The well-known spring visitor to the woods of England,--the cuckoo,--is
undoubtedly destitute of family affection, as are others of its
relatives; but this is not the case with the whole tribe. As the spring
advances, from the sylvan glades of Pennsylvania a curious note,
constantly repeated, is heard, resembling the word "cow-cow." It is the
note of a bird, and from the sound it resembles it is generally known as
the "cow-bird." It is also called the "yellow-billed cuckoo." It is in
no respect behind any of its neighbours of the grove in conjugal and
parental affection, for it builds its nest, hatches its own eggs, and
rears its own young, Wilson assures us. It is about a foot in length,
clothed in a dark drab suit with a silken greenish gloss. A ruddy
cinnamon tints the quill-feathers of the wings; and the tail consists
partly of black feathers tipped with white, the two outer ones being of
the same tint as the back. The under surface is a pure white. It has a
long curved bill of a greyish-black above, and yellow beneath. The
female differs from the male in having the central tail-feathers of a
drab colour, while the under part of her body is of a greyish tinge.
Early in the spring the males frequently engage in desperate battles.
After these contests are decided, the couples, pairing, begin building
their nests, generally among the horizontal branches of an apple-tree.
It is roughly formed of sticks and twigs. On this bed the eggs, three
or four in number, of a uniform greenish-blue, are placed. While the
female is sitting, the male is generally not far off, and gives the
alarm by his notes should any person approach. The female sits so
close, that she may almost be reached by the hand, and then suddenly
precipitates herself to the ground, feigning lameness--to draw away the
intruder from the spot--fluttering her wings, and tumbling over in the
manner of a partridge, woodcock, and some other birds. Both parents
unite in collecting food for the young. This consists, for the most
part, of caterpillars, particularly such as infest apple-trees. They
are accused, and with some justice, of sucking the eggs of other
birds,--like the crow, blue jay, and other pillagers. They also
occasionally eat various kinds of berries; but from the circumstance of
their destroying numbers of very noxious larvae, they prove themselves
the friend of the farmer, and are well deserving of his protection.