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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:53:07 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:53:07 -0700 |
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diff --git a/old/30103-8.txt b/old/30103-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9045a95 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/30103-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1810 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph +[March 1897], by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph [March 1897] + A Monthly Serial designed to Promote Knowledge of Bird-Life + +Author: Various + +Release Date: September 26, 2009 [EBook #30103] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRDS ILLUSTRATED [MARCH 1897] *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and Anne Storer, +some images courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: Title added. + + + * * * * * + + + + + BIRDS ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY + + Vol. One MARCH, 1897 No. 3 + + + * * * * * + + + + + FROM: THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. + + _STATE OF NEW YORK_ + _Department of Public Instruction_ + _SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE_ + + _Albany_ December 26, 1896. + + [Illustration: (seal)] + _Stenographic Letter_ + Dictated by __________ + + + W. E. Watt, President &c., + Fisher Building, + 277 Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill. + + My dear Sir: + + Please accept my thanks for a copy of the first publication of "Birds." + Please enter my name as a regular subscriber. It is one of the most + beautiful and interesting publications yet attempted in this direction. + It has other attractions in addition to its beauty, and it must win its + way to popular favor. + + Wishing the handsome little magazine abundant prosperity, + I remain + + Yours very respectfully, + [signature] + State Superintendent. + + + * * * * * + + + + + _"The KING can do no wrong"_ + + [Illustration] + MONARCH + BICYCLES + ARE + FAULTLESS + + MONARCH + CYCLE MF'G CO. + CHICAGO, NEW YORK, + LONDON. + + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to advertisers. + + + + + +----------------------------+ + | #A. REED & SONS PIANOS.# | + +----------------------------+ + + Manufactured under patents granted by the governments of the + United States, England, Germany, France and Canada. + + #A New and Scientific + Method of Piano + Construction# + + FREE SOUNDING BOARD, VIBRATION BAR, STRINGS + RESTING ON ALUMINUM WHEELS, ANTI-MOISTURE + PIN BLOCK, LATERAL + PEDALS + + #Grand Diploma and Medal of Honor# + Awarded at Columbian World's Exposition, 1893 + + Only American Piano receiving mention in the Official Report + to the German Government + + #A. REED & SONS# + No. 5 Adams Street ... CHICAGO + + Illustrated Catalogues ... + containing full explanation Mailed Free. + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to advertisers. + + + + + #Every Teacher# + + finds daily in her work + some new and perplexing + problem to solve. + + With + + The Teacher's + Practical Library + + at hand for consultation the + answer may always be found. + + It will cost you nothing + + to have this library placed + upon your table for inspection. + + Send postal-card for particulars, + mentioning this paper. + + #AGENTS WANTED# + + #D. APPLETON & CO., Publishers# + NEW YORK--CHICAGO. + CHICAGO OFFICE--243 Wabash Ave. + + + + + #PREPARE FOR A GOOD POSITION# + + #By studying Architecture, Engineering, Electricity, Drafting, + Mathematics, Shorthand, Typewriting, English, Penmanship, Bookkeeping, + Business, Telegraphy, Plumbing.# Best teachers. Thorough individual + instruction. Rates lower than any other school. Instruction also by mail + in any desired study. Steam engineering a specialty. Call or address, + INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, + 151 Throop St., Chicago. + + + + + What would #George Washington# + think of + Mark Hanna? + + [Illustration] + + If you want to know, read + #"SPIRITS OF '76,"# + + By FREDERICK UPHAM ADAMS, + in last number of + + #New Occasions# + + A magazine of Reform; 96 pages; $1.00 + a year; 10 cents a copy. No free samples, + but to any one sending us 6 2-cent + stamps we will mail a sample copy with + several reform books; over 300 pages + in all. Agents wanted. + + Charles H. Kerr & Company, Publishers, + 56 Fifth Ave., Chicago. + + + + + Buy Only the Best Presents for Children. + THE FINEST BLACKBOARD MADE. + + IMPROVED + [Illustration] + + Indispensable as an element for the general + education of the children. This is not a toy, + but an Educator for the home. Contains Sixteen + Lessons on heavy cardboard, Writing, Drawing, + Marking-letters, Music, Animal Forms, etc. + Frame made of oak, 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. + The Board is reversible and can be used on both + sides. Has a desk attachment for writing. Weighs + 10 pounds, packed for shipment. + + #Price $3.50# Agents Wanted. + Send for Agents Prices. + + THE VAN-BENSON COMPANY, + 84 Adams Street, CHICAGO, U.S.A. + + + + + The "OLD Reliable" House of + #"ANDREWS"# + FURNISHES + Everything + for Schools + + Rugby School Desks, Teachers' Desks and Chairs, + Blackboards, Erasers, Dustless Crayons, Globes, + Maps, Charts, Apparatus, etc., etc. + + #The Jones Model of the Earth# shows the + reliefs of the land surface and ocean bed, 20 + inches diameter. Used by the Royal Geographical + Society, Cornell University. Normal, and other + schools of various forms and grades. + + #The Deep Sea Globe.# This new 12 in. globe + shows all that is seen on the common globe, but + in addition the varying depths of the ocean bed, + by color shading, also 500 soundings by figures. + + #The A. H. Andrews Co.# + CHICAGO. + + (Next Auditorium) 300 WABASH AVE. + + Also Manufactures Office, Church and + Bank Furniture. + + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to Advertisers. + + + * * * * * + + + + +LITTLE BOY BLUE. + + +Boys and girls, don't you think that is a pretty name? I came from the +warm south, where I went last winter, to tell you that Springtime is +nearly here. + +When I sing, the buds and flowers and grass all begin to whisper to one +another, "Springtime is coming for we heard the Bluebird say so," and +then they peep out to see the warm sunshine. I perch beside them and +tell them of my long journey from the south and how I knew just when +to tell them to come out of their warm winter cradles. I am of the same +blue color as the violet that shows her pretty face when I sing, "Summer +is coming, and Springtime is here." + +I do not like the cities for they are black and noisy and full of those +troublesome birds called English Sparrows. I take my pretty mate and +out in the beautiful country we find a home. We build a nest of twigs, +grass and hair, in a box that the farmer puts up for us near his barn. + +Sometimes we build in a hole in some old tree and soon there are tiny +eggs in the nest. I sing to my mate and to the good people who own +the barn. I heard the farmer say one day, "Isn't it nice to hear the +Bluebird sing? He must be very happy." And I am, too, for by this time +there are four or five little ones in the nest. + +Little Bluebirds are like little boys--they are always hungry. We work +hard to find enough for them to eat. We feed them nice fat worms and +bugs, and when their little wings are strong enough, we teach them how +to fly. Soon they are large enough to hunt their own food, and can take +care of themselves. + +The summer passes, and when we feel the breath of winter we go south +again, for we do not like the cold. + + * * * + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + I know the song that the Bluebird is singing + Out in the apple tree, where he is swinging. + Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary, + Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery. + Hark! how the music leaps out from his throat, + Hark! was there ever so merry a note? + + Listen a while, and you'll hear what he's saying, + Up in the apple tree swinging and swaying. + "Dear little blossoms down under the snow, + You must be weary of winter, I know; + Hark! while I sing you a message of cheer, + Summer is coming, and springtime is here!" + + "Dear little snow-drop! I pray you arise; + Bright yellow crocus! come open your eyes; + Sweet little violets, hid from the cold, + Put on our mantles of purple and gold; + Daffodils! daffodils! say, do you hear, + Summer is coming! and springtime is here!" + +[Illustration: BLUE BIRD.] + + + + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + + Winged lute that we call a blue bird, + You blend in a silver strain + The sound of the laughing waters, + The patter of spring's sweet rain, + The voice of the wind, the sunshine, + And fragrance of blossoming things, + Ah! you are a poem of April + That God endowed with wings. E. E. R. + + * * * + +Like a bit of sky this little harbinger of spring appears, as we see +him and his mate househunting in early March. Oftentimes he makes his +appearance as early as the middle of February, when his attractive note +is heard long before he himself is seen. He is one of the last to leave +us, and although the month of November is usually chosen by him as the +fitting time for departure to a milder clime, his plaintive note is +quite commonly heard on pleasant days throughout the winter season, +and a few of the braver and hardier ones never entirely desert us. The +Robin and the Blue Bird are tenderly associated in the memories of most +persons whose childhood was passed on a farm or in the country village. +Before the advent of the English Sparrow, the Blue Bird was sure to +be the first to occupy and the last to defend the little box prepared +for his return, appearing in his blue jacket somewhat in advance of +the plainly habited female, who on her arrival quite often found a +habitation selected and ready for her acceptance, should he find favor +in her sight. And then he becomes a most devoted husband and father, +sitting by the nest and warbling with earnest affection his exquisite +tune, and occasionally flying away in search of food for his mate and +nestlings. + +The Blue Bird rears two broods in the season, and, should the weather +be mild, even three. His nest contains three eggs. + +In the spring and summer when he is happy and gay, his song is +extremely soft and agreeable, while it grows very mournful and +plaintive as cold weather approaches. He is mild of temper, and a +peaceable and harmless neighbor, setting a fine example of amiability +to his feathered friends. In the early spring, however, he wages war +against robins, wrens, swallows, and other birds whose habitations are +of a kind to take his fancy. A celebrated naturalist says: "This bird +seems incapable of uttering a harsh note, or of doing a spiteful, +ill-tempered thing." + +Nearly everybody has his anecdote to tell of the Blue Bird's courage, +but the author of "Wake Robin" tells his exquisitely thus: "A few years +ago I put up a little bird house in the back end of my garden for the +accommodation of the wrens, and every season a pair have taken up their +abode there. One spring a pair of Blue Birds looked into the tenement, +and lingered about several days, leading me to hope that they would +conclude to occupy it. But they finally went away. Late in the season +the wrens appeared, and after a little coquetting, were regularly +installed in their old quarters, and were as happy as only wrens can +be. But before their honeymoon was over, the Blue Birds returned. I +knew something was wrong before I was up in the morning. Instead of that +voluble and gushing song outside the window, I heard the wrens scolding +and crying out at a fearful rate, and on going out saw the Blue Birds in +possession of the box. The poor wrens were in despair and were forced to +look for other quarters." + + + + +THE SWALLOW. + + + "Come, summer visitant, attach + To my reedroof thy nest of clay, + And let my ear thy music catch, + Low twitting underneath the thatch, + At the gray dawn of day." + +Sure harbingers of spring are the Swallows. They are very common birds, +and frequent, as a rule, the cultivated lands in the neighborhood of +water, showing a decided preference for the habitations of man. "How +gracefully the swallows fly! See them coursing over the daisy-bespangled +grass fields; now they skim just over the blades of grass, and then with +a rapid stroke of their long wings mount into the air and come hovering +above your head, displaying their rich white and chestnut plumage to +perfection. Now they chase each other for very joyfulness, uttering +their sharp twittering notes; then they hover with expanded wings +like miniature Kestrels, or dart downwards with the velocity of +the sparrowhawk; anon they flit rapidly over the neighboring pool, +occasionally dipping themselves in its calm and placid waters, and +leaving a long train of rings marking their varied course. How easily +they turn, or glide over the surrounding hedges, never resting, never +weary, and defying the eye to trace them in the infinite turnings and +twistings of their rapid shooting flight. You frequently see them glide +rapidly near the ground, and then with a sidelong motion mount aloft, to +dart downwards like an animated meteor, their plumage glowing in the +light with metallic splendor, and the row of white spots on the tail +contrasting beautifully with the darker plumage." + +The Swallow is considered a life-paired species, and returns to its +nesting site of the previous season, building a new nest close to the +old one. His nest is found in barns and outhouses, upon the beams of +wood which support the roof, or in any place which assures protection to +the young birds. It is cup-shaped and artfully moulded of bits of mud. +Grass and feathers are used for the lining. "The nest completed, five or +six eggs are deposited. They are of a pure white color, with deep rich +brown blotches and spots, notably at the larger end, round which they +often form a zone or belt." The sitting bird is fed by her mate. + +The young Swallow is distinguished from the mature birds by the absence +of the elongated tail feathers, which are a mark of maturity alone. His +food is composed entirely of insects. Swallows are on the wing fully +sixteen hours, and the greater part of the time making terrible havoc +amongst the millions of insects which infest the air. It is said that +when the Swallow is seen flying high in the heavens, it is a never +failing indication of fine weather. + +A pair of Swallows on arriving at their nesting place of the preceding +Summer found their nest occupied by a Sparrow, who kept the poor birds +at a distance by pecking at them with his strong beak whenever they +attempted to dislodge him. Wearied and hopeless of regaining possession +of their property, they at last hit upon a plan which effectually +punished the intruder. One morning they appeared with a few more +Swallows--their mouths filled with a supply of tempered clay--and, by +their joint efforts in a short time actually plastered up the entrance +to the hole, thus barring the Sparrow from the home which he had stolen +from the Swallows. + +[Illustration: BARN SWALLOW.] + + + + +THE BROWN THRUSH. + + + "However the world goes ill, + The Thrushes still sing in it." + +The Mocking-bird of the North, as the Brown Thrush has been called, +arrives in the Eastern and Middle States about the 10th of May, at which +season he may be seen, perched on the highest twig of a hedge, or on the +topmost branch of a tree, singing his loud and welcome song, that may be +heard a distance of half a mile. The favorite haunt of the Brown Thrush, +however, is amongst the bright and glossy foliage of the evergreens. +"There they delight to hide, although not so shy and retiring as the +Blackbird; there they build their nests in greatest numbers, amongst the +perennial foliage, and there they draw at nightfall to repose in warmth +and safety." The Brown Thrasher sings chiefly just after sunrise and +before sunset, but may be heard singing at intervals during the day. His +food consists of wild fruits, such as blackberries and raspberries, +snails, worms, slugs and grubs. He also obtains much of his food +amongst the withered leaves and marshy places of the woods and +shrubberies which he frequents. Few birds possess a more varied melody. +His notes are almost endless in variety, each note seemingly uttered at +the caprice of the bird, without any perceptible approach to order. + +The site of the Thrush's nest is a varied one, in the hedgerows, under a +fallen tree or fence-rail; far up in the branches of stately trees, or +amongst the ivy growing up their trunks. The nest is composed of the +small dead twigs of trees, lined with the fine fibers of roots. From +three to five eggs are deposited, and are hatched in about twelve days. +They have a greenish background, thickly spotted with light brown, +giving the whole egg a brownish appearance. + +The Brown Thrush leaves the Eastern and Middle States, on his migration +South, late in September, remaining until the following May. + + * * * + +THE THRUSH'S NEST. + + "Within a thick and spreading hawthorn bush + That overhung a molehill, large and round, + I heard from morn to morn a merry thrush + Sing hymns of rapture while I drank the sound + With joy--and oft an unintruding guest, + I watched her secret toils from day to day; + How true she warped the moss to form her nest, + And modeled it within with wood and clay. + And by and by, with heath-bells gilt with dew, + There lay her shining eggs as bright as flowers, + Ink-spotted over, shells of green and blue: + And there I witnessed, in the summer hours, + A brood of nature's minstrels chirp and fly, + Glad as the sunshine and the laughing sky." + + + + +THE BROWN THRUSH. + + +Dear Readers: + +My cousin Robin Redbreast told me that he wrote you a letter last month +and sent it with his picture. How did you like it? He is a pretty +bird--Cousin Robin--and everybody likes him. But I must tell you +something of myself. + +Folks call me by different names--some of them nicknames, too. + +The cutest one of all is Brown Thrasher. I wonder if you know why they +call me Thrasher. If you don't, ask some one. It is really funny. + +Some people think Cousin Robin is the sweetest singer of our family, but +a great many like my song just as well. + +Early in the morning I sing among the bushes, but later in the day you +will always find me in the very top of a tree and it is then I sing my +best. + +Do you know what I say in my song? Well, if I am near a farmer while he +is planting, I say: "Drop it, drop it--cover it up, cover it up--pull it +up, pull it up, pull it up." + +One thing I very seldom do and that is, sing when near my nest. Maybe +you can tell why. I'm not very far from my nest now. I just came down to +the stream to get a drink and am watching that boy on the other side of +the stream. Do you see him? + +One dear lady who loves birds has said some very nice things about me in +a book called "Bird Ways." Another lady has written a beautiful poem +about my singing. Ask your mamma or teacher the names of these ladies. +Here is the poem: + + There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in a tree. + He is singing to me! He is singing to me! + And what does he say--little girl, little boy? + "Oh, the world's running over with joy! + Hush! Look! In my tree, + I am as happy as happy can be." + + And the brown thrush keeps singing, "A nest, do you see, + And five eggs, hid by me in the big cherry tree? + Don't meddle, don't touch--little girl, little boy-- + Or the world will lose some of its joy! + Now I am glad! now I am free! + And I always shall be, + If you never bring sorrow to me." + + So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree + To you and to me--to you and to me; + And he sings all the day--little girl, little boy-- + "Oh, the world's running over with joy! + But long it won't be, + Don't you know? don't you see? + Unless we're good as good can be." + +[Illustration: BROWN THRASHER.] + + + + +[Illustration: JAPAN PHEASANT.] + +THE JAPAN PHEASANT. + + +Originally the Pheasant was an inhabitant of Asia Minor but has been +by degrees introduced into many countries, where its beauty of form, +plumage, and the delicacy of its flesh made it a welcome visitor. The +Japan Pheasant is a very beautiful species, about which little is known +in its wild state, but in captivity it is pugnacious. It requires much +shelter and plenty of food, and the breed is to some degree artificially +kept up by the hatching of eggs under domestic hens and feeding them in +the coop like ordinary chickens, until they are old and strong enough to +get their own living. + +The food of this bird is extremely varied. When young it is generally +fed on ants' eggs, maggots, grits, and similar food, but when it is full +grown it is possessed of an accommodating appetite and will eat many +kinds of seeds, roots, and leaves. It will also eat beans, peas, acorns, +berries, and has even been known to eat the ivy leaf, as well as the +berry. + +This Pheasant loves the ground, runs with great speed, and always +prefers to trust to its legs rather than to its wings. It is crafty, and +when alarmed it slips quickly out of sight behind a bush or through a +hedge, and then runs away with astonishing rapidity, always remaining +under cover until it reaches some spot where it deems itself safe. The +male is not domestic, passing an independent life during a part of the +year and associating with others of its own sex during the rest of the +season. + +The nest is very rude, being merely a heap of leaves and grass on the +ground, with a very slight depression. The eggs are numerous, about +eleven or twelve, and olive brown in color. In total length, though they +vary considerably, the full grown male is about three feet. The female +is smaller in size than her mate, and her length a foot less. + +The Japan Pheasant is not a particularly interesting bird aside from his +beauty, which is indeed brilliant, there being few of the species more +attractive. + + + + +THE FLICKER. + + +A great variety of names does this bird possess. It is commonly known +as the Golden Winged Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Flicker, Yellow Hammer, +and less often as High-hole or High-holer, Wake-up, etc. In suitable +localities throughout the United States and the southern parts of +Canada, the Flicker is a very common bird, and few species are more +generally known. "It is one of the most sociable of our Woodpeckers, +and is apparently always on good terms with its neighbors. It usually +arrives in April, occasionally even in March, the males preceding the +females a few days, and as soon as the latter appear one can hear their +voices in all directions." + +The Flicker is an ardent wooer. It is an exceedingly interesting and +amusing sight to see a couple of males paying their addresses to a coy +and coquettish female; the apparent