cow BUNTING 



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" the small birds had despoiled the nest, a Coluber was found 

 " coiled in the hollow, and the eggs sucked. 



" Agreeably to my observation, all the young birds destined 

 " to cherish the young Cow-bird are of a mild and affectionate dis- 

 " position ; and it is not less remarkable, that they are all smaller 

 " than the intruder; the Blue-bird is the only one nearly as large. 

 " This is a good natured mild creature, altho it makes a vigorous 

 " defence when assaulted. The Yellow-throat, the Sparrow, the 

 " Goldfinch, the Indigo-bird, and the Blue-bird, are the only birds 

 " in whose nests I have found the eggs or the young of the Cow- 

 " pen finch, tho doubtless there are some others. 



" What becomes of the eggs or young of the proprietor ? This 

 " is the most interesting question that appertains to this subject. 

 " There must be some special law of nature which determines that 

 " the young of the proprietors are never to be found tenants in 

 " common with the young Cow-bird. I shall offer the result of 

 " my own experience on this point, and leave it to you and others 

 " better versed in the mysteries of nature than I am to draw your 

 " own conclusions. Whatever theory may be adopted the facts 

 " must remain the same. Having discovered a Sparrow's nest 

 " with five eggs, four and one, and the Sparrow sitting, I watched 

 " the nest daily. The egg of the Cow-bird occupied the centre, 

 " and those of the Sparrow were pushed a little up the sides of the 

 " nest. Five days after the discovery I perceived the shell of the 

 " Finch's egg broken, and the next the bird was hatched. The 

 " Sparrow returned while I was near the nest, with her mouth full 

 " of food with which she fed the young Cow-bird with every pos- 

 " sible mark of affection, and discovered the usual concern at my 

 " approach. On the succeeding day only two of the Sparrow's 

 " eggs remained, and the next day there were none. I sought in 

 " vain for them on the ground and in every direction. 



" Having found the eggs of the Cow-bird in the nest of a Yel- 

 " low-throat, I repeated my observations. The process of incu- 



VOL. II. R r 



