cow BUNTING. 159 



" would be proportioiiably elevated at the sides^ and tlierefore re- 

 " ceive as much or more warmth from the body of the incumbent 

 " than the other.* This principle would scarcely apply to the eggs 

 " of the Blue-bird, for they are nearly of the same size; if there be 

 " any difference it w^ould be in favor of the eggs of the builder of 

 " the nest. How do the eggs get out of the nest ? Is it by the size 

 " and nestling of the young Cow-bird.^ This cannot always be the 

 " case ; because in the instance of the Blue-bird^s nest in the hollow 

 " stump the cavity was a foot deep, the nest at the bottom, and the 

 " ascent perpendicular; nevertheless the eggs were removed altho 

 " filled with young ones; moreover, a young Cow-pen finch is as 

 " helpless as any other young bird, and so far from having the 

 " power of ejecting others from the nest, or even the eggs, that 

 " they are sometimes found on the ground under the nest, espe- 

 " cially when the nest happens to be very small. I will not assert 

 " that the eggs of the builder of the nest are never hatched; but 

 " I can assert that I have never been able to find one instance to 

 " prove the affirmative. If all the eggs of both birds were to be 

 " hatched, in some cases the nest would not hold half of them; for 

 " instance, those of the Sparrow, or Yellow-bird. I will not assert 

 " that the suppositious egg is brought to perfection in less time 

 " than those of the bird to which the nest belongs ; but from the 

 " facts stated, I am inclined to adopt such an opinion. How are 

 " the eggs removed after the accouchment of the spurious occu- 

 " pant? By the proprietor of the nest unquestionably; for this is 

 " consistent with the rest of her economy. After the power of 

 " hatching them is taken away by her attention to the young 

 " stranger, the eggs would be only an incumbrance, and there- 

 " fore instinct prompts her to remove them. I might add, that I 

 " have sometimes found the eggs of the Sparrow, in w hich were un- 



The ingenious writer seems not to be aware that almost all birds are in the habit, 

 while sitting, of changing the eggs from the center to the circumference, and vice versa, that 

 all of them may receive an equal share of warmth. 