shyness of the suitors as they sidle +up to her and as quickly retreat again, the shy glances given as one +peeps from behind a limb watching the other--playing bo-peep--seem +very human, and "I have seen," says an observer, "few more amusing +performances than the courtship of a pair of these birds." The defeated +suitor takes his rejection quite philosophically, and retreats in a +dignified manner, probably to make other trials elsewhere. Few birds +deserve our good will more than the Flicker. He is exceedingly useful, +destroying multitudes of grubs, larvæ, and worms. He loves berries and +fruit but the damage he does to cultivated fruit is very trifling. + +The Flicker begins to build its nest about two weeks after the bird +arrives from the south. It prefers open country, interspersed with +groves and orchards, to nest in. Any old stump, or partly decayed limb +of a tree, along the banks of a creek, beside a country road, or in +an old orchard, will answer the purpose. Soft wood trees seem to be +preferred, however. In the prairie states it occasionally selects +strange nesting sites. It has been known to chisel through the weather +boarding of a dwelling house, barns, and other buildings, and to nest +in the hollow space between this and the cross beams; its nests have +also been found in gate posts, in church towers, and in burrows of +Kingfishers and bank swallows, in perpendicular banks of streams. One +of the most peculiar sites of his selection is described by William A. +Bryant as follows: "On a small hill, a quarter of a mile distant from +any home, stood a hay stack which had been placed there two years +previously. The owner, during the winter of 1889-90, had cut the stack +through the middle and hauled away one portion, leaving the other +standing, with the end smoothly trimmed. The following spring I noticed +a pair of flickers about the stack showing signs of wanting to make it +a fixed habitation. One morning a few days later I was amused at the +efforts of one of the pair. It was clinging to the perpendicular end of +the stack and throwing out clipped hay at a rate to defy competition. +This work continued for a week, and in that time the pair had excavated +a cavity twenty inches in depth. They remained in the vicinity until +autumn. During the winter the remainder of the stack was removed. They +returned the following spring, and, after a brief sojourn, departed for +parts unknown." + +From five to nine eggs are generally laid. They are glossy white in +color, and when fresh appear as if enameled. + +The young are able to leave the nest in about sixteen days; they crawl +about on the limbs of the tree for a couple of days before they venture +to fly, and return to the nest at night. + +[Illustration: FLICKER.] + + + + +THE BOBOLINK. + + + "When Nature had made all her birds, + And had no cares to think on, + She gave a rippling laugh, + And out there flew a Bobolinkon." + +No American ornithologist omits mention of the Bobolink, and naturalists +generally have described him under one of the many names by which he is +known. In some States he is called the Rice Bird, in others Reed Bird, +the Rice or Reed Bunting, while his more familiar title, throughout the +greater part of America, is Bobolink, or Bobolinkum. In Jamaica, where +he gets very fat during his winter stay, he is called the Butter Bird. +His title of Rice Troopial is earned by the depredations which he +annually makes upon the rice crops, though his food "is by no means +restricted to that seed, but consists in a large degree of insects, +grubs, and various wild grasses." A migratory bird, residing during the +winter in the southern parts of America, he returns in vast multitudes +northward in the early Spring. According to Wilson, their course of +migration is as follows: "In April, or very early in May, the Rice +Buntings, male and female, arrive within the southern boundaries of +the United States, and are seen around the town of Savannah, Georgia, +sometimes in separate parties of males and females, but more generally +promiscuously. They remain there but a short time, and about the middle +of May make their appearance in the lower part of Pennsylvania. While +here the males are extremely gay and full of song, frequenting meadows, +newly plowed fields, sides of creeks, rivers, and watery places, feeding +on May flies and caterpillars, of which they destroy great quantities. +In their passage, however, through Virginia at this season, they do +great damage to the early wheat and barley while in their milky state. +About the 20th of May they disappear on their way to the North. Nearly +at the same time they arrive in the State of New York, spread over the +whole of the New England States, as far as the river St. Lawrence, and +from Lake Ontario to the sea. In all of these places they remain during +the Summer, building their nests and rearing their young." + +The Bobolink's song is a peculiar one, varying greatly with the +occasion. As he flys southward, his cry is a kind of clinking note; but +the love song addressed to his mate is voluble and fervent. It has been +said that if you should strike the keys of a pianoforte haphazard, the +higher and the lower singly very quickly, you might have some idea of +the Bobolink's notes. In the month of June he gradually changes his +pretty, attractive dress and puts on one very like the females, which is +of a plain rusty brown, and is not reassumed until the next season of +nesting. The two parent birds in the plate represent the change from the +dark plumage in which the bird is commonly known in the North as the +Bobolink, to the dress of yellowish brown by which it is known +throughout the South as the Rice or Reed Bird. + +His nest, small and a plain one, too, is built on the ground by his +industrious little wife. The inside is warmly lined with soft fibers of +whatever may be nearest at hand. Five pretty white eggs, spotted all +over with brown are laid, and as soon + + "As the little ones chip the shell + And five wide mouths are ready for food, + 'Robert of Lincoln' bestirs him well, + Gathering seeds for this hungry brood." + + + + +BOBOLINK. + + +Other birds may like to travel alone, but when jolly Mr. Bobolink and +his quiet little wife come from the South, where they have spent the +winter, they come with a large party of friends. When South, they eat so +much rice that the people call them Rice Birds. When they come North, +they enjoy eating wheat, barley, oats and insects. + +Mr. and Mrs. Bobolink build their simple little nest of grasses in some +field. It is hard to find on the ground, for it looks just like dry +grass. Mrs. Bobolink wears a dull dress, so she cannot be seen when she +is sitting on the precious eggs. She does not sing a note while caring +for the eggs. Why do you think that is? + +Mr. Bob-Linkum does not wear a sober dress, as you can see by his +picture. He does not need to be hidden. He is just as jolly as he +looks. Shall I tell you how he amuses his mate while she is sitting? +He springs from the dew-wet grass with a sound like peals of merry +laughter. He frolics from reed to post, singing as if his little heart +would burst with joy. + +Don't you think Mr. and Mrs. Bobolink look happy in the picture? They +have raised their family of five. Four of their children have gone to +look for food; one of them--he must surely be the baby--would rather +stay with his mamma and papa. Which one does he look like? + +Many birds are quiet at noon and in the afternoon. A flock of Bobolinks +can be heard singing almost all day long. The song is full of high notes +and low, soft notes and loud, all sung rapidly. It is as gay and bright +as the birds themselves, who flit about playfully as they sing. You will +feel like laughing as merrily as they sing when you hear it some day. + +[Illustration: BOBOLINKS.] + + + + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + + "Drifting down the first warm wind + That thrills the earliest days of spring, + The Bluebird seeks our maple groves + And charms them into tasselling." + + "He sings, and his is Nature's voice-- + A gush of melody sincere + From that great fount of harmony + Which thaws and runs when Spring is here." + + "Short is his song, but strangely sweet + To ears aweary of the low + Dull tramps of Winter's sullen feet, + Sandalled in ice and muffled in snow." + + * * * + + "Think, every morning, when the sun peeps through + The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove, + How jubilant the happy birds renew + Their old, melodious madrigals of love! + And when you think of this, remember, too, + 'Tis always morning somewhere, and above + The awakening continents, from shore to shore, + Somewhere the birds are singing evermore. + + "Think of your woods and orchards without birds! + Of empty nests that cling to boughs and beams + As in an idiot's brain remembered words + Hang empty 'mid the cobwebs of his dreams! + Will bleat of flocks or bellowing of herds + Make up for the lost music, when your teams + Drag home the stingy harvest, and no more + The feathered gleaners follow to your door?" + FROM "THE BIRDS OF KILLINGSWORTH." + + + + +THE CROW. + + +Caw! Caw! Caw! little boys and girls. Caw! Caw! Caw! Just look at my +coat of feathers. See how black and glossy it is. Do you wonder I am +proud of it? + +Perhaps you think I look very solemn and wise, and not at all as if I +cared to play games. I do, though; and one of the games I like best is +hide-and-seek. I play it with the farmer in the spring. He hides, in the +rich, brown earth, golden kernels of corn. Surely he does it because he +knows I like it, for sometimes he puts up a stick all dressed like a man +to show where the corn is hidden. Sometimes I push my bill down into the +earth to find the corn, and at other times I wait until tiny green +leaves begin to show above the ground, and then I get my breakfast +without much trouble. I wonder if the farmer enjoys this game as much +as I do. I help him, too, by eating worms and insects. + +During the spring and summer I live in my nest on the top of a very +high tree. It is built of sticks and grasses and straw and string and +anything else I can pick up. But in the fall, I and all my relations and +friends live together in great roosts or rookeries. What good times we +do have--hunting all day for food and talking all night. Wouldn't you +like to be with us? + +The farmer who lives in the house over there went to the mill to-day +with a load of corn. + +One of the ears dropped out of the wagon and it didn't take me long to +find it. I have eaten all I can possibly hold and am wondering now what +is the best thing to do. If you were in my place would you leave it here +and not tell anybody and come back to-morrow and finish it? Or would you +fly off and get Mrs. Crow and some of the children to come and finish +it? I believe I'll fly and get them. Good-bye. + +Caw! Caw! Caw! + +[Illustration: COMMON CROW.] + + + + +THE COMMON CROW. + + + "The crow doth sing as merry as the lark, + When neither is attended." + +Few birds have more interesting characteristics than the Common Crow, +being, in many of his actions, very like the Raven, especially in his +love for carrion. Like the Raven, he has been known to attack game, +although his inferior size forces him to call to his assistance the aid +of his fellows to cope with larger creatures. Rabbits and hares are +frequently the prey of this bird which pounces on them as they steal +abroad to feed. His food consists of reptiles, frogs, and lizards; he +is a plunderer of other birds' nests. On the seashore he finds crabs, +shrimps and inhabited shells, which he ingeniously cracks by flying with +them to a great height and letting them fall upon a convenient rock. + +The crow is seen in single pairs or in little bands of four or five. +In the autumn evenings, however, they assemble in considerable flocks +before going to roost and make a wonderful chattering, as if comparing +notes of the events of the day. + +The nest of the Crow is placed in some tree remote from habitations of +other birds. Although large and very conspicuous at a distance, it is +fixed upon one of the topmost branches quite out of reach of the hand of +the adventurous urchin who longs to secure its contents. It is loosely +made and saucer shaped. Sticks and softer substances are used to +construct it, and it is lined with hair and fibrous roots. Very recently +a thrifty and intelligent Crow built for itself a summer residence in an +airy tree near Bombay, the material used being gold, silver, and steel +spectacle frames, which the bird had stolen from an optician of that +city. Eighty-four frames had been used for this purpose, and they were +so ingeniously woven together that the nest was quite a work of art. +The eggs are variable, or rather individual, in their markings, and +even in their size. The Crow rarely uses the same nest twice, although +he frequently repairs to the same locality from year to year. He is +remarkable for his attachment to his mate and young, surpassing the +Fawn and Turtle Dove in conjugal courtesy. + +The Somali Arabs bear a deadly hatred toward the Crow. The origin of +their detestation is the superstition that during the flight of Mohammed +from his enemies, he hid himself in a cave, where he was perceived by +the Crow, at that time a bird of light plumage, who, when he saw the +pursuers approaching the spot, perched above Mohammed's hiding place, +and screamed, "Ghar! Ghar!" (cave! cave!) so as to indicate the place +of concealment. His enemies, however, did not understand the bird, and +passed on, and Mohammed, when he came out of the cave, clothed the Crow +in perpetual black, and commanded him to cry "Ghar" as long as Crows +should live. + +And he lives to a good old age. Instances are not rare where he has +attained to half a century, without great loss of activity or failure of +sight. + +At Red Bank, a few miles northeast of Cincinnati, on the Little Miami +River, in the bottoms, large flocks of Crows congregate the year around. +A few miles away, high upon Walnut Hills, is a Crow roost, and in the +late afternoons the Crows, singly, in pairs, and in flocks, are seen on +the wing, flying heavily, with full crops, on the way to the roost, from +which they descend in the early morning, crying "Caw! Caw!" to the +fields of the newly planted, growing, or matured corn, or corn stacks, +as the season may provide. + + + + +THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. + + + "Everywhere the blue sky belongs to them and is their appointed + rest, and their native country, and their own natural home + which they enter unannounced as lords that are certainly + expected, and yet there is a silent joy at their arrival." + +The return of the birds to their real home in the North, where they +build their nests and rear their young, is regarded by all genuine +lovers of earth's messengers of gladness and gayety as one of the most +interesting and poetical of annual occurrences. The naturalist, who +notes the very day of each arrival, in order that he may verify former +observation or add to his material gathered for a new work, does not +necessarily anticipate with greater pleasure this event than do many +whose lives are brightened by the coming of the friends of their youth, +who alone of early companions do not change. First of all--and ever the +same delightful warbler--the Bluebird, who, in 1895, did not appear at +all in many localities, though here in considerable numbers last year, +betrays himself. "Did he come down out of the heaven on that bright +March morning when he told us so softly and plaintively that, if we +pleased, spring had come?" Sometimes he is here a little earlier, and +must keep his courage up until the cold snap is over and the snow is +gone. Not long after the Bluebird, comes the Robin, sometimes in March, +but in most of the northern states April is the month of his arrival. +With his first utterance the spell of winter is broken, and the +remembrance of it afar off. Then appears the Woodpecker in great +variety, the Flicker usually arriving first. He is always somebody's old +favorite, "announcing his arrival by a long, loud call, repeated from +the dry branch of some tree, or a stake in the fence--a thoroughly +melodious April sound." + +Few perhaps reflect upon the difficulties encountered by the birds +themselves in their returning migrations. A voyager sometimes meets +with many of our common birds far out at sea. Such wanderers, it is +said, when suddenly overtaken by a fog, completely lose their sense of +direction and become hopelessly lost. Humming birds, those delicately +organized, glittering gems, are among the most common of the land +species seen at sea. + +The present season has been quite favorable to the protection of birds. +A very competent observer says that not all of the birds migrated this +winter. He recently visited a farm less than an hour's ride from +Chicago, where he found the old place, as he relates it, "chucked full +of Robins, Blackbirds, and Woodpeckers," and others unknown to him. +From this he inferred they would have been in Florida had indications +predicted a severe winter. The trees of the south parks of Chicago, +and those in suburban places, have had, darting through their branches +during the months of December and January, nearly as many members of the +Woodpecker tribe as were found there during the mating season in May +last. + +Alas, that the Robin will visit us in diminished numbers in the +approaching spring. He has not been so common for a year or two as +he was formerly, for the reason that the Robins died by thousands of +starvation, owing to the freezing of their food supply in Tennessee +during the protracted cold weather in the winter of 1895. It is indeed +sad that this good Samaritan among birds should be defenseless against +the severity of Nature, the common mother of us all. Nevertheless the +return of the birds, in myriads or in single pairs, will be welcomed +more and more, year by year, as intelligent love and appreciation of +them shall possess the popular mind. + + + + + [Illustration: BLACK TERN. + Mother and Young with Eggs.] + +THE BLACK TERN. + + +"The Tern," says Mr. F. M. Woodruff, of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, +"is the only representative of the long-winged swimmers which commonly +nests with us on our inland fresh water marshes, arriving early in May +in its brooding plumage of sooty black. The color changes in the autumn +to white, and a number of the adult birds may be found, in the latter +part of July, dotted and streaked here and there with white. On the +first of June, 1891, I found a large colony of Black Terns nesting on +Hyde Lake, Cook County, Illinois. As I approached the marsh a few birds +were seen flying high in the air, and, as I neared the nesting site, the +flying birds gave notes of alarm, and presently the air was filled with +the graceful forms of this beautiful little bird. They circled about me, +darting down to within a few feet of my head, constantly uttering a +harsh, screaming cry. As the eggs are laid upon the bare ground, which +the brownish and blackish markings so closely resemble, I was at first +unable to find the nests, and discovered that the only way to locate +them was to stand quietly and watch the birds. When the Tern is passing +over the nest it checks its flight, and poises for a moment on quivering +wings. By keeping my eyes on this spot I found the nest with very little +trouble. The complement of eggs, when the bird has not been disturbed, +is usually three. These are laid in a saucer shaped structure of dead +vegetation, which is scraped together, from the surface of the wet, +boggy ground. The bird figured in the plate had placed its nest on the +edge of an old muskrat house, and my attention was attracted to it by +the fact that upon the edge of the rat house, where it had climbed to +rest itself, was the body of a young dabchick, or piedbilled grebe, +scarcely two and one-half inches long, and not twenty-four hours out of +the egg, a beautiful little ball of blackish down, striped with brown +and white. From the latter part of July to the middle of August large +flocks of Black Terns may be seen on the shores of our larger lakes on +their annual migration southward." + +The Rev. P. B. Peabody, in alluding to his observation of the nests +of the Tern, says: "Amid this floating sea of aquatic nests I saw an +unusual number of well constructed homes of the Tern. Among these was +one that I count a perfect nest. It rested on the perfectly flat +foundation of a small decayed rat house, which was about fourteen +inches in diameter. The nest, in form, is a truncated cone (barring +the cavity), was about eight inches high and ten inches in diameter. +The hollow--quite shallow--was about seven inches across, being thus +unusually large. The whole was built up of bits of rushes, carried to +the spot, these being quite uniform in length--about four inches." After +daily observation of the Tern, during which time he added much to his +knowledge of the bird, he pertinently asks: "Who shall say how many +traits and habits yet unknown may be discovered through patient watching +of community-breeding birds, by men enjoying more of leisure for such +delightful studies than often falls to the lot of most of us who have +bread and butter to earn and a tiny part of the world's work to +finish?" + + + + +THE MEADOW LARK. + + + "Not an inch of his body is free from delight. + Can he keep himself still if he would? Oh, not he! + The music stirs in him like wind through a tree." + +The well known Meadow or Old Field Lark is a constant resident south +of latitude 39, and many winter farther north in favorite localities. +Its geographical range is eastern North America, Canada to south Nova +Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario to eastern Manitoba; west to Minnesota, +Iowa, Missouri, eastern Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; south +to Florida and the Gulf coast, in all of which localities, except in the +extreme north, it usually rears two or three broods in a season. In the +Northern States it is only a summer resident, arriving in April and +remaining until the latter part of October and occasionally November. +Excepting during the breeding season, small flocks may often be seen +roving about in search of good feeding grounds. Major Bendire says +this is especially true in the fall of the year. At this time several +families unite, and as many as two dozen may occasionally be flushed in +a field, over which they scatter, roaming about independently of each +other. When one takes wing all the others in the vicinity follow. It +is a shy bird in the East, while in the middle states it is quite the +reverse. Its flight is rather laborious, at least in starting, and is +continued by a series of rapid movements of the wings, alternating with +short distances of sailing, and is rarely protracted. On alighting, +which is accompanied with a twitching of its tail, it usually settles on +some fence