98 



VERTEBRATES : DIRDS. 



The Cowbird is larger than the BoboHnk, and is the 

 most singular bird in North America. For some reason 

 which is not understood 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 Cowbird 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 Cowbird 

 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 Cowbird is of 

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

 the female is light brown. 



The Red-winged Blackbird is nearlj' 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 



Fig. 140. — Meadow Lark. , , ^, 



larger than the 

 Robin ; the upper parts brown and brownish white, the 



