SUPPLEMENT. 



In the following pages we give all the wood-plates of birds con- 

 tained in Holder's American Fauna, with the descriptions of those 

 represented in the illustrations. 



Molothbos pboobis. Cow-bird, Cow Blackbird, Cow Bunting. — 

 As a summer visitor this bird is very common in the Northern States. 

 It derives its trivial name from the fact that it seems fond of the so- 

 ciety of cattle. They congregate in great numbers in the pastures 

 where the cattle feed, probably for seeds, worms, etc., found in the 

 excrement. A most unaccountable habit of this bird is that of lay- 

 ing its eggs in the nests of other and smaller birds. Frequently the 

 eggs are hatched and the young cared for by the foster-mother until 

 they are able to leave the nest. Occasionally a nest is found where 

 the unwelcome egg of the Cow-bird (which, in some instances, half 

 fills that of the little warbler) is excluded or covered by the material 

 of a new nest built over and within the old one. The Yellow-throat 

 and Eed-eyed Fly-catcher are victims of this annoyance from the 

 Cow-bird. When the egg of the latter is deposited before the right- 

 ful tenant has commenced laying, the nest is generally deserted. It 

 is believed that this bird does not build a nest, but relies entirely on 

 the good offices of other species. The Cow-bird is at all times gre- 

 garious and polygamous, never making and never exhibiting any 

 signs of either conjugal or parental affection. It is distributed 

 pretty generally throughout the United States, from the Atlantic 

 to the Pacific, though not found immediately on the Pacific coast. 

 In Maine it is considered rare. 



" From twelve to fourteen days is the usual time of incubation of 

 our small birds ; but, although I cannot exactly fix the precise period 

 requisite for the egg of the Cow Bunting, I think I can say almost 

 positively that it is a day or two less than the shortest of the above- 

 mentioned species. In this singular circumstance we see a striking 

 provision ; for did this egg require a day or two more, instead of so 

 much less, than those among which it has dropped, the young it 