rail, post, boulder, weedstock, or on a hillock in a meadow +from which it can get a good view of the surroundings, and but rarely +on a limb of a tree. Its favorite resorts are meadows, fallow fields, +pastures, and clearings, but in some sections, as in northern Florida, +for instance, it also frequents the low, open pine woods and nests +there. + +The song of the Meadow Lark is not much varied, but its clear, whistling +notes, so frequently heard in the early spring, are melodious and +pleasing to the ear. It is decidedly the farmers' friend, feeding, as +it does, on noxious insects, caterpillars, moths, grasshoppers, spiders, +worms and the like, and eating but little grain. The lark spends the +greater part of its time on the ground, procuring all its food there. +It is seldom found alone, and it is said remains paired for life. + +Nesting begins in the early part of May and lasts through June. Both +sexes assist in building the nest, which is always placed on the ground, +either in a natural depression, or in a little hollow scratched out by +the birds, alongside a bunch of grass or weeds. The nest itself is lined +with dry grass, stubble, and sometimes pine needles. Most nests are +placed in level meadows. The eggs and young are frequently destroyed by +vermin, for the meadow lark has many enemies. The eggs vary from three +to seven, five being the most common, and both sexes assist in the +hatching, which requires about fifteen or sixteen days. The young leave +the nest before they are able to fly--hiding at the slightest sign of +danger. The Meadow Lark does not migrate beyond the United States. It is +a native bird, and is only accidental in England. The eggs are spotted, +blotched, and speckled with shades of brown, purple and lavender. A +curious incident is told of a Meadow Lark trying to alight on the top +mast of a schooner several miles at sea. It was evidently very tired but +would not venture near the deck. + + + + +[Illustration: MEADOW LARK.] + +THE MEADOW LARK. + + +I told the man who wanted my picture that he could take it if he would +show my nest and eggs. Do you blame me for saying so? Don't you think it +makes a better picture than if I stood alone? + +Mr. Lark is away getting me some breakfast, or he could be in the +picture, too. After a few days I shall have some little baby birds, and +then won't we be happy. + +Boys and girls who live in the country know us pretty well. When they +drive the cows out to pasture, or when they go out to gather wild +flowers, we sit on the fences by the roadside and make them glad with +our merry song. + +Those of you who live in the city cannot see us unless you come out into +the country. + +It isn't very often that we can find such a pretty place for a nest as +we have here. Most of the time we build our nest under the grass and +cover it over, and build a little tunnel leading to it. This year we +made up our minds not to be afraid. + +The people living in the houses over there do not bother us at all and +we are so happy. + +You never saw baby larks, did you? Well, they are queer little fellows, +with hardly any feathers on them. + +Last summer we had five little birdies to feed, and it kept us busy from +morning till night. This year we only expect three, and Mr. Lark says he +will do all the work. He knows a field that is being plowed, where he +can get nice, large worms. + +Hark! that is he singing. He will be surprised when he comes back and +finds me off the nest. He is so afraid that I will let the eggs get +cold, but I won't. There he comes, now. + + + + +THE LONG-EARED OWL. + + +The name of the Long-Eared Owl is derived from the great length of his +"ears" or feather-tufts, which are placed upon the head, and erect +themselves whenever the bird is interested or excited. It is the "black +sheep" of the owl family, the majority of owls being genuine friends of +the agriculturist, catching for his larder so many of the small animals +that prey upon his crops. In America he is called the Great Horned +Owl--in Europe the Golden Owl. + +Nesting time with the owl begins in February, and continues through +March and April. The clown-like antics of both sexes of this bird while +under the tender influence of the nesting season tend somewhat to impair +their reputation for dignity and wise demeanor. They usually have a +simple nest in a hollow tree, but which seems seldom to be built by the +bird itself, as it prefers to take the deserted nest of some other bird, +and to fit up the premises for its own use. They repair slightly from +year to year the same nest. The eggs are white, and generally four or +five in number. While the young are still in the nest, the parent birds +display a singular diligence in collecting food for them. + +If you should happen to know of an owl's nest, stand near it some +evening when the old birds are rearing their young. Keep quiet and +motionless, and notice how frequently the old birds feed them. Every ten +minutes or so the soft flap, flap of their wings will be heard, the male +and female alternately, and you will obtain a brief glimpse of them +through the gloom as they enter the nesting place. They remain inside +but a short time, sharing the food equally amongst their brood, and +then are off again to hunt for more. All night, were you to have the +inclination to observe them, you would find they pass to and fro with +food, only ceasing their labors at dawn. The young, as soon as they +reach maturity, are abandoned by their parents; they quit the nest and +seek out haunts elsewhere, while the old birds rear another, and not +infrequently two more broods, during the remainder of the season. + +The habits of the Long-Eared Owl are nocturnal. He is seldom seen in the +light of day, and is greatly disturbed if he chance to issue from his +concealment while the sun is above the horizon. The facial disk is very +conspicuous in this species. It is said that the use of this circle is +to collect the rays of light, and throw them upon the eye. The flight +of the owl is softened by means of especially shaped, recurved +feather-tips, so that he may noiselessly steal upon his prey, and +the ear is also so shaped as to gather sounds from below. + +The Long-Eared Owl is hardly tameable. The writer of this paragraph, when +a boy, was the possessor, for more than a year, of a very fine specimen. +We called him Judge. He was a monster, and of perfect plumage. Although +he seemed to have some attachment to the children of the family who fed +him, he would not permit himself to be handled by them or by any one in +the slightest. Most of his time he spent in his cage, an immense affair, +in which he was very comfortable. Occasionally he had a day in the barn +with the rats and mice. + +The owl is of great usefulness to gardener, agriculturist, and landowner +alike, for there is not another bird of prey which is so great a +destroyer of the enemies of vegetation. + + + + +[Illustration: GREAT HORNED OWL.] + +THE OWL. + + + We know not alway + Who are kings by day, + But the king of the night is the bold brown owl! + +I wonder why the folks put my picture last in the book. It can't be +because they don't like me, for I'm sure I never bother them. I don't +eat the farmer's corn like the crow, and no one ever saw me quarrel with +other birds. + +Maybe it is because I can't sing. Well, there are lots of good people +that can't sing, and so there are lots of good birds that can't sing. + +Did you ever see any other bird sit up as straight as I do? I couldn't +sit up so straight if I hadn't such long, sharp claws to hold on with. + +My home is in the woods. Here we owls build our nests--most always in +hollow trees. + +During the day I stay in the nest or sit on a limb. I don't like day +time for the light hurts my eyes, but when it begins to grow dark then +I like to stir around. All night long I am wide awake and fly about +getting food for my little hungry ones. They sleep most of the day and +it keeps me busy nearly all night to find them enough to eat. + +I just finished my night's work when the man came to take my picture. It +was getting light and I told him to go to a large stump on the edge of +the woods and I would sit for my picture. So here I am. Don't you think +I look wise? How do you like my large eyes? If I could smile at you I +would, but my face always looks sober. I have a great many cousins and +if you really like my picture, I'll have some of them talk to you next +month. I don't think any of them have such pretty feathers though. Just +see if they have when they come. + +Well, I must fly back to my perch in the old elm tree. Good-bye. + + + + +THE OWL. + + + In the hollow tree, in the old gray tower, + The spectral owl doth dwell; + Dull, hated, despised in the sunshine hour, + But at dusk he's abroad and well! + Not a bird of the forest e'er mates with him; + All mock him outright by day; + But at night, when the woods grow still and dim, + The boldest will shrink away! + + O! when the night falls, and roosts the fowl, + Then, then, is the reign of the Horned Owl! + + And the owl hath a bride, who is fond and bold, + And loveth the wood's deep gloom; + And, with eyes like the shine of the moonstone cold, + She awaiteth her ghastly groom. + Not a feather she moves, not a carol she sings, + As she waits in her tree so still, + But when her heart heareth his flapping wings, + She hoots out her welcome shrill! + + O! when the moon shines, and dogs do howl, + Then, then, is the joy of the Horned Owl! + + Mourn not for the owl, nor his gloomy plight! + The owl hath his share of good-- + If a prisoner he be in the broad daylight, + He is lord in the dark greenwood! + Nor lonely the bird, nor his ghastly mate, + They are each unto each a pride; + Thrice fonder, perhaps, since a strange, dark fate + Hath rent them from all beside! + + So, when the night falls, and dogs do howl, + Sing, Ho! for the reign of the Horned Owl! + We know not alway + Who are kings by day, + But the King of the Night is the bold Brown Owl! + + BRYAN W. PROCTER + (Barry Cornwall.) + + + * * * * * + + + + + THE + Racycle + NARROW TREAD + + THE VERDICT IS IN + + [Illustration] + + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to advertisers. + + + + +TESTIMONIALS. + + + FRANKFORT, KY., February 3, 1897. + W. J. BLACK, Vice-President, + Chicago, Ill. + +Dear Sir: I have a copy of your magazine entitled "Birds," and beg to +say that I consider it one of the finest things on the subject that I +have ever seen, and shall be pleased to recommend it to county and city +superintendents of the state. + + Very respectfully, + W. J. DAVIDSON, + State Superintendent Public Instruction. + + * * * + + SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., January 27, 1897. + W. J. BLACK, ESQ., + Chicago, Ill. + +Dear Sir: I am very much obliged for the copy of "Birds" that has just +come to hand. It should be in the hands of every primary and grammar +teacher. I send herewith copy of "List of San Francisco Teachers." + + Very respectfully, + M. BABCOCK. + + * * * + + LINCOLN, NEB., February 9, 1897. + W. J. BLACK, + Chicago, Ill. + +Dear Sir: The first number of your magazine, "Birds," is upon my +desk. I am highly pleased with it. It will prove a very serviceable +publication--one that strikes out along the right lines. For the purpose +intended, it has, in my opinion, no equal. It is clear, concise, and +admirably illustrated. + + Very respectfully, + W. R. JACKSON, + State Superintendent Public Instruction. + + * * * + + NORTH LIMA, OHIO, February 1, 1897. + MR. W. E. WATT, + +Dear Sir: Sample copy of "Birds" received. All of the family delighted +with it. We wish it unbounded success. It will be an excellent +supplement to "In Birdland" in the Ohio Teachers' Reading Circle, and I +venture Ohio will be to the front with a good subscription list. I +enclose list of teachers. + + Very truly, + C. M. L. ALTDOERFFER, + Township Superintendent. + + * * * + + MILWAUKEE, January 30, 1897. + NATURE STUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY, + 227 Dearborn Street, Chicago. + +Gentlemen: I acknowledge with pleasure the receipt of your publication, +"Birds," with accompanying circulars. I consider it the best on the +subject in existence. I have submitted the circulars and publication to +my teachers, who have nothing to say but praise in behalf of the +monthly. + + JULIUS TORNEY, + Principal 2nd Dist. Primary School, Milwaukee, Wis. + + + + +OUR PREMIUM + + + A picture of wonderful beauty of the + Golden Pheasant almost life size in + a natural scene, plate 12x18 inches, + on card 19x25 inches, is given as a + premium to yearly subscribers. Our + price on this picture in Art Stores + is $3.50. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph +[March 1897], by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRDS ILLUSTRATED [MARCH 1897] *** + +***** This file should be named 30103-8.txt or 30103-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/1/0/30103/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and Anne Storer, +some images courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph [March 1897] + A Monthly Serial designed to Promote Knowledge of Bird-Life + +Author: Various + +Release Date: September 26, 2009 [EBook #30103] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRDS ILLUSTRATED [MARCH 1897] *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and Anne Storer, +some images courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="box"> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 362px;"> +<img src="images/img_cover.jpg" width="362" height="600" alt="cover" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img1a.png" width="600" height="248" alt="intro" title="" /> +</div> +<p style="margin-left: 5em;">W. E. Watt, President &c.,</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 12em;">Fisher Building,</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;">277 Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill.</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 5em;">My dear Sir:</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 5em; margin-right: 2em; line-height: 1.5em;">Please accept my thanks for a copy of the first +publication of “Birds.” Please enter my name as a regular +subscriber. It is one of the most beautiful and interesting +publications yet attempted in this direction. It has other +attractions in addition to its beauty, and it must win its +way to popular favor.</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 5em; margin-right: 2em;">Wishing the handsome little magazine abundant prosperity, +I remain</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 18em;">Yours very respectfully,</p> +<div class="figright" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/img1b.png" width="400" height="132" alt="signature" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"> +<img src="images/img_002.jpg" width="370" height="600" alt="advertisement" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="center">Please mention “BIRDS” when you write to advertisers.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 436px;"> +<img src="images/img3.png" width="436" height="650" alt="advertisement" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 383px;"> +<img src="images/img_4.jpg" width="383" height="600" alt="advertisement" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> +<h2>LITTLE BOY BLUE.</h2> + + +<p>Boys and girls, don’t you think +that is a pretty name? I came +from the warm south, where I +went last winter, to tell you that +Springtime is nearly here.</p> + +<p>When I sing, the buds and +flowers and grass all begin to +whisper to one another, “Springtime +is coming for we heard the +Bluebird say so,” and then they +peep out to see the warm sunshine. +I perch beside them and +tell them of my long journey +from the south and how I knew +just when to tell them to come +out of their warm winter cradles. +I am of the same blue color as +the violet that shows her pretty +face when I sing, “Summer is +coming, and Springtime is here.”</p> + +<p>I do not like the cities for +they are black and noisy and +full of those troublesome birds +called English Sparrows. I +take my pretty mate and out in +the beautiful country we find a +home. We build a nest of +twigs, grass and hair, in a box +that the farmer puts up for us +near his barn.</p> + +<p>Sometimes we build in a hole +in some old tree and soon there +are tiny eggs in the nest. I +sing to my mate and to the good +people who own the barn. I +heard the farmer say one day, +“Isn’t it nice to hear the Bluebird +sing? He must be very +happy.” And I am, too, for by +this time there are four or five +little ones in the nest.</p> + +<p>Little Bluebirds are like little +boys—they are always hungry. +We work hard to find enough +for them to eat. We feed them +nice fat worms and bugs, and +when their little wings are +strong enough, we teach them +how to fly. Soon they are large +enough to hunt their own food, +and can take care of themselves.</p> + +<p>The summer passes, and when +we feel the breath of winter we +go south again, for we do not +like the cold.</p> + +<hr style='width: 15%;' /> + +<p class="center"><strong>THE BLUE BIRD.</strong></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +I know the song that the Bluebird is singing<br /> +Out in the apple tree, where he is swinging.<br /> +Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary,<br /> +Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery.<br /> +Hark! how the music leaps out from his throat,<br /> +Hark! was there ever so merry a note?</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +Listen a while, and you’ll hear what he’s saying,<br /> +Up in the apple tree swinging and swaying.<br /> +“Dear little blossoms down under the snow,<br /> +You must be weary of winter, I know;<br /> +Hark! while I sing you a message of cheer,<br /> +Summer is coming, and springtime is here!”</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +“Dear little snow-drop! I pray you arise;<br /> +Bright yellow crocus! come open your eyes;<br /> +Sweet little violets, hid from the cold,<br /> +Put on our mantles of purple and gold;<br /> +Daffodils! daffodils! say, do you hear,<br /> +Summer is coming! and springtime is here!”</p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 436px;"> +<img src="images/img_019.jpg" width="436" height="600" alt="Blue Bird" title="" /> +<span class="caption">blue bird.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BLUE BIRD.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;"> +Winged lute that we call a blue bird,<br /> +You blend in a silver strain<br /> +The sound of the laughing waters,<br /> +The patter of spring’s sweet rain,<br /> +The voice of the wind, the sunshine,<br /> +And fragrance of blossoming things,<br /> +Ah! you are a poem of April<br /> +That God endowed with wings.<span style="margin-left: 2em;">E. E. R.</span> +</p> + +<hr style='width: 15%;' /> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 100px;"> +<img src="images/imgl.png" width="100" height="80" alt="L" title="" /> +</div> +<p>IKE a bit of sky this little +harbinger of spring appears, +as we see him and his mate +househunting in early +March. Oftentimes he +makes his appearance as early as the +middle of February, when his attractive +note is heard long before he himself +is seen. He is one of the last to +leave us, and although the month of +November is usually chosen by him as +the fitting time for departure to a +milder clime, his plaintive note is +quite commonly heard on pleasant +days throughout the winter season, +and a few of the braver and hardier +ones never entirely desert us. The +Robin and the Blue Bird are tenderly +associated in the memories of most +persons whose childhood was passed +on a farm or in the country village. +Before the advent of the English +Sparrow, the Blue Bird was sure to be +the first to occupy and the last to defend +the little box prepared for his return, +appearing in his blue jacket +somewhat in advance of the plainly +habited female, who on her arrival +quite often found a habitation selected +and ready for her acceptance, should +he find favor in her sight. And then +he becomes a most devoted husband +and father, sitting by the nest +and warbling with earnest affection +his exquisite tune, and occasionally flying +away in search of food for his mate +and nestlings.</p> + +<p>The Blue Bird rears two broods in +the season, and, should the weather be +mild, even three. His nest contains +three eggs.</p> + +<p>In the spring and summer when he +is happy and gay, his song is extremely +soft and agreeable, while it +grows very mournful and plaintive as +cold weather approaches. He is mild +of temper, and a peaceable and harmless +neighbor, setting a fine example +of amiability to his feathered friends. +In the early spring, however, he wages +war against robins, wrens, swallows, +and other birds whose habitations are +of a kind to take his fancy. A celebrated +naturalist says: “This bird +seems incapable of uttering a harsh +note, or of doing a spiteful, ill-tempered +thing.”</p> + +<p>Nearly everybody has his anecdote +to tell of the Blue Bird’s courage, but +the author of “Wake Robin” tells +his exquisitely thus: “A few years +ago I put up a little bird house in the +back end of my garden for the accommodation +of the wrens, and every +season a pair have taken up their +abode there. One spring a pair of +Blue Birds looked into the tenement, +and lingered about several days, leading +me to hope that they would conclude +to occupy it. But they finally +went away. Late in the season the +wrens appeared, and after a little coquetting, +were regularly installed in +their old quarters, and were as happy +as only wrens can be. But before +their honeymoon was over, the Blue +Birds returned. I knew something +was wrong before I was up in the +morning. Instead of that voluble and +gushing song outside the window, I +heard the wrens scolding and crying +out at a fearful rate, and on going out +saw the Blue Birds in possession of +the box. The poor wrens were in +despair and were forced to look for +other quarters.”</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE SWALLOW.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 16em;"> +“Come, summer visitant, attach<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 1em;">To my reedroof thy nest of clay,</span><br /> +And let my ear thy music catch,<br /> +Low twitting underneath the thatch,<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 1em;">At the gray dawn of day.”