may be seen moving briskly about, singly or in small flocks. They seem to have very little fear of man; either soaring to a distance when alarmed, or descending into the burrows, where it is very difficult to come at them. In countries where the marmot is not found, this owl is said to dig a hole for himself. Their food appears to consist entirely of insects. Its note is similar to the cry of the marmot, which sounds like cheh, cheh, pronounced in rapid succession.

The burrowing owl is nine inches and a half long. The general color of the plumage is a light burnt umber, spotted with whitish. The under parts are white, banded with brown.*

Other birds of this species found in the limits of the states are the Great Gray or Cinereous Owl, the Long-eared Owl, the Short-eared Owl, the Acadian Owl, and the White or Barn Owl.

The Baltimore Oriole is a gay, lively, and beautiful bird, which passes its summers among us, but retreats for the winter to South America. The most remarkable instinct of this bird is the ingenuity exhibited in building its nest, which is a pendulous cylindric pouch, from five to seven inches in depth, and usually suspended from the extremities of high and drooping branches of a tree. The leaves, as they grow out over the top, form a pro

tection from the sun and rain for the young. Though naturally shy and suspicious, this bird usually selects his building place in the neighborhood of farm-houses, and along frequented roads. He is easily domesticated, becomes playful and attached, and sings in confinement.

The Orchard Oriole is a smaller and plainer species, of similar habits. The Red-winged Blackbird is an inhabitant of all North America, but is migratory in the northern states. This bird commits great depredations on the unripe corn, and on the rice fields. He is known by a variety of names. His flesh is tough, and but little esteemed. The Cow Blackbird is passing from one part of the states to another, and lives in winter in the warmer parts. In the latter part of March, he appears in Pennsylvania,

*Bonaparte

and as the weather becomes milder, he gradually advances into Canada.* The Rice Bunting is a small bird of beautiful plumage and musical song, and as much of a favorite with the sportsman and gourmand, as of an

The Rice Bunting.

enemy to the farmer and planter. They are found in immense numbers in the middle states, where they do great damage to the barley, Indian corn, and early wheat.

Blackbirds.-The Great Crow Blackbird is found only in the southern parts of the union, where it appears early in February. It is gregarious, omnivorous, and its note is said sometimes to resemble a watchman's rattle. The Common Crow Blackbird appears in every part of the country, at different seasons, and commits great havoc among the fields of maize. It is easily domesticated, and may be taught to articulate a few words. The numbers in which this species are found are almost beyond belief; and the damage they do to the crops is astonishing. Other birds of this genus are the Slender-billed and the Rusty Blackbird.

When the female is disposed to lay, she appears restless and dejected, and separates from the unregarding flock. Stealing through the woods and thickets, she pries into the bushes and brambles for the nest tha: suits her, into which she darts, in the absence of its owner, and in a few minutes is seen to rise on the wing, cheerful and relieved from the anxiety that oppressed her, and proceeds back to the flock she had so reluctantly forsaken. If the egg be deposited in the nest alone, it is uniformly forsaken; but if the nursing parent have any of her own, she immediately begins to sit. The red-eyed flycatcher, in whose beautiful basket-like nests I have observed these eggs, proves a very affectionate and assiduous nurse to the uncouth foundling. In one of these I found an egg of each bird, and the hen already sitting. I took her own egg and left the strange one; she soon returned, and, as if sensible of what had happened, looked with steadfast attention, and shifted the egg about, then sate upon it, but soon moved off, again renewed her observation, and it was a considerable time before she seemed willing to take her seat; but at length I left her on the nest. Two or three days after, I found that she had relinquished her attention to the strange egg, and forsaken the premises. Another of these birds, however, forsook the nest, on taking out the cow-bird's egg, although she had still two of her own left. The only example, perhaps, to the contrary of deserting the nest when solely occupied by the stray egg, is in the blue-bird, who, attached strongly to the breeding places, in which it often conti

The Raven is found in greater numbers in the western than in the eastern part of the union; it is a resident, however, in almost every country in the world. He has been too often described to require extended notice. The Crow is also an inhabitant of nearly every region. In most of the settled districts of North America, he is frequently met with, and is as little liked as he is often seen. He is smaller than the raven, and is of a deep black color, with brilliant reflections. Easily domesticated, and quite intelligent, he becomes attached to his master, and learns a variety of amusing tricks, though he is apt to be thievish, and is sometimes noisy and disagreeable. The Fish Crow resembles the rook; it is peculiar to this couny, and is met with along the coast of Georgia, and as far north as New 'ersey. The Columbian Crow is another variety frequenting the shores of Columbia river.

