184 
COW BUNTING. 
the obliging writer for a few unimportant omissions which have 
been anticipated in the preceding pages. 
‘‘ I regret exceedingly that professional avocations have put 
“ it out of my power to have replied earlier to your favour of 
the nineteenth of September, and although I shall not now 
“ reflect all the light you desire, a faithful transcript from mem- 
“ oranda noted at the moment of observation, may not be alto- 
“ gether uninteresting. 
“ The Fringilla pecoris, is generally known in Maryland by 
“the name of the Cow Blackbird; and none but the naturalist 
“ view it as a distinct species. It appears about the last of March, 
“ or first week in April; though sometimes a little earlier when 
“ the spring is unusually forward. It is less punctual in its ap- 
“ pearance than many other of our migratory birds. 
“ It commonly remains with us till about the last of October; 
“ though unusually cold weather sometimes banishes it much 
“ earlier. It however sometimes happens that a few of them re- 
“ main with us all winter, and are seen hovering about our barns 
“ and farm-yards when straitened for sustenance by snow or 
“ hard frost. It is remarkable that in some years I have not 
“ been able to discover one of them during the months of July 
“ and August; when they have suddenly appeared in Septem- 
“ ber in great numbers. I have noticed this fact always imme- 
“ diately after a series of very hot weather, and then only. The 
“ general opinion is that they then retire to the deep recesses of 
“ the shady forest; but if this had been the fact, I should prob- 
“ ably have discovered them in my rambles in every part of 
“ the woods. I think it more likely that they migrate further 
“ north till they find a temperature more congenial to their feel- 
“ ings, or find a richer repast in following the cattle in a better 
“ pasture.* 
* “ It may not be improper to remark here, that the appearance of this bird 
“ in spring is sometimes looked for with anxiety by the farmers. If the horn- 
“ ed cattle happen to be diseased in spring they ascribe it to woi-ms, and con- 
“ sider the pm-suit of the birds as an unemng indication of the necessity of 
‘ ‘ medicine. Although tliis hypothesis of the worms infestmg the cattle so as 