</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 82px;"> +<img src="images/imgs.png" width="82" height="80" alt="S" title="" /> +</div> +<p>URE harbingers of spring +are the Swallows. They +are very common birds, +and frequent, as a rule, +the cultivated lands in the +neighborhood of water, showing a decided +preference for the habitations of +man. “How gracefully the swallows +fly! See them coursing over the +daisy-bespangled grass fields; now +they skim just over the blades of grass, +and then with a rapid stroke of their +long wings mount into the air and +come hovering above your head, displaying +their rich white and chestnut +plumage to perfection. Now they +chase each other for very joyfulness, +uttering their sharp twittering notes; +then they hover with expanded wings +like miniature Kestrels, or dart downwards +with the velocity of the sparrowhawk; +anon they flit rapidly over +the neighboring pool, occasionally +dipping themselves in its calm and +placid waters, and leaving a long train +of rings marking their varied course. +How easily they turn, or glide over +the surrounding hedges, never resting, +never weary, and defying the eye to +trace them in the infinite turnings and +twistings of their rapid shooting flight. +You frequently see them glide rapidly +near the ground, and then with a sidelong +motion mount aloft, to dart +downwards like an animated meteor, +their plumage glowing in the light +with metallic splendor, and the row of +white spots on the tail contrasting +beautifully with the darker plumage.”</p> + +<p>The Swallow is considered a life-paired +species, and returns to its nesting +site of the previous season, building +a new nest close to the old one. +His nest is found in barns and outhouses, +upon the beams of wood +which support the roof, or in any +place which assures protection to the +young birds. It is cup-shaped and +artfully moulded of bits of mud. +Grass and feathers are used for the +lining. “The nest completed, five or +six eggs are deposited. They are of a +pure white color, with deep rich +brown blotches and spots, notably at +the larger end, round which they +often form a zone or belt.” The sitting +bird is fed by her mate.</p> + +<p>The young Swallow is distinguished +from the mature birds by the +absence of the elongated tail feathers, +which are a mark of maturity alone. +His food is composed entirely of insects. +Swallows are on the wing fully +sixteen hours, and the greater part of +the time making terrible havoc +amongst the millions of insects which +infest the air. It is said that when +the Swallow is seen flying high in the +heavens, it is a never failing indication +of fine weather.</p> + +<p>A pair of Swallows on arriving at +their nesting place of the preceding +Summer found their nest occupied by +a Sparrow, who kept the poor birds at +a distance by pecking at them with +his strong beak whenever they attempted +to dislodge him. Wearied +and hopeless of regaining possession +of their property, they at last hit upon +a plan which effectually punished the +intruder. One morning they appeared +with a few more Swallows—their +mouths filled with a supply of tempered +clay—and, by their joint efforts +in a short time actually plastered up +the entrance to the hole, thus barring +the Sparrow from the home which he +had stolen from the Swallows.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_017.jpg" width="600" height="444" alt="barn swallow" title="" /> +<span class="caption">barn swallow.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BROWN THRUSH.</h2> + +<p style="margin-left: 17em;"> +“However the world goes ill,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Thrushes still sing in it.”</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 86px;"> +<img src="images/imgt.png" width="86" height="80" alt="T" title="" /> +</div> +<p>HE Mocking-bird of the North, +as the Brown Thrush has +been called, arrives in the +Eastern and Middle States +about the 10th of May, at which +season he may be seen, perched on the +highest twig of a hedge, or on the +topmost branch of a tree, singing his +loud and welcome song, that may be +heard a distance of half a mile. The +favorite haunt of the Brown Thrush, +however, is amongst the bright and +glossy foliage of the evergreens. +“There they delight to hide, although +not so shy and retiring as the Blackbird; +there they build their nests in +greatest numbers, amongst the perennial +foliage, and there they draw at +nightfall to repose in warmth and +safety.” The Brown Thrasher sings +chiefly just after sunrise and before +sunset, but may be heard singing at +intervals during the day. His food +consists of wild fruits, such as blackberries +and raspberries, snails, worms, +slugs and grubs. He also obtains +much of his food amongst the withered +leaves and marshy places of the +woods and shrubberies which he +frequents. Few birds possess a more +varied melody. His notes are almost +endless in variety, each note seemingly +uttered at the caprice of the bird, +without any perceptible approach to +order.</p> + +<p>The site of the Thrush’s nest is a +varied one, in the hedgerows, under a +fallen tree or fence-rail; far up in the +branches of stately trees, or amongst +the ivy growing up their trunks. The +nest is composed of the small dead +twigs of trees, lined with the fine +fibers of roots. From three to five +eggs are deposited, and are hatched +in about twelve days. They have a +greenish background, thickly spotted +with light brown, giving the whole +egg a brownish appearance.</p> + +<p>The Brown Thrush leaves the Eastern +and Middle States, on his migration +South, late in September, remaining +until the following May.</p> + +<hr style='width: 15%;' /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>THE THRUSH’S NEST.</strong></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 13em;"> +“Within a thick and spreading hawthorn bush<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">That overhung a molehill, large and round,</span><br /> +I heard from morn to morn a merry thrush<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Sing hymns of rapture while I drank the sound</span><br /> +With joy—and oft an unintruding guest,<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">I watched her secret toils from day to day;</span><br /> +How true she warped the moss to form her nest,<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And modeled it within with wood and clay.</span><br /> +And by and by, with heath-bells gilt with dew,<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">There lay her shining eggs as bright as flowers,</span><br /> +Ink-spotted over, shells of green and blue:<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And there I witnessed, in the summer hours,</span><br /> +A brood of nature’s minstrels chirp and fly,<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Glad as the sunshine and the laughing sky.”</span></p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE BROWN THRUSH.</h2> + + +<p>Dear Readers:</p> + +<p>My cousin Robin Redbreast +told me that he wrote you a +letter last month and sent it +with his picture. How did you +like it? He is a pretty bird—Cousin +Robin—and everybody +likes him. But I must tell you +something of myself.</p> + +<p>Folks call me by different +names—some of them nicknames, +too.</p> + +<p>The cutest one of all is Brown +Thrasher. I wonder if you +know why they call me Thrasher. +If you don’t, ask some one. It +is really funny.</p> + +<p>Some people think Cousin +Robin is the sweetest singer of +our family, but a great many +like my song just as well.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning I sing +among the bushes, but later in +the day you will always find me +in the very top of a tree and it +is then I sing my best.</p> + +<p>Do you know what I say in +my song? Well, if I am near a +farmer while he is planting, I +say: “Drop it, drop it—cover it +up, cover it up—pull it up, pull +it up, pull it up.”</p> + +<p>One thing I very seldom do +and that is, sing when near my +nest. Maybe you can tell why. +I’m not very far from my nest +now. I just came down to the +stream to get a drink and am +watching that boy on the other +side of the stream. Do you see +him?</p> + +<p>One dear lady who loves birds +has said some very nice things +about me in a book called “Bird +Ways.” Another lady has +written a beautiful poem about +my singing. Ask your mamma or +teacher the names of these +ladies. Here is the poem:</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 12em;"> +There’s a merry brown thrush sitting up in a tree.<br /> +He is singing to me! He is singing to me!<br /> +And what does he say—little girl, little boy?<br /> +“Oh, the world’s running over with joy!<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hush! Look! In my tree,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">I am as happy as happy can be.”</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 12em;"> +And the brown thrush keeps singing, “A nest, do you see,<br /> +And five eggs, hid by me in the big cherry tree?<br /> +Don’t meddle, don’t touch—little girl, little boy—<br /> +Or the world will lose some of its joy!<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Now I am glad! now I am free!</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And I always shall be,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">If you never bring sorrow to me.”</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 12em;"> +So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree<br /> +To you and to me—to you and to me;<br /> +And he sings all the day—little girl, little boy—<br /> +“Oh, the world’s running over with joy!<br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">But long it won’t be,</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Don’t you know? don’t you see?</span><br /> + <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Unless we’re good as good can be.”</span></p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_025.jpg" width="600" height="443" alt="brown thrasher" title="" /> +<span class="caption">brown thrasher.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_027.jpg" width="600" height="445" alt="japan pheasant" title="" /> +<span class="caption">japan pheasant.</span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE JAPAN PHEASANT.</h2> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 64px;"> +<img src="images/imgo.png" width="64" height="80" alt="O" title="" /> +</div> +<p>RIGINALLY the Pheasant +was an inhabitant of Asia +Minor but has been by degrees +introduced into many +countries, where its beauty +of form, plumage, and the delicacy of +its flesh made it a welcome visitor. +The Japan Pheasant is a very beautiful +species, about which little is +known in its wild state, but in captivity +it is pugnacious. It requires +much shelter and plenty of food, and +the breed is to some degree artificially +kept up by the hatching of eggs under +domestic hens and feeding them +in the coop like ordinary chickens, +until they are old and strong enough +to get their own living.</p> + +<p>The food of this bird is extremely +varied. When young it is generally +fed on ants’ eggs, maggots, +grits, and similar food, but when it is +full grown it is possessed of an accommodating +appetite and will eat many +kinds of seeds, roots, and leaves. It +will also eat beans, peas, acorns, berries, +and has even been known to eat +the ivy leaf, as well as the berry.</p> + +<p>This Pheasant loves the ground, +runs with great speed, and always prefers +to trust to its legs rather than to its +wings. It is crafty, and when alarmed +it slips quickly out of sight behind a +bush or through a hedge, and then +runs away with astonishing rapidity, +always remaining under cover until it +reaches some spot where it deems itself +safe. The male is not domestic, +passing an independent life during +a part of the year and associating +with others of its own sex during the +rest of the season.</p> + +<p>The nest is very rude, being merely +a heap of leaves and grass on the +ground, with a very slight depression. +The eggs are numerous, about eleven +or twelve, and olive brown in color. In +total length, though they vary considerably, +the full grown male is about +three feet. The female is smaller in +size than her mate, and her length +a foot less.</p> + +<p>The Japan Pheasant is not a particularly +interesting bird aside from his +beauty, which is indeed brilliant, there +being few of the species more attractive.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE FLICKER.</h2> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 93px;"> +<img src="images/imga1.png" width="93" height="80" alt="A" title="" /> +</div> +<p>GREAT variety of names +does this bird possess. It +is commonly known as the +Golden Winged Woodpecker, +Yellow-shafted Flicker, Yellow +Hammer, and less often as High-hole +or High-holer, Wake-up, etc. In suitable +localities throughout the United +States and the southern parts of Canada, +the Flicker is a very common +bird, and few species are more generally +known. “It is one of the most +sociable of our Woodpeckers, and is +apparently always on good terms with +its neighbors. It usually arrives in +April, occasionally even in March, the +males preceding the females a few +days, and as soon as the latter appear +one can hear their voices in all directions.”</p> + +<p>The Flicker is an ardent wooer. It +is an exceedingly interesting and +amusing sight to see a couple of males +paying their addresses to a coy and +coquettish female; the apparent shyness +of the suitors as they sidle up to +her and as quickly retreat again, the +shy glances given as one peeps from +behind a limb watching the other—playing +bo-peep—seem very human, +and “I have seen,” says an observer, +“few more amusing performances than +the courtship of a pair of these birds.” +The defeated suitor takes his rejection +quite philosophically, and retreats in a +dignified manner, probably to make +other trials elsewhere. Few birds +deserve our good will more than the +Flicker. He is exceedingly useful, +destroying multitudes of grubs, larvæ, +and worms. He loves berries and +fruit but the damage he does to cultivated +fruit is very trifling.</p> + +<p>The Flicker begins to build its nest +about two weeks after the bird arrives +from the south. It prefers open country, +interspersed with groves and orchards, +to nest in. Any old stump, or +partly decayed limb of a tree, along +the banks of a creek, beside a country +road, or in an old orchard, will answer +the purpose. Soft wood trees seem to +be preferred, however. In the prairie +states it occasionally selects strange +nesting sites. It has been known to +chisel through the weather boarding of +a dwelling house, barns, and other buildings, +and to nest in the hollow space +between this and the cross beams; its +nests have also been found in gate +posts, in church towers, and in burrows +of Kingfishers and bank swallows, in +perpendicular banks of streams. One +of the most peculiar sites of his selection +is described by William A. Bryant +as follows: “On a small hill, a +quarter of a mile distant from any +home, stood a hay stack which had +been placed there two years previously. +The owner, during the winter of +1889-90, had cut the stack through the +middle and hauled away one portion, +leaving the other standing, with the +end smoothly trimmed. The following +spring I noticed a pair of flickers about +the stack showing signs of wanting to +make it a fixed habitation. One morning +a few days later I was amused at +the efforts of one of the pair. It was +clinging to the perpendicular end of +the stack and throwing out clipped +hay at a rate to defy competition. +This work continued for a week, and +in that time the pair had excavated a +cavity twenty inches in depth. They +remained in the vicinity until autumn. +During the winter the remainder of +the stack was removed. They returned +the following spring, and, after +a brief sojourn, departed for parts unknown.”</p> + +<p>From five to nine eggs are generally +laid. They are glossy white in color, +and when fresh appear as if enameled.</p> + +<p>The young are able to leave the +nest in about sixteen days; they crawl +about on the limbs of the tree for a +couple of days before they venture to +fly, and return to the nest at night.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_033.jpg" width="600" height="428" alt="flicker" title="" /> +<span class="caption">flicker.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BOBOLINK.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;"> +“When Nature had made all her birds,<br /> +And had no cares to think on,<br /> +She gave a rippling laugh,<br /> +And out there flew a Bobolinkon.”</p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 112px;"> +<img src="images/imgn.png" width="112" height="80" alt="N" title="" /> +</div> +<p>O American ornithologist +omits mention of the Bobolink, +and naturalists generally +have described +him under one of the +many names by which he is known. +In some States he is called the Rice +Bird, in others Reed Bird, the Rice or +Reed Bunting, while his more familiar +title, throughout the greater part of +America, is Bobolink, or Bobolinkum. +In Jamaica, where he gets very fat +during his winter stay, he is called the +Butter Bird. His title of Rice +Troopial is earned by the depredations +which he annually makes upon the +rice crops, though his food “is by no +means restricted to that seed, but consists +in a large degree of insects, grubs, +and various wild grasses.” A migratory +bird, residing during the winter +in the southern parts of America, he +returns in vast multitudes northward +in the early Spring. According to +Wilson, their course of migration is as +follows: “In April, or very early in +May, the Rice Buntings, male and +female, arrive within the southern +boundaries of the United States, and +are seen around the town of Savannah, +Georgia, sometimes in separate +parties of males and females, but +more generally promiscuously. They +remain there but a short time, and +about the middle of May make their +appearance in the lower part of +Pennsylvania. While here the males +are extremely gay and full of song, +frequenting meadows, newly plowed +fields, sides of creeks, rivers, and +watery places, feeding on May flies +and caterpillars, of which they destroy +great quantities. In their passage, +however, through Virginia at this season, +they do great damage to the early +wheat and barley while in their milky +state. About the 20th of May they +disappear on their way to the North. +Nearly at the same time they arrive in +the State of New York, spread over +the whole of the New England +States, as far as the river St. Lawrence, +and from Lake Ontario to the +sea. In all of these places they remain +during the Summer, building +their nests and rearing their young.”</p> + +<p>The Bobolink’s song is a peculiar +one, varying greatly with the occasion. +As he flys southward, his cry is +a kind of clinking note; but the love +song addressed to his mate is voluble +and fervent. It has been said that if +you should strike the keys of a pianoforte +haphazard, the higher and the +lower singly very quickly, you might +have some idea of the Bobolink’s +notes. In the month of June he +gradually changes his pretty, attractive +dress and puts on one very like +the females, which is of a plain rusty +brown, and is not reassumed until the +next season of nesting. The two parent +birds in the plate represent the +change from the dark plumage in +which the bird is commonly known +in the North as the Bobolink, to the +dress of yellowish brown by which it +is known throughout the South as the +Rice or Reed Bird.</p> + +<p>His nest, small and a plain one, too, +is built on the ground by his industrious +little wife. The inside is warmly +lined with soft fibers of whatever may +be nearest at hand. Five pretty white +eggs, spotted all over with brown are +laid, and as soon</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;"> +“As the little ones chip the shell<br /> +And five wide mouths are ready for food,<br /> +‘Robert of Lincoln’ bestirs him well,<br /> +Gathering seeds for this hungry brood.”</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> +<h2>BOBOLINK.</h2> + + +<p>Other birds may like to travel +alone, but when jolly Mr. Bobolink +and his quiet little wife +come from the South, where they +have spent the winter, they +come with a large party of +friends. When South, they eat +so much rice that the people call +them Rice Birds. When they +come North, they enjoy eating +wheat, barley, oats and insects.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Bobolink build +their simple little nest of grasses +in some field. It is hard to find +on the ground, for it looks just +like dry grass. Mrs. Bobolink +wears a dull dress, so she cannot +be seen when she is sitting on +the precious eggs. She does +not sing a note while caring +for the eggs. Why do you +think that is?</p> + +<p>Mr. Bob-Linkum does not +wear a sober dress, as you can +see by his picture. He does not +need to be hidden. He is just +as jolly as he looks. Shall I +tell you how he amuses his mate +while she is sitting? He springs +from the dew-wet grass with a +sound like peals of merry laughter. +He frolics from reed to +post, singing as if his little +heart would burst with joy.</p> + +<p>Don’t you think Mr. and Mrs. +Bobolink look happy in the +picture? They have raised +their family of five. Four of +their children have gone to look +for food; one of them—he must +surely be the baby—would +rather stay with his mamma and +papa. Which one does he look +like?</p> + +<p>Many birds are quiet at noon +and in the afternoon. A flock +of Bobolinks can be heard singing +almost all day long. The +song is full of high notes and +low, soft notes and loud, all +sung rapidly. It is as gay and +bright as the birds themselves, +who flit about playfully as they +sing. You will feel like laughing +as merrily as they sing when +you hear it some day.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_039.jpg" width="600" height="431" alt="bobolinks" title="" /> +<span class="caption">bobolinks.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BLUE BIRD.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;"> +“Drifting down the first warm wind<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That thrills the earliest days of spring,</span><br /> +The Bluebird seeks our maple groves<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And charms them into tasselling.”</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;"> +“He sings, and his is Nature’s voice—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A gush of melody sincere</span><br /> +From that great fount of harmony<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which thaws and runs when Spring is here.”</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 15em;"> +“Short is his song, but strangely sweet<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To ears aweary of the low</span><br /> +Dull tramps of Winter’s sullen feet,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sandalled in ice and muffled in snow.”</span></p> + + +<hr style='width: 15%;' /> + +<p style="margin-left: 13em;"> +<span style="margin-left: -.3em;">“Think, every morning, when the sun peeps through</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove,</span><br /> +How jubilant the happy birds renew<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their old, melodious madrigals of love!