cow BUNTING. 
217 
Mature have been effaced, and artificial ideas have occu- 
pied their places. The pleasure I formerly received in 
■''iewing and examining the objects of nature, are, how- 
ever, not entirely forgotten ; and those ivhich remain, 
*f they can intei est you, are entirely at your service. 
With the sincerest n ishes for the success of your useful 
and arduous undertaking, — I am, dear sir, yours, very 
fespectfully, Nathaniel Potter.” 
To the above very interesting detail, I shall add the 
following recent fact, which fell under my own observa- 
I f'on, and conclude mv account of this singular species. 
In the month of .luly last, 1 took from the nest of the 
Maryland yellow-throat, whiidi was built among the dry 
leaves at the root of a brier bush, a young male cow 
•'Untino-, which filled and occupied the whole nest. I 
had previously watched the motions of the foster parents 
W imwe than an hour, in order to ascertain whether 
'‘tly more of their young were lurking about or not ; 
?iid was fully satisfied that there were none. They had, 
’1 all probability, perished in the manner before raen- 
f’oned. I took' this bird home with me, and placed it 
’Q the same cage with a red-bird (loxia cardinalis^, 
I ''"lio, at first, and for several minutes after, examined it 
I tlosely, and seemingly with great curiosity. It soon 
hecame clamorous for food, and, from that moment, the 
’’t^d-bird seemed to adopt it as his own, feeding it with 
®ll the assiduitv and tenderness of the most aflcct.ionate 
durse. When'he found tliat the gi-asshoppcr which he 
"ad broue-ht it was too large for it to swallow, he took 
fl'e insect from it, broke it in small portions, chewed 
I f'>em a little to soften them, .and, u ith all the gentleness 
and delicacy imaginable, put them separately into^its 
*"outh lie often spent several minutes in looking 
“t and’ examining it aU over, and in iiickiug off any 
! particles of dirt that he observed on its plmuagc. In 
^^acliiuo* and eiiconra^inj^ it to loaru to cat ot itself, ho 
"Iten reminded me ol the lines ol (.Toldsmith, 
He tried each art, reproved enrb dull delay, 
Allured to fav' rite food," and led the way. 
