COW B UN TING. 2 8 7 



and mercy of strangers. More than two thousand years ago, 

 it was well known, in those countries where the bird inhabits, 

 that the cuckoo of Europe (Ouculus canorus) never built her- 

 self a nest, but dropped her eggs in the nests of other birds ; but, 

 among the thousands of different species that spread over that 

 and other parts of the globe, no other instance of the same 

 uniform habit has been found to exist, until discovered in the 

 bird now before us. Of the reality of the former there is 

 no doubt ; it is known to every schoolboy in Britain ; of the 

 truth of the latter I can myself speak with confidence, from 

 personal observation, and from the testimony of gentlemen, 

 unknown to each other, residing in different and distant parts 

 of the United States. The circumstances by which I became 

 first acquainted with this peculiar habit of the bird are as 

 follows : — 



I had, in numerous instances, found in the nests of three 

 or four particular species of birds, one egg, much larger, and 

 differently marked from those beside it. I had remarked that 

 these odd-looking eggs were all of the same colour, and 

 marked nearly in the same manner, in whatever nest they lay, 

 though frequently the eggs beside them were of a quite 

 different tint ; and I had also been told, in a vague way, that 

 the cow bird laid in other birds' nests. At length I detected 

 the female of this very bird in the nest of the red-eyed 

 flycatcher, which nest is very small, and very singularly con- 

 structed. Suspecting her purpose, I cautiously withdrew with- 

 out disturbing her ; and had the satisfaction to find, on my 

 return, that the egg which she had just dropped corresponded, 

 as nearly as eggs of the same species usually do, in its size, 

 tint, and markings, to those formerly taken notice of. Since 

 that time, I have found the young cow bunting in many 

 instances in the nests of one or other of these small birds. 

 I have seen these last followed by the young cow bird calling 

 out clamorously for food, and often engaged in feeding it ; and 

 I have now, in a cage before me, a very fine one, which six 

 months ago I took from the nest of the Maryland yellow- 



