. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Birds; Natural history; Oiseaux; Sciences naturelles. BLUE lUKl) AND COW BlIH). , iiiul will alwiivs isli. n'h);o' my dwelling. One day when the uest was nearly iinished I discovered a female Cow liird perched upon a stake fence near, her eyes apparently fixed upon the spiit, ^^hile the builder was busy adjusting her nest. The moment she left it the iiitiudi'r dashed into it, and in five minutes returned and rushed off to her companions witli noisy delight, which she expressed by her gestures and notes. The blue-bird soon ivturned, and entere
. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Birds; Natural history; Oiseaux; Sciences naturelles. BLUE lUKl) AND COW BlIH). , iiiul will alwiivs isli. n'h);o' my dwelling. One day when the uest was nearly iinished I discovered a female Cow liird perched upon a stake fence near, her eyes apparently fixed upon the spiit, ^^hile the builder was busy adjusting her nest. The moment she left it the iiitiudi'r dashed into it, and in five minutes returned and rushed off to her companions witli noisy delight, which she expressed by her gestures and notes. The blue-bird soon ivturned, and entered the nest, but instantaneously iluttered back M-ith much ap])areiit hesitation and perched n])(>n the highest branch of the tree, uttering a rapidly repeated iiiite of complaint and resentment, which soon brought the male, who vociferated his feelings by every demonstration of the most vindictive resentment. They entered the nest together, and returned a second time, uttering their uninterrui)ted complaint for ten or lifleeii minutes. The male then dashed away to the neighbouring trees, as if hi (piest of the offender, and fell upon a cat-liird, Mlii(di he chastised severely and then attacked an innocent sparrow that was chiiping its ditty in a lieech-tree. Notwithstanding the alfnint was so i)itssionately rc^^ented, 1 found the Cow liird had laid an egg the next day. rerlia]is, a h'liaiit less attaidied to a favourite spot would have acted more fastididusly by deserting the pri'iaises altogether, lu this instance also I determined to watch the occurrences that were to follow ; but on one of my morning visits I found the common enemy of the eggs and young of all the small birds had despoiled the nest—a coluber was found coiled at the bottom, and the eggs sucked. Agreeably to my observation, all the young birds destined to cherish the young Cow Bird are of a mild and affectionate disposition, and it is not less remarkable that they are all smaller than the intruder: the bl
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Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectnaturalhistory
