84 



VEETEBEATES: BIRDS. 



The Cow-Bird is larger than the Bobolink, and is the 

 most singular bird in North America. For some reason 

 which is not miderstood it never makes a nest, but, like 

 the European Cuckoo, stealthily lays its eggs, only one 

 in a place, in the nests of Warblers, Flycatchers, Blue- 

 birds, Sparrows, and the Golden-crowned Thrush. The 

 egg is grayish blue, marked with brown dots and short 

 streaks. And it is a curious fact that this egg hatches 

 before the eggs of the bird in whose nest it is laid. As 

 soon as the young Cow-Bird is hatched, the foster- 

 parents leave their own eggs to get food for it, and 

 hence the young in their eggs die, and the eggs are 

 soon thrown from the nest. Then the young Cow-Bird 

 receives the whole attention of those that have been 

 compelled to adopt it, and they feed it till long after 

 it can fly, and until it is larger than the foster-parents 

 themselves. The head and neck of the Cow-Bird is of 

 a chocolate color, the rest of the body lustrous black ; 

 the female is light brown. 



The Red-winged Blackbird is nearly as large as the 

 robin, shining black, with the shoulder and a part of the 

 wing bright crimson. The female is of a dusky color. 



It is common 

 about ponds 

 and marshes, 

 and builds its 

 nest in low 

 bushes or tufts 

 of sedges. 



The Meadow 

 Lark is rather 

 larger than the 

 robin ; the upper parts brown and brownish white, the 



Rg. 140. — Meadow Lark. 



