35 



COW'PIRD. 



{Molothrm Ater.) 

 This is a common and well-known bird, being found 

 in nearlj' all parts o£ the United States. It is a rusty 

 brown or black color, body long. Its peculiar habit of 

 not making a nest is the subject of much wonder. It 

 never possesses one of its own but deposits its eggs in 

 the nests of other birds which hatch them and feed 

 them till long after they are able to take care of them- 

 selves, and in so doing often meet with the misfortune 

 of losing their ow^n young. The eggs are dull gray or 

 drab thickl)^ freckled with brown. 



SWAMP BLACK BIRD. 



{Agelmus Phoeniceus.) 

 This is a bird familiar to us all, coming in early 

 spring along w^th their cousins they display their 

 crimson shoulders and greet us with their harsh note. 

 Their home is in the swamps and meadows where they 

 may be seen in numbers flying in all directions. Their 

 nests are placed in tussocks or woven in between high 

 weeds with strong stems. They display much sense 

 in thus suspending their nests. They are composed of 

 grass, mud, and seges, all placed tightly together. 

 The eggs are four in number, light blae, variously and 

 curiously marked with black often in the shape of fig- 

 ures or images. The crow black-bird is mostly the 

 same excepting the red shoulders and is a little larger. 

 They live mostly around our houses and delight to fill 

 the firs and evergreens with their nests which are large 

 and coarse. Eggs, four in number, resembling the last 

 described. 



