COW BUNTING. 
209 
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 
September in great numbers. I have noticed this fact 
always immediately 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 probably have dis- 
covered them in my rambles in every part of the woods. 
I think it more likely that they migrate farther north, 
till they find a temperature more congenial to their 
feelings, or find a richer repast in following the cattle 
in a better pasture.* 
“ In autumn, we often find them congregated with, 
the marsh blackbirds, committing their common depre- 
dations upon the ears of the Indian corn ; and at other 
seasons, the similarity of their pursuits in feeding 
introduces them into the same company. I could never 
observe that they would keep the company of any 
other bird. 
“ The cow-pen finch differs, moreover, in another 
respect, from all the birds with which I am acquainted. 
After an observance of many years, I could never dis- 
cover any thing like pairing , or a mutual attachment 
between the sexes. Even in the season of love, when 
* (i 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 horned cattle happen to be diseased in spring, they 
ascribe it to worms, and consider the pursuit of the birds as an 
unerring indication of the necessity of medicine. Although this 
hypothesis of the worms infesting the cattle so as to produce much 
disease is problematical, their superabundance at this season cannot 
be denied. The larvae of several species are deposited in the 
vegetables when green, and the cattle are fed on them as fodder 
in winter. This furnishes the principal inducement for the bird 
to follow the cattle in spring, when the aperient effects of the 
green grasses evacuates great numbers of worms. At this season 
the pecoris often stuffs its crop with them till it can contain no 
more. There are several species, but the most numerous is a small 
white one, similar to, if not the same as, the ascaris of the human 
species.” 
VOL. I. 
O 
