A MONG the first of the feathered 
race to appear in the early 
spring are the Bluebirds. 
Sometimes they arrive before 
the first of March, willing to brave its 
cold and bitter winds, so eager are 
they to return to New England. They 
are found almost everywhere in in¬ 
habited districts; in old orchards, 
along the country roadsides, and even 
at times in the parks of the great cit¬ 
ies. About May fifteenth the blue¬ 
birds build their nests in some con¬ 
cealed place, choosing by preference 
a hollow post, or a deserted wood¬ 
pecker's nest. Within it they build 
one of grass, seaweed, rags, or any¬ 
thing near at hand, and there are laid 
four pale blue eggs. About June fif¬ 
teenth the young birds are flying about 
with their parents. 
Another early comer is the Cow- 
bird. He has no song to speak of and 
little to bring him to our attention, ex¬ 
cept the fact that he is too lazy to build 
a home of his own in which to rear 
the young, and hence his mate lays her 
eggs in the nests of other birds. As 
Cowbirds’ eggs hatch more quickly 
than those of other birds, the young 
interloper has generally two or three 
days’ start of his nest fellows, with the 
result that he, being stronger and bet¬ 
ter developed, throws the lawful in¬ 
mates out. At any rate, whatever 
happens, he always fares well. The 
eggs of the Cowbird are white, thick¬ 
ly dotted with reddish brown, and she 
usually lays them in the nests of the 
Yellow Warbler, Pewee, or Indigo 
Bird. 
About April first, or a little later, 
some interesting birds will be met with 
in the thickest cedar-swamps. There 
the Screech Owl may be seen, blink¬ 
ing as if he could not quite make you 
out. Upon penetrating into the deep¬ 
est recesses of the swamp, one may 
suddenly hear a gutteral croak, and 
looking upward the eye encounters 
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