</span><br /> +And when you think of this, remember, too,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">’Tis always morning somewhere, and above</span><br /> +The awakening continents, from shore to shore,<br /> +Somewhere the birds are singing evermore.</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 13em;"> +<span style="margin-left: -.3em;">“Think of your woods and orchards without birds!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of empty nests that cling to boughs and beams</span><br /> +As in an idiot’s brain remembered words<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hang empty ’mid the cobwebs of his dreams!</span><br /> +Will bleat of flocks or bellowing of herds<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Make up for the lost music, when your teams</span><br /> +Drag home the stingy harvest, and no more<br /> +The feathered gleaners follow to your door?”<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 7em;" class="smcap">From “The Birds of Killingsworth.”</span></p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE CROW.</h2> + + +<p>Caw! Caw! Caw! little boys +and girls. Caw! Caw! Caw! +Just look at my coat of feathers. +See how black and glossy it is. +Do you wonder I am proud of it?</p> + +<p>Perhaps you think I look very +solemn and wise, and not at all +as if I cared to play games. I +do, though; and one of the +games I like best is hide-and-seek. +I play it with the farmer +in the spring. He hides, in the +rich, brown earth, golden kernels +of corn. Surely he does it because +he knows I like it, for +sometimes he puts up a stick all +dressed like a man to show +where the corn is hidden. Sometimes +I push my bill down into +the earth to find the corn, and at +other times I wait until tiny +green leaves begin to show above +the ground, and then I get my +breakfast without much trouble. +I wonder if the farmer enjoys +this game as much as I do. I +help him, too, by eating worms +and insects.</p> + +<p>During the spring and summer +I live in my nest on the top +of a very high tree. It is built +of sticks and grasses and straw +and string and anything else I +can pick up. But in the fall, I +and all my relations and friends +live together in great roosts or +rookeries. What good times +we do have—hunting all day +for food and talking all night. +Wouldn’t you like to be with us?</p> + +<p>The farmer who lives in the +house over there went to the mill +to-day with a load of corn.</p> + +<p>One of the ears dropped out +of the wagon and it didn’t take +me long to find it. I have eaten +all I can possibly hold and am +wondering now what is the best +thing to do. If you were in my +place would you leave it here +and not tell anybody and come +back to-morrow and finish it? Or +would you fly off and get Mrs. +Crow and some of the children +to come and finish it? I believe +I’ll fly and get them. Good-bye.</p> + +<p>Caw! Caw! Caw!</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_044.jpg" width="600" height="432" alt="common crow" title="" /> +<span class="caption">common crow.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE COMMON CROW.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +“The crow doth sing as merry as the lark,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .7em;">When neither is attended.”</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 91px;"> +<img src="images/imgf.png" width="91" height="80" alt="F" title="" /> +</div> +<p>EW birds have more interesting +characteristics than the Common +Crow, being, in many of +his actions, very like the +Raven, especially in his love for +carrion. Like the Raven, he has been +known to attack game, although his +inferior size forces him to call to his +assistance the aid of his fellows to cope +with larger creatures. Rabbits and +hares are frequently the prey of this +bird which pounces on them as +they steal abroad to feed. His +food consists of reptiles, frogs, and +lizards; he is a plunderer of other +birds’ nests. On the seashore he finds +crabs, shrimps and inhabited shells, +which he ingeniously cracks by flying +with them to a great height and +letting them fall upon a convenient +rock.</p> + +<p>The crow is seen in single pairs or +in little bands of four or five. In the +autumn evenings, however, they +assemble in considerable flocks before +going to roost and make a wonderful +chattering, as if comparing notes of +the events of the day.</p> + +<p>The nest of the Crow is placed in +some tree remote from habitations of +other birds. Although large and +very conspicuous at a distance, it is +fixed upon one of the topmost branches +quite out of reach of the hand of the +adventurous urchin who longs to +secure its contents. It is loosely made +and saucer shaped. Sticks and softer +substances are used to construct it, +and it is lined with hair and fibrous +roots. Very recently a thrifty and +intelligent Crow built for itself a +summer residence in an airy tree near +Bombay, the material used being gold, +silver, and steel spectacle frames, +which the bird had stolen from an +optician of that city. Eighty-four +frames had been used for this purpose, +and they were so ingeniously woven +together that the nest was quite a +work of art. The eggs are variable, +or rather individual, in their markings, +and even in their size. The Crow +rarely uses the same nest twice, +although he frequently repairs to the +same locality from year to year. He +is remarkable for his attachment to +his mate and young, surpassing the +Fawn and Turtle Dove in conjugal +courtesy.</p> + +<p>The Somali Arabs bear a deadly +hatred toward the Crow. The origin +of their detestation is the superstition +that during the flight of Mohammed +from his enemies, he hid himself in a +cave, where he was perceived by the +Crow, at that time a bird of light +plumage, who, when he saw the pursuers +approaching the spot, perched +above Mohammed’s hiding place, and +screamed, “Ghar! Ghar!” (cave! cave!) +so as to indicate the place of concealment. +His enemies, however, did not +understand the bird, and passed on, +and Mohammed, when he came out of +the cave, clothed the Crow in perpetual +black, and commanded him to +cry “Ghar” as long as Crows should +live.</p> + +<p>And he lives to a good old age. +Instances are not rare where he has +attained to half a century, without +great loss of activity or failure of sight.</p> + +<p>At Red Bank, a few miles northeast +of Cincinnati, on the Little Miami +River, in the bottoms, large flocks of +Crows congregate the year around. A +few miles away, high upon Walnut +Hills, is a Crow roost, and in the +late afternoons the Crows, singly, in +pairs, and in flocks, are seen on the +wing, flying heavily, with full crops, +on the way to the roost, from which +they descend in the early morning, +crying “Caw! Caw!” to the fields of +the newly planted, growing, or +matured corn, or corn stacks, as the +season may provide.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS.</h2> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>“Everywhere the blue sky belongs to them and is their appointed rest, +and their native country, and their own natural home which they enter +unannounced as lords that are certainly expected, and yet there is a +silent joy at their arrival.”</p></div> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 86px;"> +<img src="images/imgt.png" width="86" height="80" alt="T" title="" /> +</div> +<p>HE return of the birds to their +real home in the North, where +they build their nests and +rear their young, is regarded +by all genuine lovers of earth’s messengers +of gladness and gayety as one +of the most interesting and poetical of +annual occurrences. The naturalist, +who notes the very day of each arrival, +in order that he may verify former +observation or add to his material +gathered for a new work, does not +necessarily anticipate with greater +pleasure this event than do many +whose lives are brightened by the +coming of the friends of their youth, +who alone of early companions do not +change. First of all—and ever the +same delightful warbler—the Bluebird, +who, in 1895, did not appear at +all in many localities, though here in +considerable numbers last year, betrays +himself. “Did he come down out +of the heaven on that bright March +morning when he told us so softly and +plaintively that, if we pleased, spring +had come?” Sometimes he is here +a little earlier, and must keep his +courage up until the cold snap is over +and the snow is gone. Not long after +the Bluebird, comes the Robin, sometimes +in March, but in most of the +northern states April is the month of +his arrival. With his first utterance +the spell of winter is broken, and the +remembrance of it afar off. Then +appears the Woodpecker in great +variety, the Flicker usually arriving +first. He is always somebody’s old +favorite, “announcing his arrival by a +long, loud call, repeated from the dry +branch of some tree, or a stake in the +fence—a thoroughly melodious April +sound.”</p> + +<p>Few perhaps reflect upon the difficulties +encountered by the birds themselves +in their returning migrations. +A voyager sometimes meets with +many of our common birds far out at +sea. Such wanderers, it is said, when +suddenly overtaken by a fog, completely +lose their sense of direction +and become hopelessly lost. Humming +birds, those delicately organized, +glittering gems, are among the most +common of the land species seen at sea.</p> + +<p>The present season has been quite +favorable to the protection of birds. +A very competent observer says that +not all of the birds migrated this +winter. He recently visited a farm +less than an hour’s ride from Chicago, +where he found the old place, as he +relates it, “chucked full of Robins, +Blackbirds, and Woodpeckers,” and +others unknown to him. From this +he inferred they would have been in +Florida had indications predicted a +severe winter. The trees of the south +parks of Chicago, and those in +suburban places, have had, darting +through their branches during the +months of December and January, +nearly as many members of the Woodpecker +tribe as were found there +during the mating season in May last.</p> + +<p>Alas, that the Robin will visit us in +diminished numbers in the approaching +spring. He has not been so common +for a year or two as he was +formerly, for the reason that the +Robins died by thousands of starvation, +owing to the freezing of their food +supply in Tennessee during the protracted +cold weather in the winter of +1895. It is indeed sad that this good +Samaritan among birds should be +defenseless against the severity of +Nature, the common mother of us all. +Nevertheless the return of the birds, +in myriads or in single pairs, will +be welcomed more and more, year by +year, as intelligent love and appreciation +of them shall possess the popular +mind.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_052.jpg" width="600" height="444" alt="black tern" title="" /> +<span class="caption">black tern.</span><br /> +<strong>Mother and Young with Eggs.</strong> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BLACK TERN.</h2> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 86px;"> +<img src="images/imgt.png" width="86" height="80" alt="T" title="" /> +</div> +<p>HE TERN,” says Mr. F. M. +Woodruff, of the Chicago +Academy of Sciences, “is +the only representative of +the long-winged swimmers which +commonly nests with us on our +inland fresh water marshes, arriving +early in May in its brooding plumage +of sooty black. The color changes +in the autumn to white, and a number +of the adult birds may be found, in +the latter part of July, dotted and +streaked here and there with white. +On the first of June, 1891, I found a +large colony of Black Terns nesting +on Hyde Lake, Cook County, Illinois. +As I approached the marsh a few +birds were seen flying high in the air, +and, as I neared the nesting site, the +flying birds gave notes of alarm, and +presently the air was filled with the +graceful forms of this beautiful little +bird. They circled about me, darting +down to within a few feet of my head, +constantly uttering a harsh, screaming +cry. As the eggs are laid upon the +bare ground, which the brownish and +blackish markings so closely resemble, +I was at first unable to find the nests, +and discovered that the only way to +locate them was to stand quietly and +watch the birds. When the Tern is +passing over the nest it checks its +flight, and poises for a moment on +quivering wings. By keeping my +eyes on this spot I found the nest +with very little trouble. The complement +of eggs, when the bird has not +been disturbed, is usually three. +These are laid in a saucer shaped +structure of dead vegetation, which is +scraped together, from the surface of +the wet, boggy ground. The bird +figured in the plate had placed its +nest on the edge of an old muskrat +house, and my attention was attracted +to it by the fact that upon the edge of +the rat house, where it had climbed to +rest itself, was the body of a young +dabchick, or piedbilled grebe, scarcely +two and one-half inches long, and not +twenty-four hours out of the egg, a +beautiful little ball of blackish down, +striped with brown and white. From +the latter part of July to the middle of +August large flocks of Black Terns +may be seen on the shores of our +larger lakes on their annual migration +southward.”</p> + +<p>The Rev. P. B. Peabody, in alluding to +his observation of the nests of the +Tern, says: “Amid this floating sea +of aquatic nests I saw an unusual +number of well constructed homes of +the Tern. Among these was one that +I count a perfect nest. It rested on +the perfectly flat foundation of a small +decayed rat house, which was about +fourteen inches in diameter. The nest, +in form, is a truncated cone (barring the +cavity), was about eight inches high +and ten inches in diameter. The +hollow—quite shallow—was about +seven inches across, being thus unusually +large. The whole was built +up of bits of rushes, carried to the spot, +these being quite uniform in length—about +four inches.” After daily +observation of the Tern, during which +time he added much to his knowledge +of the bird, he pertinently asks: “Who +shall say how many traits and habits +yet unknown may be discovered +through patient watching of community-breeding +birds, by men enjoying +more of leisure for such delightful +studies than often falls to the lot of +most of us who have bread and butter +to earn and a tiny part of the world’s +work to finish?”</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE MEADOW LARK.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 13em;"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">“Not an inch of his body is free from delight.</span><br /> +Can he keep himself still if he would? Oh, not he!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The music stirs in him like wind through a tree.”</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 86px;"> +<img src="images/imgt.png" width="86" height="80" alt="T" title="" /> +</div> +<p>HE well known Meadow or +Old Field Lark is a constant +resident south of latitude +39, and many winter +farther north in favorite localities. +Its geographical range is eastern +North America, Canada to south Nova +Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario to eastern +Manitoba; west to Minnesota, Iowa, +Missouri, eastern Kansas, the Indian +Territory, and Texas; south to Florida +and the Gulf coast, in all of which +localities, except in the extreme north, +it usually rears two or three broods in +a season. In the Northern States it +is only a summer resident, arriving in +April and remaining until the latter +part of October and occasionally +November. Excepting during the +breeding season, small flocks may +often be seen roving about in search +of good feeding grounds. Major Bendire +says this is especially true in the +fall of the year. At this time several +families unite, and as many as two +dozen may occasionally be flushed in +a field, over which they scatter, roaming +about independently of each other. +When one takes wing all the others +in the vicinity follow. It is a shy +bird in the East, while in the middle +states it is quite the reverse. Its flight +is rather laborious, at least in starting, +and is continued by a series of rapid +movements of the wings, alternating +with short distances of sailing, and is +rarely protracted. On alighting, which +is accompanied with a twitching of its +tail, it usually settles on some fence +rail, post, boulder, weedstock, or on +a hillock in a meadow from which it +can get a good view of the surroundings, +and but rarely on a limb of a +tree. Its favorite resorts are meadows, +fallow fields, pastures, and clearings, +but in some sections, as in northern +Florida, for instance, it also frequents the +low, open pine woods and nests there.</p> + +<p>The song of the Meadow Lark is +not much varied, but its clear, whistling +notes, so frequently heard in the +early spring, are melodious and pleasing +to the ear. It is decidedly the +farmers’ friend, feeding, as it does, on +noxious insects, caterpillars, moths, +grasshoppers, spiders, worms and the +like, and eating but little grain. The +lark spends the greater part of its +time on the ground, procuring all its +food there. It is seldom found alone, +and it is said remains paired for life.</p> + +<p>Nesting begins in the early part of +May and lasts through June. Both +sexes assist in building the nest, which +is always placed on the ground, either +in a natural depression, or in a little +hollow scratched out by the birds, +alongside a bunch of grass or weeds. +The nest itself is lined with dry grass, +stubble, and sometimes pine needles. +Most nests are placed in level meadows. +The eggs and young are frequently +destroyed by vermin, for the meadow +lark has many enemies. The eggs +vary from three to seven, five being +the most common, and both sexes assist +in the hatching, which requires +about fifteen or sixteen days. The +young leave the nest before they are +able to fly—hiding at the slightest +sign of danger. The Meadow Lark +does not migrate beyond the United +States. It is a native bird, and is only +accidental in England. The eggs +are spotted, blotched, and speckled +with shades of brown, purple and +lavender. A curious incident is told +of a Meadow Lark trying to alight on +the top mast of a schooner several +miles at sea. It was evidently very tired +but would not venture near the deck.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/img_057.jpg" width="600" height="436" alt="meadow lark" title="" /> +<span class="caption">meadow lark.</span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE MEADOW LARK.</h2> + + +<p>I told the man who wanted +my picture that he could take it +if he would show my nest and +eggs. Do you blame me for +saying so? Don’t you think it +makes a better picture than if I +stood alone?</p> + +<p>Mr. Lark is away getting me +some breakfast, or he could be +in the picture, too. After a few +days I shall have some little +baby birds, and then won’t we +be happy.</p> + +<p>Boys and girls who live in the +country know us pretty well. +When they drive the cows out +to pasture, or when they go out +to gather wild flowers, we sit on +the fences by the roadside and +make them glad with our merry +song.</p> + +<p>Those of you who live in the +city cannot see us unless you +come out into the country.</p> + +<p>It isn’t very often that we can +find such a pretty place for a +nest as we have here. Most of +the time we build our nest under +the grass and cover it over, and +build a little tunnel leading to +it. This year we made up our +minds not to be afraid.</p> + +<p>The people living in the houses +over there do not bother us at all +and we are so happy.</p> + +<p>You never saw baby larks, +did you? Well, they are queer +little fellows, with hardly any +feathers on them.</p> + +<p>Last summer we had five little +birdies to feed, and it kept us +busy from morning till night. +This year we only expect three, +and Mr. Lark says he will do all +the work. He knows a field +that is being plowed, where he +can get nice, large worms.</p> + +<p>Hark! that is he singing. +He will be surprised when he +comes back and finds me off the +nest. He is so afraid that I will +let the eggs get cold, but I +won’t. There he comes, now.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE LONG-EARED OWL.</h2> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 86px;"> +<img src="images/imgt.png" width="86" height="80" alt="T" title="" /> +</div> +<p>HE name of the Long-Eared +Owl is derived from the great +length of his “ears” or feather-tufts, +which are placed upon +the head, and erect themselves whenever +the bird is interested or excited. +It is the “black sheep” of the owl +family, the majority of owls being +genuine friends of the agriculturist, +catching for his larder so many of +the small animals that prey upon +his crops. In America he is called +the Great Horned Owl—in Europe +the Golden Owl.</p> + +<p>Nesting time with the owl begins +in February, and continues through +March and April. The clown-like +antics of both sexes of this bird while +under the tender influence of the +nesting season tend somewhat to impair +their reputation for dignity and +wise demeanor. They usually have a +simple nest in a hollow tree, but +which seems seldom to be built by the +bird itself, as it prefers to take the +deserted nest of some other bird, and +to fit up the premises for its own use. +They repair slightly from year to year +the same nest. The eggs are white, +and generally four or five in number. +While the young are still in the nest, +the parent birds display a singular +diligence in collecting food for them.</p> + +<p>If you should happen to know of an +owl’s nest, stand near it some evening +when the old birds are rearing their +young. Keep quiet and motionless, +and notice how frequently the old +birds feed them. Every ten minutes +or so the soft flap, flap of their wings +will be heard, the male and female +alternately, and you will obtain a brief +glimpse of them through the gloom as +they enter the nesting place. They +remain inside but a short time, sharing +the food equally amongst their brood, +and then are off again to hunt for +more. All night, were you to have +the inclination to observe them, you +would find they pass to and fro with +food, only ceasing their labors at dawn. +The young, as soon as they reach +maturity, are abandoned by their +parents; they quit the nest and seek +out haunts elsewhere, while the old +birds rear another, and not infrequently +two more broods, during the remainder +of the season.</p> + +<p>The habits of the Long-Eared Owl +are nocturnal. He is seldom seen +in the light of day, and is greatly disturbed +if he chance to issue from +his concealment while the sun is +above the horizon. The facial disk is +very conspicuous in this species. It is +said that the use of this circle is to +collect the rays of light, and throw +them upon the eye. The flight of the +owl is softened by means of especially +shaped, recurved feather-tips, so that +he may noiselessly steal upon his +prey, and the ear is also so shaped as +to gather sounds from below.