296 
COW BUNTING. 
Yellow-throat, with an egg of each. Knowing the precise 
time of deposit, 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 examination, 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, although they are all perhaps inferior 
in strength, except the Blue Bird, which, although 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. I believe all the birds thus 
intruded on manifest more or less concern at finding the egg 
of a stranger in their own nests. Among these, the Sparrow 
is particularly punctilious ; for she sometimes chirps her 
complaints for a day or two, and often deserts the premises 
altogether, even after she has deposited one or more eggs. 
The following anecdote will shew, not only that the Cow-pen 
Finch insinuates herself slyly into the nests of other birds, but 
that even the most pacific of them will resent the insult. A 