The Magpie is found in the western parts of America, and is very numerous to the west of the Rocky Mountains. He is a restless, active, nues for several years, has been known to lay, though with apparent reluctance, after the deposition of the cow-bird's egg. My friend, Mr. C. Pickering, found two nests of the blue-eyed yellow warbler, in which had been deposited an egg of the cow-bird previously to any of their own; and unable to eject it, they had buried it in the bottom of the nest, and built over it an additional story! I also saw, in the summer of 1830, a similar circumstance with the same bird, in which the cow-bird's egg, though incarcerated, was still visible on the upper edge, but could never have been hatched. At times, I think it probable, that they lay in the nests of larger birds, who throw out the egg, or that they drop their eggs on the ground without obtaining a deposit, as I have found an egg of this kind thus exposed and broken. I have also remarked sometimes two of these eggs in the same nest; but in this case one of them commonly proves abortive.-Nuttall

and impudent bird, bold, and easily domesticated. Like the crow, he is artful and thievish. His nest is built with great ingenuity and labor, in a place inaccessible to man. The body of it is composed of hawthorn branches, the thorns sticking outwards; it is lined with fibrous roots, wool, and long grass, and then nicely plastered with mud and clay. A canopy of sharp thorns is then built over the nest, so woven together as to deny all entrance except at the door. Here the male and female bring up their young brood in perfect security.

The Blue Jay is peculiar to North America, and is distinguished as a kind of beau among the feathered tenants of our woods, by the brilliancy of his dress, and, like most other coxcombs, makes himself still more conspicuous by his loquacity and the oddness of his tones and gestures.

He

s an almost universal inhabitant of the woods, frequenting the thickest settlements as well as the deepest recesses of the forest, where his squalling voice often alarms the deer, to the great disappointment of the hunter. He ppears to be among his fellow musicians, what the trumpeter is in a band, some of his notes bearing no distant resemblance to the tones of that instrument. These he has the faculty of changing through a great variety of modulations. When disposed for ridicule, there is scarcely a bird to whose peculiarities of song he cannot tune his notes. When engaged in the blandishments of love, they resemble the soft chatterings of a duck, and are scarce heard at some paces distant; but no sooner does he discover your approach, than he sets up a sudden and vehement outcry, flying off and screaming with all his might. His notes a stranger might readily mistake for the repeated creakings of an ungreased wheelbarrow. All these he accompanies with various nods, jerks, and other gesticulations,

for which the whole tribe of jays are so remarkable.* Other jays are the Columbia, Canada, and Florida.

The Meadow Lark is a well-known agreeable bird, living in meadows, and is found throughout the states. There are two species of titmouse, the Tufted, and the Black-capt Titmouse. The Cedar Bird is a small and very beautiful creature, with a soft silky plumage, and crest of a brigh brownish gray; it feeds on cherries, and whortle-berries, and late in the season on persimmons, small winter grapes, and other fruits.

The Great American Shrike is common in the northern parts of the continent, but sometimes summers in New England and Pennsylvania. He feeds on grasshoppers, spiders, and small birds, and after satisfying hunger, impales his remaining victims on thorns. When his supply of

fresh game is abundant, he leaves his stores to dry up and decay. He is fearless, and will attack even the eagle in defence of his young. The Loggerhead Shrike is a species strongly resembling the one described.

The Tyrant Flycatcher, or Kingbird, is the field martin of Maryland and some of the southern states, and the kingbird of Pennsylvania and several of the northern districts. The trivial name king, as well as tyrant, has been bestowed on this bird for its extraordinary behavior in breeding time, and for the authority it assumes over all other birds. His extreme affection for his mate, nest, and young, makes him suspicious of every bird that comes near his residence, so that he attacks every intruder without discrimination; his life at this season is one continued scene of broils and battles; in which, however, he generally comes off conqueror. Hawks and crows, the bald eagle, and the great black eagle, all equally dread a rencontre with this merciless champion, who, as soon as he per ceives one of these last approaching, launches into the air to meet him, mounts to a considerable height above him, and darts down on his back, sometimes fixing there to the great annoyance of his sovereign, who, if no convenient retreat be near, endeavors by various evolutions to rid himself of his merciless adversary; but the kingbird is not so easily dismounted. He teazes the eagle incessantly, sweeps upon him and remounts that he may descend on his back with greater violence; all the while keeping up a shrill and rapid twittering. The purple martin, however, is sometimes more than a match for him. The general color of this bird is a dark

*Wilson.