the 

 fruit tree from its enemies. Although it has been accused of robbing 



