426 
Brewer’s Remarks on 
“ Should the cow-bird deposit its egg in a nest newly- 
finished and as yet empty, the owners of the nest, not un- 
frequently desert it.” Did he not read the following pas- 
sage in Niittall ? “ The only example perhaps, to the con- 
trary, of deserting the nest when solely occupied by the stray 
egg, is in the blue-bird, who, attached strongly to breed- 
ing places, in which it often continues for several years, 
has been known to lay, though with apparent reluctance, 
after the deposition of the cow-bird’s egg.” From this 
we see, that the one leaves us to infer that the rule is not 
universal, — the other plainly tells us so. Be this, how- 
ever, as it may, an interesting circumstance, that fell under 
my observation the present summer, places the question 
beyond controversy, so far as the universality of the rule 
is concerned. On the 10th of June, I found the nest of 
a red-eyed vireo nearly finished. It was situated on the 
extremity of a branch of an oak, at the height of about 
thirty feet. As in its situation then, it was quite inacces- 
sible, I succeeded in fastening a cord to the end of the 
limb, and by bringing it nearer to the body of the tree 
and securing it in that situation, I brought it within reach, 
with a view of obtaining specimens of its eggs. Although 
the nest was by this means nearly inverted, the bird did 
not forsake it, but built up a new side where the nest had 
been brought down, and thus adapted it to its new situa- 
tion. This process rendered the nest of a very peculiarly 
deep shape. About a fortnight after, on examining the 
nest, I found in it two eggs of the cow-troopial, consider- 
ably advanced in incubation, although there were none of 
the owners of the nest. On the 30th of the same month, 
one egg of the vireo was found to have been added. This 
had evidently been set upon but a few days ; those of the 
cow-troopial appeared about to hatch. This fact is of the 
'*■»* nr » Ait vt> .. 
the Cow Black-Bird. 427 
most satisfactory nature, for not only one, but actually two 
eggs of the cow black-bird were deposited, and instead 
of being forsaken, were set upon at least a week before 
the bird was ready to lay any of her own eggs. And 
though repeatedly disturbed, first by having her empty 
and unfinished nest nearly inverted, then by having the 
eggs of the cow-troopial removed and afterwards replaced, 
in order to put their identity beyond a doubt, and again 
by having her own egg removed, she still clung to her 
adopted offspring, with unexampled fidelity. 
Again, we find the following paragraph, in which, by 
his unwarranted deductions, he is guilty of great injustice 
to Mr. Nuttall : “ There is a passage in Mr. Nuttall’s 
history of the blue-grey fly-catcher, which I cannot for- 
bear quoting, as it involves one of the most preposterous 
ideas that ever entered into the brain of a naturalist. 
After describing the nest of the fly-catcher, our author 
adds, ‘ In this frail nest, the cow-troopial sometimes 
deposits her egg, and leaves her offspring to the care ot 
these affectionate and pigmy nurses. In this case, as 
with the cuckoo in the nest of the yellow wren, and that 
of the red-tailed warbler, the egg is probably conveyed 
by the parent, and placed in this small and slender cradle, 
which could not be able to sustain the weight, or receive 
the body of the intruder.’ ” “ It seems,” observes Mr. 
Ord, “ that some astute observers have lately discovered 
that the European cuckoo is in the habit of transporting 
her egg in her mouth, when the situation of the nest of 
her selected nurse (a hole in the wall for instance) should 
seem to hinder her ingress to it. Mr. Nuttall, seizing 
upon this idea, does not hesitate to conjecture that the 
same stratagem is practised by our cow-bunting in the 
case instanced by him.” What right has he to assume 
/Cl 
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