
THE COW BLACKBIRD. 293. 
than their intruding nest-mate, almost always perish. In the 
5 latter part of May, and during Jne, the young Cow-birds 
l may be seen flitting through the woods and orchards; but at 
E this time of the year they do not frequent the open fields as 
the adult birds do. They do not entirely disappear until 
July, when most of the small birds have raised their first 
broods. In September they return in flocks along with the 
old birds. They do not attain their full plumage until the 
following spring. 
It is not often that the Cow-bird lays her egg in an empty 
nest, but I have known of one or two instances of the kind. 
In such cases the owner always, as far as I can learn, deserts 
her nest. But if, as is almost always the case, she has laid 
one or two eggs before the parasite has deposited her's, she 
will generally remain, though often with apparent reluc- 
tance. Some birds, however, will often desert their nests 
even if they have laid in them first, as the Song Sparrow 
and Wood Thrush. At times some birds show great inge- 
nuity in getting rid of the intruding egg, by building a 
second floor to the nest, above the egg, thus completely 
covering it up. The Yellow Warbler, a frequent victim of 
the Bunting, often adopts this method of freeing herself 
m the annoying parasite; and I have known the Song 
Sparrow to adopt the same plan. An instance is on record 
in which a Yellow Warbler, having built a second floor to 
. her nest over an egg of the Cow-bird, found another egg of 
the same bird laid upon her second story, whereupon she 
Went to work again and built a third floor over the second — 
.*88. I have known the Cow Bunting to lay her egg on the 
Second story of a nest, but the bird, in this instance, de- 
 Serted her nest. : 
. The notes of the Cow Blackbird are not many in number, 
mer musical in tone. When flying, the male utters a whist- 
ding sort of note, composed of two syllables. At other 
times, when perched upon a tree, he utters his love-song, 
Which is composed of two loud preliminary notes, 




















