cow BUNTING. 



155 



" I had travelled nearly two miles along the margin of a creek. 

 " She entered every thick place, prying with the strictest scrutiny 

 " into places where the small birds usually build, and at last darted 

 " suddenly into a thick copse of alders and briars, where she re- 

 " mained five or six minutes when she returned soaring above the 

 " underwood, and returned to the company she had left feeding in 

 " the field. Upon entering the covert I found the nest of a Yellow- 

 " throat, with an egg of each. Knowing the precise time of de- 

 " posit, I noted the spot and date with a view of determining a 

 " question of importance, the time required to hatch the egg of the 

 " Cow-bird, which I supposed to commence from the time of the 

 " Yellow-throat's laying the last egg. A few days after, the nest 

 " was removed I knew not how, and I was disappointed. In the 

 " progress of the Cow-bird along the creek's side she entered the 

 " thick boughs of a small cedar, and returned several times before 

 " she could prevail on herself to quit the place; and upon exami- 

 " nation I found a Sparrow sitting on its nest, on which she no 

 " doubt would have stolen in the absence of the owner. It is I 

 " believe certain, that the Cow-pen finch never makes a forcible 

 " entry upon the premises by attacking other birds and ejecting 

 " them from their rightful tenements, altho they are all perhaps 

 " inferior in strength, except the Blue-bird, which, altho of a mild 

 " as well as affectionate disposition, makes a vigorous resistance 

 " when assaulted. Like most other tyrants and thieves they are 

 " cowardly, and accomplish by stealth what they cannot obtain by 

 " force. 



" The deportment of the Yellow-throat on this occasion is not 

 " to be omitted. She returned while I waited near the spot, and 

 " darted into her nest, but returned immediately and perched upon 

 " a bough near the place, remained a minute or two and entered 

 " it again, returned and disappeared. In ten minutes she returned 

 " with the male. They chattered with great agitation for half an 

 " hour seeming to participate in the affront and then left the place. 