</p> + +<p>The Long-Eared Owl is hardly +tameable. The writer of this paragraph, +when a boy, was the possessor, +for more than a year, of a very fine +specimen. We called him Judge. He +was a monster, and of perfect plumage. +Although he seemed to have some +attachment to the children of the +family who fed him, he would not +permit himself to be handled by them +or by any one in the slightest. Most +of his time he spent in his cage, an +immense affair, in which he was very +comfortable. Occasionally he had +a day in the barn with the rats and +mice.</p> + +<p>The owl is of great usefulness to +gardener, agriculturist, and landowner +alike, for there is not another bird of +prey which is so great a destroyer of +the enemies of vegetation.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 422px;"> +<img src="images/img_064.jpg" width="422" height="600" alt="great horned owl" title="" /> +<span class="caption">great horned owl.</span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE OWL.</h2> + + +<p class="center"> +We know not alway<br /> +Who are kings by day,<br /> +But the king of the night is the bold brown owl!</p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<p>I wonder why the folks put +my picture last in the book. It +can’t be because they don’t like +me, for I’m sure I never bother +them. I don’t eat the farmer’s +corn like the crow, and no one +ever saw me quarrel with other +birds.</p> + +<p>Maybe it is because I can’t +sing. Well, there are lots of +good people that can’t sing, and +so there are lots of good birds +that can’t sing.</p> + +<p>Did you ever see any other +bird sit up as straight as I do? +I couldn’t sit up so straight if I +hadn’t such long, sharp claws to +hold on with.</p> + +<p>My home is in the woods. +Here we owls build our nests—most +always in hollow trees.</p> + +<p>During the day I stay in the +nest or sit on a limb. I don’t +like day time for the light hurts +my eyes, but when it begins to +grow dark then I like to stir +around. All night long I am +wide awake and fly about getting +food for my little hungry ones. +They sleep most of the day +and it keeps me busy nearly +all night to find them enough to +eat.</p> + +<p>I just finished my night’s work +when the man came to take my +picture. It was getting light +and I told him to go to a large +stump on the edge of the woods +and I would sit for my picture. +So here I am. Don’t you think +I look wise? How do you like +my large eyes? If I could smile +at you I would, but my face +always looks sober. I have a +great many cousins and if you +really like my picture, I’ll have +some of them talk to you next +month. I don’t think any of +them have such pretty feathers +though. Just see if they have +when they come.</p> + +<p>Well, I must fly back to my +perch in the old elm tree. Good-bye.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE OWL.</h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +In the hollow tree, in the old gray tower,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The spectral owl doth dwell;</span><br /> +Dull, hated, despised in the sunshine hour,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But at dusk he’s abroad and well!</span><br /> +Not a bird of the forest e’er mates with him;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All mock him outright by day;</span><br /> +But at night, when the woods grow still and dim,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The boldest will shrink away!</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">O! when the night falls, and roosts the fowl,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Then, then, is the reign of the Horned Owl!</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +And the owl hath a bride, who is fond and bold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And loveth the wood’s deep gloom;</span><br /> +And, with eyes like the shine of the moonstone cold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She awaiteth her ghastly groom.</span><br /> +Not a feather she moves, not a carol she sings,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As she waits in her tree so still,</span><br /> +But when her heart heareth his flapping wings,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She hoots out her welcome shrill!</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 17em;"> +O! when the moon shines, and dogs do howl,<br /> +Then, then, is the joy of the Horned Owl!</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +Mourn not for the owl, nor his gloomy plight!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The owl hath his share of good—</span><br /> +If a prisoner he be in the broad daylight,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He is lord in the dark greenwood!</span><br /> +Nor lonely the bird, nor his ghastly mate,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They are each unto each a pride;</span><br /> +Thrice fonder, perhaps, since a strange, dark fate<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hath rent them from all beside!</span></p> + +<p style="margin-left: 14em;"> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">So, when the night falls, and dogs do howl,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Sing, Ho! for the reign of the Horned Owl!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">We know not alway</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">Who are kings by day,</span><br /> +But the King of the Night is the bold Brown Owl!</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 25em;"> +<span class="smcap">Bryan W. Procter</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">(Barry Cornwall.)</span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 413px;"> +<img src="images/img44.jpg" width="413" height="600" alt="advertisement" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>TESTIMONIALS.</h2> + + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;" class="smcap">Frankfort, Ky.</span>, February 3, 1897.<br /> +<span class="smcap">W. J. Black</span>, Vice-President,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">Chicago, Ill.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>Dear Sir: I have a copy of your magazine entitled “Birds,” and beg to +say that I consider it one of the finest things on the subject that I +have ever seen, and shall be pleased to recommend it to county and city +superintendents of the state.</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;">Very respectfully,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 27em;" class="smcap">W. J. Davidson</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 22em;">State Superintendent Public Instruction.</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;" class="smcap">San Francisco, Cal.</span>, January 27, 1897.<br /> +<span class="smcap">W. J. Black, Esq.</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4.5em;">Chicago, Ill.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>Dear Sir: I am very much obliged for the copy of “Birds” that has just +come to hand. It should be in the hands of every primary and grammar +teacher. I send herewith copy of “List of San Francisco Teachers.”</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;">Very respectfully,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 30em;" class="smcap">M. Babcock</span>.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;" class="smcap">Lincoln, Neb.</span>, February 9, 1897.<br /> +<span class="smcap">W. J. Black</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">Chicago, Ill.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>Dear Sir: The first number of your magazine, “Birds,” is upon my desk. +I am highly pleased with it. It will prove a very serviceable +publication—one that strikes out along the right lines. For the purpose +intended, it has, in my opinion, no equal. It is clear, concise, and +admirably illustrated.</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;">Very respectfully,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 27em;" class="smcap">W. R. Jackson</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 22em;">State Superintendent Public Instruction.</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;" class="smcap">North Lima, Ohio</span>, February 1, 1897.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mr. W. E. Watt</span>,<br /> +</p> + +<p>Dear Sir: Sample copy of “Birds” received. All of the family delighted +with it. We wish it unbounded success. It will be an excellent supplement +to “In Birdland” in the Ohio Teachers’ Reading Circle, and I venture Ohio +will be to the front with a good subscription list. I enclose list of +teachers.</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 24em;">Very truly,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 26em;" class="smcap">C. M. L. Altdoerffer</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 29em;">Township Superintendent.</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;" class="smcap">Milwaukee</span>, January 30, 1897.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Nature Study Publishing Company</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">227 Dearborn Street, Chicago.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>Gentlemen: I acknowledge with pleasure the receipt of your publication, +“Birds,” with accompanying circulars. I consider it the best on the subject +in existence. I have submitted the circulars and publication to my teachers, +who have nothing to say but praise in behalf of the monthly.</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 25em;" class="smcap">Julius Torney</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 19em;">Principal 2nd Dist. Primary School, Milwaukee, Wis.</span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 392px;"> +<img src="images/img46.png" width="392" height="600" alt="advertisement" title="" /> +</div> + + +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph +[March 1897], by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRDS ILLUSTRATED [MARCH 1897] *** + +***** This file should be named 30103-h.htm or 30103-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/1/0/30103/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and Anne Storer, +some images courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph [March 1897] + A Monthly Serial designed to Promote Knowledge of Bird-Life + +Author: Various + +Release Date: September 26, 2009 [EBook #30103] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRDS ILLUSTRATED [MARCH 1897] *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and Anne Storer, +some images courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: Title added. + + + * * * * * + + + + + BIRDS ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY + + Vol. One MARCH, 1897 No. 3 + + + * * * * * + + + + + FROM: THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. + + _STATE OF NEW YORK_ + _Department of Public Instruction_ + _SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE_ + + _Albany_ December 26, 1896. + + [Illustration: (seal)] + _Stenographic Letter_ + Dictated by __________ + + + W. E. Watt, President &c., + Fisher Building, + 277 Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill. + + My dear Sir: + + Please accept my thanks for a copy of the first publication of "Birds." + Please enter my name as a regular subscriber. It is one of the most + beautiful and interesting publications yet attempted in this direction. + It has other attractions in addition to its beauty, and it must win its + way to popular favor. + + Wishing the handsome little magazine abundant prosperity, + I remain + + Yours very respectfully, + [signature] + State Superintendent. + + + * * * * * + + + + + _"The KING can do no wrong"_ + + [Illustration] + MONARCH + BICYCLES + ARE + FAULTLESS + + MONARCH + CYCLE MF'G CO. + CHICAGO, NEW YORK, + LONDON. + + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to advertisers. + + + + + +----------------------------+ + | #A. REED & SONS PIANOS.# | + +----------------------------+ + + Manufactured under patents granted by the governments of the + United States, England, Germany, France and Canada. + + #A New and Scientific + Method of Piano + Construction# + + FREE SOUNDING BOARD, VIBRATION BAR, STRINGS + RESTING ON ALUMINUM WHEELS, ANTI-MOISTURE + PIN BLOCK, LATERAL + PEDALS + + #Grand Diploma and Medal of Honor# + Awarded at Columbian World's Exposition, 1893 + + Only American Piano receiving mention in the Official Report + to the German Government + + #A. REED & SONS# + No. 5 Adams Street ... CHICAGO + + Illustrated Catalogues ... + containing full explanation Mailed Free. + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to advertisers. + + + + + #Every Teacher# + + finds daily in her work + some new and perplexing + problem to solve. + + With + + The Teacher's + Practical Library + + at hand for consultation the + answer may always be found. + + It will cost you nothing + + to have this library placed + upon your table for inspection. + + Send postal-card for particulars, + mentioning this paper. + + #AGENTS WANTED# + + #D. APPLETON & CO., Publishers# + NEW YORK--CHICAGO. + CHICAGO OFFICE--243 Wabash Ave. + + + + + #PREPARE FOR A GOOD POSITION# + + #By studying Architecture, Engineering, Electricity, Drafting, + Mathematics, Shorthand, Typewriting, English, Penmanship, Bookkeeping, + Business, Telegraphy, Plumbing.# Best teachers. Thorough individual + instruction. Rates lower than any other school. Instruction also by mail + in any desired study. Steam engineering a specialty. Call or address, + INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, + 151 Throop St., Chicago. + + + + + What would #George Washington# + think of + Mark Hanna? + + [Illustration] + + If you want to know, read + #"SPIRITS OF '76,"# + + By FREDERICK UPHAM ADAMS, + in last number of + + #New Occasions# + + A magazine of Reform; 96 pages; $1.00 + a year; 10 cents a copy. No free samples, + but to any one sending us 6 2-cent + stamps we will mail a sample copy with + several reform books; over 300 pages + in all. Agents wanted. + + Charles H. Kerr & Company, Publishers, + 56 Fifth Ave., Chicago. + + + + + Buy Only the Best Presents for Children. + THE FINEST BLACKBOARD MADE. + + IMPROVED + [Illustration] + + Indispensable as an element for the general + education of the children. This is not a toy, + but an Educator for the home. Contains Sixteen + Lessons on heavy cardboard, Writing, Drawing, + Marking-letters, Music, Animal Forms, etc. + Frame made of oak, 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. + The Board is reversible and can be used on both + sides. Has a desk attachment for writing. Weighs + 10 pounds, packed for shipment. + + #Price $3.50# Agents Wanted. + Send for Agents Prices. + + THE VAN-BENSON COMPANY, + 84 Adams Street, CHICAGO, U.S.A. + + + + + The "OLD Reliable" House of + #"ANDREWS"# + FURNISHES + Everything + for Schools + + Rugby School Desks, Teachers' Desks and Chairs, + Blackboards, Erasers, Dustless Crayons, Globes, + Maps, Charts, Apparatus, etc., etc. + + #The Jones Model of the Earth# shows the + reliefs of the land surface and ocean bed, 20 + inches diameter. Used by the Royal Geographical + Society, Cornell University. Normal, and other + schools of various forms and grades. + + #The Deep Sea Globe.# This new 12 in. globe + shows all that is seen on the common globe, but + in addition the varying depths of the ocean bed, + by color shading, also 500 soundings by figures. + + #The A. H. Andrews Co.# + CHICAGO. + + (Next Auditorium) 300 WABASH AVE. + + Also Manufactures Office, Church and + Bank Furniture. + + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to Advertisers. + + + * * * * * + + + + +LITTLE BOY BLUE. + + +Boys and girls, don't you think that is a pretty name? I came from the +warm south, where I went last winter, to tell you that Springtime is +nearly here. + +When I sing, the buds and flowers and grass all begin to whisper to one +another, "Springtime is coming for we heard the Bluebird say so," and +then they peep out to see the warm sunshine. I perch beside them and +tell them of my long journey from the south and how I knew just when +to tell them to come out of their warm winter cradles. I am of the same +blue color as the violet that shows her pretty face when I sing, "Summer +is coming, and Springtime is here." + +I do not like the cities for they are black and noisy and full of those +troublesome birds called English Sparrows. I take my pretty mate and +out in the beautiful country we find a home. We build a nest of twigs, +grass and hair, in a box that the farmer puts up for us near his barn. + +Sometimes we build in a hole in some old tree and soon there are tiny +eggs in the nest. I sing to my mate and to the good people who own +the barn. I heard the farmer say one day, "Isn't it nice to hear the +Bluebird sing? He must be very happy." And I am, too, for by this time +there are four or five little ones in the nest. + +Little Bluebirds are like little boys--they are always hungry. We work +hard to find enough for them to eat. We feed them nice fat worms and +bugs, and when their little wings are strong enough, we teach them how +to fly. Soon they are large enough to hunt their own food, and can take +care of themselves. + +The summer passes, and when we feel the breath of winter we go south +again, for we do not like the cold. + + * * * + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + I know the song that the Bluebird is singing + Out in the apple tree, where he is swinging. + Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary, + Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery. + Hark! how the music leaps out from his throat, + Hark! was there ever so merry a note? + + Listen a while, and you'll hear what he's saying, + Up in the apple tree swinging and swaying. + "Dear little blossoms down under the snow, + You must be weary of winter, I know; + Hark! while I sing you a message of cheer, + Summer is coming, and springtime is here!" + + "Dear little snow-drop! I pray you arise; + Bright yellow crocus! come open your eyes; + Sweet little violets, hid from the cold, + Put on our mantles of purple and gold; + Daffodils! daffodils! say, do you hear, + Summer is coming! and springtime is here!" + +[Illustration: BLUE BIRD.] + + + + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + + Winged lute that we call a blue bird, + You blend in a silver strain + The sound of the laughing waters, + The patter of spring's sweet rain, + The voice of the wind, the sunshine, + And fragrance of blossoming things, + Ah! you are a poem of April + That God endowed with wings. E. E. R. + + * * * + +Like a bit of sky this little harbinger of spring appears, as we see +him and his mate househunting in early March. Oftentimes he makes his +appearance as early as the middle of February, when his attractive note +is heard long before he himself is seen. He is one of the last to leave +us, and although the month of November is usually chosen by him as the +fitting time for departure to a milder clime, his plaintive note is +quite commonly heard on pleasant days throughout the winter season, +and a few of the braver and hardier ones never entirely desert us. The +Robin and the Blue Bird are tenderly associated in the memories of most +persons whose childhood was passed on a farm or in the country village. +Before the advent of the English Sparrow, the Blue Bird was sure to +be the first to occupy and the last to defend the little box prepared +for his return, appearing in his blue jacket somewhat in advance of +the plainly habited female, who on her arrival quite often found a +habitation selected and ready for her acceptance, should he find favor +in her sight. And then he becomes a most devoted husband and father, +sitting by the nest and warbling with earnest affection his exquisite +tune, and occasionally flying away in search of food for his mate and +nestlings. + +The Blue Bird rears two broods in the season, and, should the weather +be mild, even three. His nest contains three eggs. + +In the spring and summer when he is happy and gay, his song is +extremely soft and agreeable, while it grows very mournful and +plaintive as cold weather approaches. He is mild of temper, and a +peaceable and harmless neighbor, setting a fine example of amiability +to his feathered friends. In the early spring, however, he wages war +against robins, wrens, swallows, and other birds whose habitations are +of a kind to take his fancy. A celebrated naturalist says: "This bird +seems incapable of uttering a harsh note, or of doing a spiteful, +ill-tempered thing." + +Nearly everybody has his anecdote to tell of the Blue Bird's courage, +but the author of "Wake Robin" tells his exquisitely thus: "A few years +ago I put up a little bird house in the back end of my garden for the +accommodation of the wrens, and every season a pair have taken up their +abode there. One spring a pair of Blue Birds looked into the tenement, +and lingered about several days, leading me to hope that they would +conclude to occupy it. But they finally went away. Late in the season +the wrens appeared, and after a little coquetting, were regularly +installed in their old quarters, and were as happy as only wrens can +be. But before their honeymoon was over, the Blue Birds returned. I +knew something was wrong before I was up in the morning. Instead of that +voluble and gushing song outside the window, I heard the wrens scolding +and crying out at a fearful rate, and on going out saw the Blue Birds in +possession of the box. The poor wrens were in despair and were forced to +look for other quarters." + + + + +THE SWALLOW. + + + "Come, summer visitant, attach + To my reedroof thy nest of clay, + And let my ear thy music catch, + Low twitting underneath the thatch, + At the gray dawn of day." + +Sure harbingers of spring are the Swallows. They are very common birds, +and frequent, as a rule, the cultivated lands in the neighborhood of +water, showing a decided preference for the habitations of man. "How +gracefully the swallows fly! See them coursing over the daisy-bespangled +grass fields; now they skim just over the blades of grass, and then with +a rapid stroke of their long wings mount into the air and come hovering +above your head, displaying their rich white and chestnut plumage to +perfection. Now they chase each other for very joyfulness, uttering +their sharp twittering notes; then they hover with expanded wings +like miniature Kestrels, or dart downwards with the velocity of +the sparrowhawk; anon they flit rapidly over the neighboring pool, +occasionally dipping themselves in its calm and placid waters, and +leaving a long train of rings marking their varied course. How easily +they turn, or glide over the surrounding hedges, never resting, never +weary, and defying the eye to trace them in