THE BOBOLINK — THE COW -BIRD. 35 
name, and is now the famous Rice-bird of the Caro- 
linas. 
“ Last stage of his career, behold him spitted 
with dozens of his corpulent companions, and served 
up a vaunted dish on the table of some Southern 
gastronome. 
u Such is the story of the Boblink : once spiritual, 
musical, admired, the joy of the meadows, and the 
favorite bird of spring ; finally a gross little sensual- 
ist, who expiates his sensuality in the larder. His 
story contains a moral worthy the attention of all 
little birds and little boys, warning them to keep to 
those refined and intellectual pursuits which raised 
him to so high a pitch of popularity during the early 
part of his career; but to eschew all tendency to that 
gross and dissipated indulgence which brought this 
mistaken little bird to an untimely end.” 
The Bobolink and the Cow-bird form a small 
group which connects the Finches with the true 
Blackbirds ; the shape of the bill showing their al- 
liance with the former, while the feet, wings, and 
other prominent characteristics, establish their posi- 
tion with the latter. The Meadow Lark and Hang- 
ing-birds (incorrectly called Orioles) belong also to 
this family, which differs very little from the Star- 
ling group of the Old World. 
The Cow-bird is one of those curiosities of Nature 
for whose singular habits it is difficult to account. 
Like the Cuckoo of Europe, the female builds no 
nest of her own, but confides the care of her young 
to various small birds, by watching their absence 
