The COW STARLING (_Molothrus Icterus pecoris_) is the best known, or,
perhaps, we should say, the most _notorious_ of these birds. The plumage
of the male is simple in its coloration, but by no means without beauty;
the head and neck are brown, the rest of the plumage brownish black, with
a blueish gloss upon the breast, and a green and blue shimmer on the
back; the eye is dark brown, the beak and feet brownish black. The length
of this species is about seven inches, and the span of its wings eleven
and a half inches; the female is rather smaller, and her colour almost
entirely brown, the lower part of the body being of a lighter shade than
the back.
The Cow Starlings inhabit North America, where they frequent such marshy
spots as are at no great distance from pastures containing cows or
horses, whose backs they relieve from many tormenting parasites. In the
northern parts of the United States these birds make their appearance in
small flocks about the end of March, frequently associating with parties
of red-winged Troopials, and gradually increasing in numbers until their
swarms become really formidable; by the end of September they have left
the country in company with many of their feathered companions. Though
bearing a great resemblance to their congeners, there is much that is
decidedly peculiar in their habits, more especially as relates to the
rearing of their young. Anything like family affection would seem to
be quite unknown amongst them, both male and female having many mates,
and living in such entire indifference as to each other's movements
that the withdrawal of one of the party does not seem to excite the
slightest attention. Their eggs, moreover, are laid, like those of the
Cuckoo, in the nest of any other bird who may for a moment have left
its young charge; on more than one occasion we have been much amused
in following and watching a female Cow Starling as she flew anxiously
about in the woods, until she succeeded in finding a nest into which she
might steal and deposit her eggs during the absence of its owner. Should
this, however, not be possible, force is often used to drive the weaker
bird from its brood until the object is accomplished. The egg of this
species is small as compared with the size of the mother; it is usually
pale blueish grey, marked with dark brown spots and streaks, which are
the most numerous at the broadest end (see Coloured Plate IV., fig. 3).
According to Audubon, the Cow-bird never deposits more than one egg at a
time; the resulting progeny, he tells us, is soon hatched, and receives
every care from its foster parents, who are, however, deserted by their
strange nursling as soon as it has strength enough to fly.
* * * * *
The YELLOW or GOLDEN STARLINGS (_Icteri_) are distinguished from the rest
of the family by their superior size, and long, slender beaks, which are
straight at the ridge and sharply pointed towards the extremity; the
wings are of moderate size, the tail long, graduated at the sides, and
rounded at its tip; the legs are strong, the toes powerful, and armed
with sharp and crooked claws. The plumage is principally of a yellow
colour, the female in this respect resembling her mate, but the young
birds never exhibit the bunting-like markings that distinguish others of
the family.
The "YELLOW BIRDS," as they are usually denominated, are inhabitants of
the southern portions of America, though by no means rare in its more
northern countries, and must be regarded as holding the same place in
the Starling family as the Weaver Birds do amongst Finches, for their
nests are built with great artistic skill, and frequently hang in
considerable numbers from the same tree or branch. In their habits they
are extremely social, and are much prized by the Americans, either when
in their favourite woods or confined in a cage, on account of their gay
plumage and the beauty of their song. The food of these birds consists
principally of insects and fruit, but at some seasons of the year they
will also eat corn and devour large quantities of the softer kinds of
maggots and larvæ, for which they search amidst the refuse scattered on
the roads.
[Illustration: THE RED-WINGED TROOPIAL (_Agelaius Phoeniceus_).]