COW BUNTING. 293 



tant omissions which have been anticipated in the preceding 

 pages : — 



"I regret exceedingly that professional avocations have 

 put it out of my power to have replied earlier to your favour 

 of the 19th of September ; and although I shall not now 

 reflect all the light you desire, a faithful transcript from 

 memoranda, noted at the moment of observation, may not be 

 altogether uninteresting. 



" The Fringilla pecoris is generally known in Maryland 

 by the name of the cow blackbird ; and none but the natu- 

 ralist view it as a distinct species. It appears about the last of 

 March, or first week in April, though sometimes a little earlier 

 when the spring is unusually forward. It is less punctual in 

 its appearance than many other of our migratory birds. 



" It commonly remains with us till about the last of 

 October, though unusually cold weather sometimes banishes 

 it much earlier. It, however, sometimes happens that a few 

 of them remain with us all winter, and are seen hovering 

 about our barns and farmyards when straitened for suste- 

 nance by snow or hard frost. It is remarkable that in some 

 years I have not been able to discover one of them during 

 the months of July and August, when they have suddenly 

 appeared in September in great numbers. I have noticed 

 this fact always immediately after a series of very hot 

 weather, and then only. The general opinion is, that they 

 then retire to the deep recesses of the shady forest ; but, if 

 this had been the fact, I should probably have discovered 

 them in my rambles in every part of the woods. I think it 

 more likely that they migrate farther north, till they find a 

 temperature more congenial to their feelings, or find a richer 

 repast in following the cattle in a better pasture* 



* " It may not be improper to remark here, that the appearance of 

 this bird in spring is sometimes looked for with anxiety by the farmers. 

 If the horned cattle happen to be diseased in spring, they ascribe it to 

 worms, and consider the pursuit of the birds as an unerring indication 

 of the necessity of medicine. Although this hypothesis of the worms 

 infesting the cattle so as to produce much disease is problematical, 