the infinite turnings and +twistings of their rapid shooting flight. You frequently see them glide +rapidly near the ground, and then with a sidelong motion mount aloft, to +dart downwards like an animated meteor, their plumage glowing in the +light with metallic splendor, and the row of white spots on the tail +contrasting beautifully with the darker plumage." + +The Swallow is considered a life-paired species, and returns to its +nesting site of the previous season, building a new nest close to the +old one. His nest is found in barns and outhouses, upon the beams of +wood which support the roof, or in any place which assures protection to +the young birds. It is cup-shaped and artfully moulded of bits of mud. +Grass and feathers are used for the lining. "The nest completed, five or +six eggs are deposited. They are of a pure white color, with deep rich +brown blotches and spots, notably at the larger end, round which they +often form a zone or belt." The sitting bird is fed by her mate. + +The young Swallow is distinguished from the mature birds by the absence +of the elongated tail feathers, which are a mark of maturity alone. His +food is composed entirely of insects. Swallows are on the wing fully +sixteen hours, and the greater part of the time making terrible havoc +amongst the millions of insects which infest the air. It is said that +when the Swallow is seen flying high in the heavens, it is a never +failing indication of fine weather. + +A pair of Swallows on arriving at their nesting place of the preceding +Summer found their nest occupied by a Sparrow, who kept the poor birds +at a distance by pecking at them with his strong beak whenever they +attempted to dislodge him. Wearied and hopeless of regaining possession +of their property, they at last hit upon a plan which effectually +punished the intruder. One morning they appeared with a few more +Swallows--their mouths filled with a supply of tempered clay--and, by +their joint efforts in a short time actually plastered up the entrance +to the hole, thus barring the Sparrow from the home which he had stolen +from the Swallows. + +[Illustration: BARN SWALLOW.] + + + + +THE BROWN THRUSH. + + + "However the world goes ill, + The Thrushes still sing in it." + +The Mocking-bird of the North, as the Brown Thrush has been called, +arrives in the Eastern and Middle States about the 10th of May, at which +season he may be seen, perched on the highest twig of a hedge, or on the +topmost branch of a tree, singing his loud and welcome song, that may be +heard a distance of half a mile. The favorite haunt of the Brown Thrush, +however, is amongst the bright and glossy foliage of the evergreens. +"There they delight to hide, although not so shy and retiring as the +Blackbird; there they build their nests in greatest numbers, amongst the +perennial foliage, and there they draw at nightfall to repose in warmth +and safety." The Brown Thrasher sings chiefly just after sunrise and +before sunset, but may be heard singing at intervals during the day. His +food consists of wild fruits, such as blackberries and raspberries, +snails, worms, slugs and grubs. He also obtains much of his food +amongst the withered leaves and marshy places of the woods and +shrubberies which he frequents. Few birds possess a more varied melody. +His notes are almost endless in variety, each note seemingly uttered at +the caprice of the bird, without any perceptible approach to order. + +The site of the Thrush's nest is a varied one, in the hedgerows, under a +fallen tree or fence-rail; far up in the branches of stately trees, or +amongst the ivy growing up their trunks. The nest is composed of the +small dead twigs of trees, lined with the fine fibers of roots. From +three to five eggs are deposited, and are hatched in about twelve days. +They have a greenish background, thickly spotted with light brown, +giving the whole egg a brownish appearance. + +The Brown Thrush leaves the Eastern and Middle States, on his migration +South, late in September, remaining until the following May. + + * * * + +THE THRUSH'S NEST. + + "Within a thick and spreading hawthorn bush + That overhung a molehill, large and round, + I heard from morn to morn a merry thrush + Sing hymns of rapture while I drank the sound + With joy--and oft an unintruding guest, + I watched her secret toils from day to day; + How true she warped the moss to form her nest, + And modeled it within with wood and clay. + And by and by, with heath-bells gilt with dew, + There lay her shining eggs as bright as flowers, + Ink-spotted over, shells of green and blue: + And there I witnessed, in the summer hours, + A brood of nature's minstrels chirp and fly, + Glad as the sunshine and the laughing sky." + + + + +THE BROWN THRUSH. + + +Dear Readers: + +My cousin Robin Redbreast told me that he wrote you a letter last month +and sent it with his picture. How did you like it? He is a pretty +bird--Cousin Robin--and everybody likes him. But I must tell you +something of myself. + +Folks call me by different names--some of them nicknames, too. + +The cutest one of all is Brown Thrasher. I wonder if you know why they +call me Thrasher. If you don't, ask some one. It is really funny. + +Some people think Cousin Robin is the sweetest singer of our family, but +a great many like my song just as well. + +Early in the morning I sing among the bushes, but later in the day you +will always find me in the very top of a tree and it is then I sing my +best. + +Do you know what I say in my song? Well, if I am near a farmer while he +is planting, I say: "Drop it, drop it--cover it up, cover it up--pull it +up, pull it up, pull it up." + +One thing I very seldom do and that is, sing when near my nest. Maybe +you can tell why. I'm not very far from my nest now. I just came down to +the stream to get a drink and am watching that boy on the other side of +the stream. Do you see him? + +One dear lady who loves birds has said some very nice things about me in +a book called "Bird Ways." Another lady has written a beautiful poem +about my singing. Ask your mamma or teacher the names of these ladies. +Here is the poem: + + There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in a tree. + He is singing to me! He is singing to me! + And what does he say--little girl, little boy? + "Oh, the world's running over with joy! + Hush! Look! In my tree, + I am as happy as happy can be." + + And the brown thrush keeps singing, "A nest, do you see, + And five eggs, hid by me in the big cherry tree? + Don't meddle, don't touch--little girl, little boy-- + Or the world will lose some of its joy! + Now I am glad! now I am free! + And I always shall be, + If you never bring sorrow to me." + + So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree + To you and to me--to you and to me; + And he sings all the day--little girl, little boy-- + "Oh, the world's running over with joy! + But long it won't be, + Don't you know? don't you see? + Unless we're good as good can be." + +[Illustration: BROWN THRASHER.] + + + + +[Illustration: JAPAN PHEASANT.] + +THE JAPAN PHEASANT. + + +Originally the Pheasant was an inhabitant of Asia Minor but has been +by degrees introduced into many countries, where its beauty of form, +plumage, and the delicacy of its flesh made it a welcome visitor. The +Japan Pheasant is a very beautiful species, about which little is known +in its wild state, but in captivity it is pugnacious. It requires much +shelter and plenty of food, and the breed is to some degree artificially +kept up by the hatching of eggs under domestic hens and feeding them in +the coop like ordinary chickens, until they are old and strong enough to +get their own living. + +The food of this bird is extremely varied. When young it is generally +fed on ants' eggs, maggots, grits, and similar food, but when it is full +grown it is possessed of an accommodating appetite and will eat many +kinds of seeds, roots, and leaves. It will also eat beans, peas, acorns, +berries, and has even been known to eat the ivy leaf, as well as the +berry. + +This Pheasant loves the ground, runs with great speed, and always +prefers to trust to its legs rather than to its wings. It is crafty, and +when alarmed it slips quickly out of sight behind a bush or through a +hedge, and then runs away with astonishing rapidity, always remaining +under cover until it reaches some spot where it deems itself safe. The +male is not domestic, passing an independent life during a part of the +year and associating with others of its own sex during the rest of the +season. + +The nest is very rude, being merely a heap of leaves and grass on the +ground, with a very slight depression. The eggs are numerous, about +eleven or twelve, and olive brown in color. In total length, though they +vary considerably, the full grown male is about three feet. The female +is smaller in size than her mate, and her length a foot less. + +The Japan Pheasant is not a particularly interesting bird aside from his +beauty, which is indeed brilliant, there being few of the species more +attractive. + + + + +THE FLICKER. + + +A great variety of names does this bird possess. It is commonly known +as the Golden Winged Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Flicker, Yellow Hammer, +and less often as High-hole or High-holer, Wake-up, etc. In suitable +localities throughout the United States and the southern parts of +Canada, the Flicker is a very common bird, and few species are more +generally known. "It is one of the most sociable of our Woodpeckers, +and is apparently always on good terms with its neighbors. It usually +arrives in April, occasionally even in March, the males preceding the +females a few days, and as soon as the latter appear one can hear their +voices in all directions." + +The Flicker is an ardent wooer. It is an exceedingly interesting and +amusing sight to see a couple of males paying their addresses to a coy +and coquettish female; the apparent shyness of the suitors as they sidle +up to her and as quickly retreat again, the shy glances given as one +peeps from behind a limb watching the other--playing bo-peep--seem +very human, and "I have seen," says an observer, "few more amusing +performances than the courtship of a pair of these birds." The defeated +suitor takes his rejection quite philosophically, and retreats in a +dignified manner, probably to make other trials elsewhere. Few birds +deserve our good will more than the Flicker. He is exceedingly useful, +destroying multitudes of grubs, larvae, and worms. He loves berries and +fruit but the damage he does to cultivated fruit is very trifling. + +The Flicker begins to build its nest about two weeks after the bird +arrives from the south. It prefers open country, interspersed with +groves and orchards, to nest in. Any old stump, or partly decayed limb +of a tree, along the banks of a creek, beside a country road, or in +an old orchard, will answer the purpose. Soft wood trees seem to be +preferred, however. In the prairie states it occasionally selects +strange nesting sites. It has been known to chisel through the weather +boarding of a dwelling house, barns, and other buildings, and to nest +in the hollow space between this and the cross beams; its nests have +also been found in gate posts, in church towers, and in burrows of +Kingfishers and bank swallows, in perpendicular banks of streams. One +of the most peculiar sites of his selection is described by William A. +Bryant as follows: "On a small hill, a quarter of a mile distant from +any home, stood a hay stack which had been placed there two years +previously. The owner, during the winter of 1889-90, had cut the stack +through the middle and hauled away one portion, leaving the other +standing, with the end smoothly trimmed. The following spring I noticed +a pair of flickers about the stack showing signs of wanting to make it +a fixed habitation. One morning a few days later I was amused at the +efforts of one of the pair. It was clinging to the perpendicular end of +the stack and throwing out clipped hay at a rate to defy competition. +This work continued for a week, and in that time the pair had excavated +a cavity twenty inches in depth. They remained in the vicinity until +autumn. During the winter the remainder of the stack was removed. They +returned the following spring, and, after a brief sojourn, departed for +parts unknown." + +From five to nine eggs are generally laid. They are glossy white in +color, and when fresh appear as if enameled. + +The young are able to leave the nest in about sixteen days; they crawl +about on the limbs of the tree for a couple of days before they venture +to fly, and return to the nest at night. + +[Illustration: FLICKER.] + + + + +THE BOBOLINK. + + + "When Nature had made all her birds, + And had no cares to think on, + She gave a rippling laugh, + And out there flew a Bobolinkon." + +No American ornithologist omits mention of the Bobolink, and naturalists +generally have described him under one of the many names by which he is +known. In some States he is called the Rice Bird, in others Reed Bird, +the Rice or Reed Bunting, while his more familiar title, throughout the +greater part of America, is Bobolink, or Bobolinkum. In Jamaica, where +he gets very fat during his winter stay, he is called the Butter Bird. +His title of Rice Troopial is earned by the depredations which he +annually makes upon the rice crops, though his food "is by no means +restricted to that seed, but consists in a large degree of insects, +grubs, and various wild grasses." A migratory bird, residing during the +winter in the southern parts of America, he returns in vast multitudes +northward in the early Spring. According to Wilson, their course of +migration is as follows: "In April, or very early in May, the Rice +Buntings, male and female, arrive within the southern boundaries of +the United States, and are seen around the town of Savannah, Georgia, +sometimes in separate parties of males and females, but more generally +promiscuously. They remain there but a short time, and about the middle +of May make their appearance in the lower part of Pennsylvania. While +here the males are extremely gay and full of song, frequenting meadows, +newly plowed fields, sides of creeks, rivers, and watery places, feeding +on May flies and caterpillars, of which they destroy great quantities. +In their passage, however, through Virginia at this season, they do +great damage to the early wheat and barley while in their milky state. +About the 20th of May they disappear on their way to the North. Nearly +at the same time they arrive in the State of New York, spread over the +whole of the New England States, as far as the river St. Lawrence, and +from Lake Ontario to the sea. In all of these places they remain during +the Summer, building their nests and rearing their young." + +The Bobolink's song is a peculiar one, varying greatly with the +occasion. As he flys southward, his cry is a kind of clinking note; but +the love song addressed to his mate is voluble and fervent. It has been +said that if you should strike the keys of a pianoforte haphazard, the +higher and the lower singly very quickly, you might have some idea of +the Bobolink's notes. In the month of June he gradually changes his +pretty, attractive dress and puts on one very like the females, which is +of a plain rusty brown, and is not reassumed until the next season of +nesting. The two parent birds in the plate represent the change from the +dark plumage in which the bird is commonly known in the North as the +Bobolink, to the dress of yellowish brown by which it is known +throughout the South as the Rice or Reed Bird. + +His nest, small and a plain one, too, is built on the ground by his +industrious little wife. The inside is warmly lined with soft fibers of +whatever may be nearest at hand. Five pretty white eggs, spotted all +over with brown are laid, and as soon + + "As the little ones chip the shell + And five wide mouths are ready for food, + 'Robert of Lincoln' bestirs him well, + Gathering seeds for this hungry brood." + + + + +BOBOLINK. + + +Other birds may like to travel alone, but when jolly Mr. Bobolink and +his quiet little wife come from the South, where they have spent the +winter, they come with a large party of friends. When South, they eat so +much rice that the people call them Rice Birds. When they come North, +they enjoy eating wheat, barley, oats and insects. + +Mr. and Mrs. Bobolink build their simple little nest of grasses in some +field. It is hard to find on the ground, for it looks just like dry +grass. Mrs. Bobolink wears a dull dress, so she cannot be seen when she +is sitting on the precious eggs. She does not sing a note while caring +for the eggs. Why do you think that is? + +Mr. Bob-Linkum does not wear a sober dress, as you can see by his +picture. He does not need to be hidden. He is just as jolly as he +looks. Shall I tell you how he amuses his mate while she is sitting? +He springs from the dew-wet grass with a sound like peals of merry +laughter. He frolics from reed to post, singing as if his little heart +would burst with joy. + +Don't you think Mr. and Mrs. Bobolink look happy in the picture? They +have raised their family of five. Four of their children have gone to +look for food; one of them--he must surely be the baby--would rather +stay with his mamma and papa. Which one does he look like? + +Many birds are quiet at noon and in the afternoon. A flock of Bobolinks +can be heard singing almost all day long. The song is full of high notes +and low, soft notes and loud, all sung rapidly. It is as gay and bright +as the birds themselves, who flit about playfully as they sing. You will +feel like laughing as merrily as they sing when you hear it some day. + +[Illustration: BOBOLINKS.] + + + + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + + "Drifting down the first warm wind + That thrills the earliest days of spring, + The Bluebird seeks our maple groves + And charms them into tasselling." + + "He sings, and his is Nature's voice-- + A gush of melody sincere + From that great fount of harmony + Which thaws and runs when Spring is here." + + "Short is his song, but strangely sweet + To ears aweary of the low + Dull tramps of Winter's sullen feet, + Sandalled in ice and muffled in snow." + + * * * + + "Think, every morning, when the sun peeps through + The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove, + How jubilant the happy birds renew + Their old, melodious madrigals of love! + And when you think of this, remember, too, + 'Tis always morning somewhere, and above + The awakening continents, from shore to shore, + Somewhere the birds are singing evermore. + + "Think of your woods and orchards without birds! + Of empty nests that cling to boughs and beams + As in an idiot's brain remembered words + Hang empty 'mid the cobwebs of his dreams! + Will bleat of flocks or bellowing of herds + Make up for the lost music, when your teams + Drag home the stingy harvest, and no more + The feathered gleaners follow to your door?" + FROM "THE BIRDS OF KILLINGSWORTH." + + + + +THE CROW. + + +Caw! Caw! Caw! little boys and girls. Caw! Caw! Caw! Just look at my +coat of feathers. See how black and glossy it is. Do you wonder I am +proud of it? + +Perhaps you think I look very solemn and wise, and not at all as if I +cared to play games. I do, though; and one of the games I like best is +hide-and-seek. I play it with the farmer in the spring. He hides, in the +rich, brown earth, golden kernels of corn. Surely he does it because he +knows I like it, for sometimes he puts up a stick all dressed like a man +to show where the corn is hidden. Sometimes I push my bill down into the +earth to find the corn, and at other times I wait until tiny green +leaves begin to show above the ground, and then I get my breakfast +without much trouble. I wonder if the farmer enjoys this game as much +as I do. I help him, too, by eating worms and insects. + +During the spring and summer I live in my nest on the top of a very +high tree. It is built of sticks and grasses and straw and string and +anything else I can pick up. But in the fall, I and all my relations and +friends live together in great roosts or rookeries. What good times we +do have--hunting all day for food and talking all night. Wouldn't you +like to be with us? + +The farmer who lives in the house over there went to the mill to-day +with a load of corn. + +One of the ears dropped out of the wagon and it didn't take me long to +find it. I have eaten all I can possibly hold and am wondering now what +is the best thing to do. If you were in my place would you leave it here +and not tell anybody and come back to-morrow and finish it? Or would you +fly off and get Mrs. Crow and some of the children to come and finish +it? I believe I'll fly and get them. Good-bye. + +Caw! Caw! Caw! + +[Illustration: COMMON CROW.] + + + + +THE COMMON CROW. + + + "The crow doth sing as merry as the lark, + When neither is attended." + +Few birds have more interesting characteristics than the Common Crow, +being, in many of his actions, very like the Raven, especially in his +love for carrion. Like the Raven, he has been known to attack game, +although his inferior size forces him to call to his assistance the aid +of his fellows to cope with larger creatures. Rabbits and hares are +frequently the prey of this bird which pounces on them as they steal +abroad to feed. His food consists of reptiles, frogs, and lizards; he +is a plunderer of other birds' nests. On the seashore he finds crabs, +shrimps and inhabited shells, which he ingeniously cracks by flying with +them to a great height and letting them fall upon a convenient rock. + +The crow is seen in single pairs or in little bands of four or five. +In the autumn evenings, however, they assemble in considerable flocks +before going to roost and make a wonderful chattering, as if comparing +notes of the events of the day. + +The nest of the Crow is placed in some tree remote from habitations of +other birds. Although large and very conspicuous at a distance, it is +fixed upon one of the topmost branches quite out of reach of the hand of +the adventurous urchin who longs to secure its contents. It is loosely +made and saucer shaped. Sticks and softer substances are used to +construct it, and it is lined with hair and fibrous roots. Very recently +a thrifty and intelligent Crow built for itself a summer residence in an +airy tree near Bombay, the material used being gold, silver, and steel +spectacle frames, which the bird had stolen from an optician of that +city. Eighty-four frames had been used for this purpose, and they were +so ingeniously woven together that the nest was quite a work of art. +The eggs are variable, or rather individual, in their markings, and +even in their size. The Crow rarely uses the same nest twice, although +he frequently repairs to the same locality from year to year. He is +remarkable for his attachment to his mate and young, surpassing the +Fawn and Turtle Dove in conjugal courtesy. + +The Somali Arabs bear a deadly hatred toward the Crow. The origin of +their detestation is the superstition that during the flight of Mohammed +from his enemies, he hid himself in a cave, where he was perceived by +the Crow, at that time a bird of light plumage, who, when he saw the +pursuers approaching the spot, perched above Mohammed's hiding place, +and screamed, "Ghar! Ghar!" (cave! cave!) so as to indicate the place +of concealment. His enemies, however, did not understand the bird, and +passed on, and Mohammed, when he came out of the cave, clothed the Crow +in perpetual black, and commanded him to cry "Ghar" as long as Crows +should live. + +And he lives to a good old age. Instances are not rare where he has +attained to half a century, without great loss of activity or failure of +sight. + +At Red Bank, a few miles northeast of Cincinnati, on the Little Miami +River, in the bottoms, large flocks of Crows congregate the year around. +A few miles away, high upon Walnut Hills, is a Crow roost, and in the +late afternoons the Crows, singly, in pairs, and in flocks, are seen on +the wing, flying heavily, with full crops, on the way to the roost, from +which they descend in the early morning, crying "Caw! Caw!" to the +fields of the newly planted, growing, or matured corn, or corn stacks, +as the season may provide. + + + + +THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. + + + "Everywhere the blue sky belongs to them and is their appointed + rest, and their native country, and their own natural home + which they enter unannounced as lords that are certainly + expected, and yet there is a silent joy at their arrival." + +The return of the birds to their real home in the North, where they +build their nests and rear their young, is regarded by all genuine +lovers of earth's messengers of gladness and gayety as one of the most +interesting and poetical of annual occurrences. The naturalist, who +notes the very day of each arrival, in order that he may verify former +observation or add to his material gathered for a new work, does not +necessarily anticipate with greater pleasure this event than do many +whose lives are brightened by the coming of the friends of their youth, +who alone of early companions do not change. First of all--and ever the +same delightful warbler--the Bluebird, who, in 1895, did not appear at +all in many localities, though here in considerable numbers last year, +betrays himself. "Did he come down out of the heaven on that bright +March morning when he told us so softly and plaintively that, if we +pleased, spring had come?" Sometimes he is here a little earlier, and +must keep his courage up until the cold snap is over and the snow is +gone. Not long after the Bluebird, comes the Robin, sometimes in March, +but in most of the northern states April is the month of his arrival. +With his first utterance the spell of winter is broken, and the +remembrance of it afar off. Then appears the Woodpecker in great +variety, the Flicker usually arriving first. He is always somebody's old +favorite, "announcing his arrival by a long, loud call, repeated from +the dry branch of some tree, or a stake in the fence--a thoroughly +melodious April sound." + +Few perhaps reflect upon the difficulties encountered by the birds +themselves in their returning migrations. A voyager sometimes meets +with many of our common birds far out at sea. Such wanderers, it is +said, when suddenly overtaken by a fog, completely lose their sense of +direction and become hopelessly lost. Humming birds, those delicately +organized, glittering gems, are among the most common of the land +species seen at sea. + +The present season has been quite favorable to the protection of birds. +A very competent observer says that not all of the birds migrated this +winter. He recently visited a farm less than an hour's ride from +Chicago, where he found the old place, as he relates it, "chucked full +of Robins, Blackbirds, and Woodpeckers," and others unknown to him. +From this he inferred they would have been in Florida had indications +predicted a severe winter. The trees of the south parks of Chicago, +and those in suburban places, have had, darting through their branches +during the months of December and January, nearly as many members of the +Woodpecker tribe as were found there during the mating season in May +last. + +Alas, that the Robin will visit us in diminished numbers in the +approaching spring. He has not been so common for a year or two as +he was formerly, for the reason that the Robins died by thousands of +starvation, owing to the freezing of their food supply in Tennessee +during the protracted cold weather in the winter of 1895. It is indeed +sad that this good Samaritan among birds should be defenseless against +the severity of Nature, the common mother of us all. Nevertheless the +return of the birds, in myriads or in single pairs, will be welcomed +more and more, year by year, as intelligent love and appreciation of +them shall possess the popular mind. + + + + + [Illustration: BLACK TERN. + Mother and Young with Eggs.] + +THE BLACK TERN. + + +"The Tern," says Mr. F. M. Woodruff, of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, +"is the only representative of the long-winged swimmers which commonly +nests with us on our inland fresh water marshes, arriving early in May +in its brooding plumage of sooty black. The color changes in the autumn +to white, and a number of the adult birds may be found, in the latter +part of July, dotted and streaked here and there with white. On the +first of June, 1891, I found a large colony of Black Terns nesting on +Hyde Lake, Cook County, Illinois. As I approached the marsh a few birds +were seen flying high in the air, and, as I neared the nesting site, the +flying birds gave notes of alarm, and presently the air was filled with +the graceful forms of this beautiful little bird. They circled about me, +darting down to within a few feet of my head, constantly uttering a +harsh, screaming cry. As the eggs are laid upon the bare ground, which +the brownish and blackish markings so closely resemble, I was at first +unable to find the nests, and discovered that the only way to locate +them was to stand quietly and watch the birds. When the Tern is passing +over the nest it checks its flight, and poises for a moment on quivering +wings. By keeping my eyes on this spot I found the nest with very little +trouble. The complement of eggs, when the bird has not been disturbed, +is usually three. These are laid in a saucer shaped structure of dead +vegetation, which is scraped together, from the surface of the wet, +boggy ground. The bird figured in the plate had placed its nest on the +edge of an old muskrat house, and my attention was attracted to it by +the fact that upon the edge of the rat house, where it had climbed to +rest itself, was the body of a young dabchick, or piedbilled grebe, +scarcely two and one-half inches long, and not twenty-four hours out of +the egg, a beautiful little ball of blackish down, striped with brown +and white. From the latter part of July to the middle of August large +flocks of Black Terns may be seen on the shores of our larger lakes on +their annual migration southward." + +The Rev. P. B. Peabody, in alluding to his observation of the nests +of the Tern, says: "Amid this floating sea of aquatic nests I saw an +unusual number of well constructed homes of the Tern. Among these was +one that I count a perfect nest. It rested on the perfectly flat +foundation of a small decayed rat house, which was about fourteen +inches in diameter. The nest, in form, is a truncated cone (barring +the cavity), was about eight inches high and ten inches in diameter. +The hollow--quite shallow--was about seven inches across, being thus +unusually large. The whole was built up of bits of rushes, carried to +the spot, these being quite uniform in length--about four inches." After +daily observation of the Tern, during which time he added much to his +knowledge of the bird, he pertinently asks: "Who shall say how many +traits and habits yet unknown may be discovered through patient watching +of community-breeding birds, by men enjoying more of leisure for such +delightful studies than often falls to the lot of most of us who have +bread and butter to earn and a tiny part of the world's work to +finish?" + + + + +THE MEADOW LARK. + + + "Not an inch of his body is free from delight. + Can he keep himself still if he would? Oh, not he! + The music stirs in him like wind through a tree." + +The well known Meadow or Old Field Lark is a constant resident south +of latitude 39, and many winter farther north in favorite localities. +Its geographical range is eastern North America, Canada to south Nova +Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario to eastern Manitoba; west to Minnesota, +Iowa, Missouri, eastern Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; south +to Florida and the Gulf coast, in all of which localities, except in the +extreme north, it usually rears two or three broods in a season. In the +Northern States it is only a summer resident, arriving in April and +remaining until the latter part of October and occasionally November. +Excepting during the breeding season, small flocks may often be seen +roving about in search of good feeding grounds. Major Bendire says +this is especially true in the fall of the year. At this time several +families unite, and as many as two dozen may occasionally be flushed in +a field, over which they scatter, roaming about independently of each +other. When one takes wing all the others in the vicinity follow. It +is a shy bird in the East, while in the middle states it is quite the +reverse. Its flight is rather laborious, at least in starting, and is +continued by a series of rapid movements of the wings, alternating with +short distances of sailing, and is rarely protracted. On alighting, +which is accompanied with a twitching of its tail, it usually settles on +some fence rail, post, boulder, weedstock, or on a hillock in a meadow +from which it can get a good view of the surroundings, and but rarely +on a limb of a tree. Its favorite resorts are meadows, fallow fields, +pastures, and clearings, but in some sections, as in northern Florida, +for instance, it also frequents the low, open pine woods and nests +there. + +The song of the Meadow Lark is not much varied, but its clear, whistling +notes, so frequently heard in the early spring, are melodious and +pleasing to the ear. It is decidedly the farmers' friend, feeding, as +it does, on noxious insects, caterpillars, moths, grasshoppers, spiders, +worms and the like, and eating but little grain. The lark spends the +greater part of its time on the ground, procuring all its food there. +It is seldom found alone, and it is said remains paired for life. + +Nesting begins in the early part of May and lasts through June. Both +sexes assist in building the nest, which is always placed on the ground, +either in a natural depression, or in a little hollow scratched out by +the birds, alongside a bunch of grass or weeds. The nest itself is lined +with dry grass, stubble, and sometimes pine needles. Most nests are +placed in level meadows. The eggs and young are frequently destroyed by +vermin, for the meadow lark has many enemies. The eggs vary from three +to seven, five being the most common, and both sexes assist in the +hatching, which requires about fifteen or sixteen days. The young leave +the nest before they are able to fly--hiding at the slightest sign of +danger. The Meadow Lark does not migrate beyond the United States. It is +a native bird, and is only accidental in England. The eggs are spotted, +blotched, and speckled with shades of brown, purple and lavender. A +curious incident is told of a Meadow Lark trying to alight on the top +mast of a schooner several miles at sea. It was evidently very tired but +would not venture near the deck. + + + + +[Illustration: MEADOW LARK.] + +THE MEADOW LARK. + + +I told the man who wanted my picture that he could take it if he would +show my nest and eggs. Do you blame me for saying so? Don't you think it +makes a better picture than if I stood alone? + +Mr. Lark is away getting me some breakfast, or he could be in the +picture, too. After a few days I shall have some little baby birds, and +then won't we be happy. + +Boys and girls who live in the country know us pretty well. When they +drive the cows out to pasture, or when they go out to gather wild +flowers, we sit on the fences by the roadside and make them glad with +our merry song. + +Those of you who live in the city cannot see us unless you come out into +the country. + +It isn't very often that we can find such a pretty place for a nest as +we have here. Most of the time we build our nest under the grass and +cover it over, and build a little tunnel leading to it. This year we +made up our minds not to be afraid. + +The people living in the houses over there do not bother us at all and +we are so happy. + +You never saw baby larks, did you? Well, they are queer little fellows, +with hardly any feathers on them. + +Last summer we had five little birdies to feed, and it kept us busy from +morning till night. This year we only expect three, and Mr. Lark says he +will do all the work. He knows a field that is being plowed, where he +can get nice, large worms. + +Hark! that is he singing. He will be surprised when he comes back and +finds me off the nest. He is so afraid that I will let the eggs get +cold, but I won't. There he comes, now. + + + + +THE LONG-EARED OWL. + + +The name of the Long-Eared Owl is derived from the great length of his +"ears" or feather-tufts, which are placed upon the head, and erect +themselves whenever the bird is interested or excited. It is the "black +sheep" of the owl family, the majority of owls being genuine friends of +the agriculturist, catching for his larder so many of the small animals +that prey upon his crops. In America he is called the Great Horned +Owl--in Europe the Golden Owl. + +Nesting time with the owl begins in February, and continues through +March and April. The clown-like antics of both sexes of this bird while +under the tender influence of the nesting season tend somewhat to impair +their reputation for dignity and wise demeanor. They usually have a +simple nest in a hollow tree, but which seems seldom to be built by the +bird itself, as it prefers to take the deserted nest of some other bird, +and to fit up the premises for its own use. They repair slightly from +year to year the same nest. The eggs are white, and generally four or +five in number. While the young are still in the nest, the parent birds +display a singular diligence in collecting food for them. + +If you should happen to know of an owl's nest, stand near it some +evening when the old birds are rearing their young. Keep quiet and +motionless, and notice how frequently the old birds feed them. Every ten +minutes or so the soft flap, flap of their wings will be heard, the male +and female alternately, and you will obtain a brief glimpse of them +through the gloom as they enter the nesting place. They remain inside +but a short time, sharing the food equally amongst their brood, and +then are off again to hunt for more. All night, were you to have the +inclination to observe them, you would find they pass to and fro with +food, only ceasing their labors at dawn. The young, as soon as they +reach maturity, are abandoned by their parents; they quit the nest and +seek out haunts elsewhere, while the old birds rear another, and not +infrequently two more broods, during the remainder of the season. + +The habits of the Long-Eared Owl are nocturnal. He is seldom seen in the +light of day, and is greatly disturbed if he chance to issue from his +concealment while the sun is above the horizon. The facial disk is very +conspicuous in this species. It is said that the use of this circle is +to collect the rays of light, and throw them upon the eye. The flight +of the owl is softened by means of especially shaped, recurved +feather-tips, so that he may noiselessly steal upon his prey, and +the ear is also so shaped as to gather sounds from below. + +The Long-Eared Owl is hardly tameable. The writer of this paragraph, when +a boy, was the possessor, for more than a year, of a very fine specimen. +We called him Judge. He was a monster, and of perfect plumage. Although +he seemed to have some attachment to the children of the family who fed +him, he would not permit himself to be handled by them or by any one in +the slightest. Most of his time he spent in his cage, an immense affair, +in which he was very comfortable. Occasionally he had a day in the barn +with the rats and mice. + +The owl is of great usefulness to gardener, agriculturist, and landowner +alike, for there is not another bird of prey which is so great a +destroyer of the enemies of vegetation. + + + + +[Illustration: GREAT HORNED OWL.] + +THE OWL. + + + We know not alway + Who are kings by day, + But the king of the night is the bold brown owl! + +I wonder why the folks put my picture last in the book. It can't be +because they don't like me, for I'm sure I never bother them. I don't +eat the farmer's corn like the crow, and no one ever saw me quarrel with +other birds. + +Maybe it is because I can't sing. Well, there are lots of good people +that can't sing, and so there are lots of good birds that can't sing. + +Did you ever see any other bird sit up as straight as I do? I couldn't +sit up so straight if I hadn't such long, sharp claws to hold on with. + +My home is in the woods. Here we owls build our nests--most always in +hollow trees. + +During the day I stay in the nest or sit on a limb. I don't like day +time for the light hurts my eyes, but when it begins to grow dark then +I like to stir around. All night long I am wide awake and fly about +getting food for my little hungry ones. They sleep most of the day and +it keeps me busy nearly all night to find them enough to eat. + +I just finished my night's work when the man came to take my picture. It +was getting light and I told him to go to a large stump on the edge of +the woods and I would sit for my picture. So here I am. Don't you think +I look wise? How do you like my large eyes? If I could smile at you I +would, but my face always looks sober. I have a great many cousins and +if you really like my picture, I'll have some of them talk to you next +month. I don't think any of them have such pretty feathers though. Just +see if they have when they come. + +Well, I must fly back to my perch in the old elm tree. Good-bye. + + + + +THE OWL. + + + In the hollow tree, in the old gray tower, + The spectral owl doth dwell; + Dull, hated, despised in the sunshine hour, + But at dusk he's abroad and well! + Not a bird of the forest e'er mates with him; + All mock him outright by day; + But at night, when the woods grow still and dim, + The boldest will shrink away! + + O! when the night falls, and roosts the fowl, + Then, then, is the reign of the Horned Owl! + + And the owl hath a bride, who is fond and bold, + And loveth the wood's deep gloom; + And, with eyes like the shine of the moonstone cold, + She awaiteth her ghastly groom. + Not a feather she moves, not a carol she sings, + As she waits in her tree so still, + But when her heart heareth his flapping wings, + She hoots out her welcome shrill! + + O! when the moon shines, and dogs do howl, + Then, then, is the joy of the Horned Owl! + + Mourn not for the owl, nor his gloomy plight! + The owl hath his share of good-- + If a prisoner he be in the broad daylight, + He is lord in the dark greenwood! + Nor lonely the bird, nor his ghastly mate, + They are each unto each a pride; + Thrice fonder, perhaps, since a strange, dark fate + Hath rent them from all beside! + + So, when the night falls, and dogs do howl, + Sing, Ho! for the reign of the Horned Owl! + We know not alway + Who are kings by day, + But the King of the Night is the bold Brown Owl! + + BRYAN W. PROCTER + (Barry Cornwall.) + + + * * * * * + + + + + THE + Racycle + NARROW TREAD + + THE VERDICT IS IN + + [Illustration] + + + Please mention "BIRDS" when you write to advertisers. + + + + +TESTIMONIALS. + + + FRANKFORT, KY., February 3, 1897. + W. J. BLACK, Vice-President, + Chicago, Ill. + +Dear Sir: I have a copy of your magazine entitled "Birds," and beg to +say that I consider it one of the finest things on the subject that I +have ever seen, and shall be pleased to recommend it to county and city +superintendents of the state. + + Very respectfully, + W. J. DAVIDSON, + State Superintendent Public Instruction. + + * * * + + SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., January 27, 1897. + W. J. BLACK, ESQ., + Chicago, Ill. + +Dear Sir: I am very much obliged for the copy of "Birds" that has just +come to hand. It should be in the hands of every primary and grammar +teacher. I send herewith copy of "List of San Francisco Teachers." + + Very respectfully, + M. BABCOCK. + + * * * + + LINCOLN, NEB., February 9, 1897. + W. J. BLACK, + Chicago, Ill. + +Dear Sir: The first number of your magazine, "Birds," is upon my +desk. I am highly pleased with it. It will prove a very serviceable +publication--one that strikes out along the right lines. For the purpose +intended, it has, in my opinion, no equal. It is clear, concise, and +admirably illustrated. + + Very respectfully, + W. R. JACKSON, + State Superintendent Public Instruction. + + * * * + + NORTH LIMA, OHIO, February 1, 1897. + MR. W. E. WATT, + +Dear Sir: Sample copy of "Birds" received. All of the family delighted +with it. We wish it unbounded success. It will be an excellent +supplement to "In Birdland" in the Ohio Teachers' Reading Circle, and I +venture Ohio will be to the front with a good subscription list. I +enclose list of teachers. + + Very truly, + C. M. L. ALTDOERFFER, + Township Superintendent. + + * * * + + MILWAUKEE, January 30, 1897. + NATURE STUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY, + 227 Dearborn Street, Chicago. + +Gentlemen: I acknowledge with pleasure the receipt of your publication, +"Birds," with accompanying circulars. I consider it the best on the +subject in existence. I have submitted the circulars and publication to +my teachers, who have nothing to say but praise in behalf of the +monthly. + + JULIUS TORNEY, + Principal 2nd Dist. Primary School, Milwaukee, Wis. + + + + +OUR PREMIUM + + + A picture of wonderful beauty of the + Golden Pheasant almost life size in + a natural scene, plate 12x18 inches, + on card 19x25 inches, is given as a + premium to yearly subscribers. Our + price on this picture in Art Stores + is $3.50. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Birds Illustrated by Color Photograph +[March 1897], by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRDS ILLUSTRATED [MARCH 1897] *** + +***** This file should be named 30103.txt or 30103.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/1/0/30103/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and Anne Storer, +some images courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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