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diff --git a/old/62790-8.txt b/old/62790-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 69abe0d..0000000 --- a/old/62790-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4961 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Young Folks' Nature Field Book, by John Alden Loring - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: Young Folks' Nature Field Book - -Author: John Alden Loring - -Release Date: July 30, 2020 [EBook #62790] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG FOLKS' NATURE FIELD BOOK *** - - - - -Produced by Tom Cosmas produced from files generously -provided on The Internet Archive and all resultant materials -are placed in the Public Domain. - - - - - - - - - -Transcriber Note - -Text emphasis is denoted as _Italics_ and =Old English Text=. - - - - -Young Folks' Nature Field Book - - - -[Illustration: Photograph by J. Alden Loring. - -WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH ON A BIRD-HOUSE.] - - - - =Young Folks'= - - =Nature Field Book= - - - _By_ - - _J. ALDEN LORING_ - -Formerly Field Naturalist to the United States Biological Survey and -the United States National Museum at Washington, D. C., Curator of -Mammals at the New York Zoological Park and Field Agent for the New -York Zoological Society; Member of the American Ornithologists' Union, -etc. - - -[Illustration] - - -_BOSTON_ - -=Dana Estes & Company= - -_PUBLISHERS_ - - -_Copyright, 1906_ - -By Dana Estes & Company - -All rights reserved - - - -_COLONIAL PRESS_ - -_Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co._ - -_Boston, U.S.A._ - - - - -Publishers' Preface - - -The plan of this work contemplates a short, timely nature story, or -seasonable hint for every calendar day in the year, telling the reader -just what time in the successive seasons to look for the different -birds, beasts, flowers, etc., how to recognize and study them when -taking observation walks for pleasure or instruction. Recognition -of different creatures, etc., is assisted by numerous excellent -illustrations, and alternate pages are left blank for reader's notes -or record of things seen. A yearly report so kept, either by a single -young person or a small group or club, cannot fail to be a source -of continuous interest, not only while being made but after its -completion. A club competing for the best and complete record so made -should produce pleasure and instruction throughout the year. - - - - -Dedication - - -_This book is dedicated to my first wild pet, who was the most -interesting and intelligent creature I have tamed. He chased the -children into their houses by pinching their legs; he awoke the dog by -pulling its tail, and he pecked the horse's feet, then jumped back and -crouched low to escape being kicked. Because of his thieving instinct -he kept me at war with the neighbors. His last mischievous act was to -pull the corks from the red and the black ink bottles, tip them over, -fly to the bed, and cover the counterpane with tracks. I found him dead -in the work-room the following morning, his black beak red and red -mouth black._ - - - - -Preface - - -This little book was written for the lover of outdoor life who has -neither the time nor the patience to study natural history. There are -many persons who are anxious to learn the common animals and flowers, -their haunts and their habits, that they may enjoy Nature when they -visit her. If they will take a minute each day to read the entry for -that date, or if they will carry the book with them on their strolls -into the country and while resting turn its pages, it may prove the -means of discovering in fur or feather or flowering bud something -before unknown to them. - -The subjects chosen are of common interest, and nearly all can be found -by any person who hunts for them assiduously. As the seasons vary in -different localities, it has been impossible to set a date for the -appearance or disappearance of an animal or a flower, that will apply -alike to all parts of the country for which this volume is intended. -Eastern United States. - - J. Alden Loring. - -_Oswego, N. Y._ - - - - -List of Illustrations - - - PAGE - White-breasted Nuthatch on a Bird-house _Frontispiece_ - - White-breasted Nuthatch 15 - English Sparrow 25 - Purple Martins 35 - Northern Shrike 39 - Prairie Horned Lark 47 - Loon 53 - Hibernating Woodchuck 57 - European Hedgehog 75 - Nest of a Meadow Mouse Exposed by Melting Snow 85 - Screech Owl 89 - Meadow Lark 99 - Downy Woodpecker 105 - Fox at Den 119 - Chimney Swift 125 - "One of your bird-houses should be tenanted by a wren" 129 - Male Bobolink 141 - Barn Swallow 153 - Belted Kingfisher 165 - Catbird 171 - Woodchuck 183 - Song Sparrow 191 - Yellow-billed Cuckoo 199 - Kingbird 207 - Red-winged Blackbirds 215 - Cedar Waxwing 221 - Yellow-breasted Chat 245 - Skunk Hunting Grasshoppers 255 - American Redstart 259 - Grebe 277 - Spotted Sandpiper 281 - Chickadees (Upper, Mountain; Lower, Hudsonian) 287 - "The great horned owl and the snowy owl can be tamed" 301 - Blue Jays 305 - A Four-storied Warbler's Nest. Each Story Represents - an Attempt by the Warbler to Avoid Becoming - Foster-parent of a Young Cowbird 311 - Snow Bunting 315 - Cotton-tail Rabbit Taking a Sun Bath 331 - Bonaparte Gull 337 - - -[Illustration: WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH.] - - - - -=January= - - -January First - -The best New Year's resolution a lover of nature can make, is a promise -to provide the feathered waifs of winter with free lunches. This may -be done by fastening pieces of suet to limbs and trunks of trees, and -by placing sunflower seeds, bird seeds, or cracked nuts on the veranda -roof or on the window-sill of your room, where sharp eyes will soon spy -them. - - -January Second - -Your boarders will be the birds that either remain with you throughout -the year, or have come from the frozen North to spend the winter. These -are the birds that feed upon seeds of various kinds, or the feathered -carpenters that pry into the crevices of the bark, and dig into the -rotten wood in search of the insects and the insect larvæ hidden there. - - -January Third - -The chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, and the downy woodpecker, -keep company during the long winter months. They will appreciate your -lunches most, and will call on you frequently throughout the day. - - -Notes - - - - -January Fourth - -Do not attempt to tame your visitors until they have made several calls -for lunches. Then put a crude "dummy," with a false face, near the -window, and raise the sash to let the birds enter. Within a few days -the chickadees will perch upon Dummy's shoulders and take nut meats -from his buttonholes. - - -January Fifth - -Having thus gained the chickadees' confidence, hurry to the window when -you hear them call, and quietly take the place of the dummy. Of course -they will be suspicious at first, and probably you will meet with many -disappointments, but when you have succeeded in taming them to alight -upon your hand or shoulder, you will find enjoyment in calling them to -you by the gentle whistle to which you should accustom them. - - -January Sixth - -Tempting food, and slow movements when in the presence of birds, are -the main secrets to successful bird taming. The chickadee, as you will -find, is the easiest of these birds to tame. He has several songs -and call notes, so do not expect always to hear him repeat his name, -"_chick-a-de-de-de-de_." - - -Notes - - -January Seventh - -Persons not familiar with birds often mistake the white-breasted -nuthatch for a woodpecker, for their actions are much alike. The -nuthatch creeps about the trees in all kinds of attitudes, while the -woodpecker assumes an upright position most of the time and moves in -spasmodic hops. The young and the female downy woodpecker do not have -the red crescent on the back of the head. The hairy woodpecker is -another "resident" that looks like his cousin, the downy, but he is -once again as large. - - -January Eighth - -Winter in the North is a season of hardship and hunger to wild -creatures. The otherwise wary and cunning crow often puts discretion -aside when in search of food, and fearlessly visits the village refuse -heaps, or the farmer's barn-yard. In the orchards you will find where -he has uncovered the decayed apples and pecked holes into them. - - -January Ninth - -Even the mink, after days of fasting, is driven by starvation to leave -his retreat in a burrow along a creek or river bank, and to forage upon -the farmer's poultry. Poor fellow, he does not hibernate, so he must -have food; fish is his choice, but when hard pressed, he will take -anything, "fish, flesh, or fowl." - - -Notes - - - - -January Tenth - -In the fields and lowlands, the scattered coveys of Bob-whites that -have escaped the hunter, huddle for shelter from a storm under a -stump or in a hollow log. Sometimes several days pass before they are -able to dig through the drifts that imprison them. Should a heavy -sleet-storm cover the snowy mantle with a crust too thick and hard -for them to break through, starvation is their fate. Sportsmen living -within convenient reach of quail coverts should watch over them in such -weather and provide food and shelter for the birds. - - -January Eleventh - -Even the flocks of horned (or shore) larks that feed on the wind-swept -hilltops, pause occasionally and squat close to the ground to keep from -being blown away. They have come from the North, and after passing the -winter with us, most of them will return to Canada to nest. - - -January Twelfth - -A long period of cold freezes the marshes to the bottom, and compels -the muskrats to seek the bushy banks, or to take shelter under the -corn-shacks or hay-stacks in the fields. Poor things, they of all -animals endure hardship; for one can often track them to where they -have scratched away the snow while searching for grass-blades, roots, -acorns or apples that have fallen and decayed. - - -Notes - - - - -January Thirteenth - -When the wind sweeps over the fields and the cold nips your ears, you -are apt to come suddenly upon a flock of snowflakes, or snow buntings. -Hastening back and forth among the weeds along the bank, they reach up -and pick the seeds and crack them in their strong bills. They, too, -like the horned larks, have come from the North, and in March will -return again. - - -January Fourteenth - -You cannot show your friendship for our native birds in any better way -than by being an enemy of the English sparrow. He is a quarrelsome -little pest and seems to be getting more pugnacious every year. He not -only fights the other birds, but he has been seen to throw their eggs -to the ground and to tear their nests to pieces. Be careful that he -does not steal the lunches that you have provided for other birds. - - -January Fifteenth - -How do the insects pass the winter? Much in the same way that our -plants and flowers do. As the cold weather kills or withers the plants, -leaving their seeds and roots to send forth shoots next summer, so most -of the insects die, leaving their eggs, their larvæ, and their pupa to -be nourished into life by the warm days of spring. - -[Illustration: ENGLISH SPARROW.] - - -Notes - - - - -January Sixteenth - -Insects are more dependent on climatic conditions than are birds or -mammals. Nevertheless, even on the coldest days of winter, one may -tear away the bark of a forest tree and find spiders which show signs -of life, and if kept in a warm room for a few hours, they become quite -active. - - -January Seventeenth - -The life of an insect which undergoes what is termed a "complete -transformation," is divided into four stages: First, the egg; second, -the larva; third, the pupa or chrysalis, and fourth, the adult insect -or imago. Each of these changes is so complete and different from -any of the others, that the insect never appears twice in an easily -recognized form. - - -January Eighteenth - -Let us take the common house-fly for an example, and follow it through -the changes that it must undergo before becoming adult. The mother fly -deposits more than a hundred eggs at a time, in a dump at the back of -the stable. The eggs hatch in half a day. - - -Notes - - - - -January Nineteenth - -Now we have the larvæ (maggots), as the second stage is called. These -little creatures are white and grow very fast, shedding their skin -several times before they take on a different form, which they do at -the end of three or four days. - -January Twentieth - -The third, or pupa, stage is reached when a tiny brown capsule-like -formation has taken the place of the maggot. In this stage no movement -is apparent, nor is any food taken; there is only a quiet waiting for -the final change, which comes in about five days, when, out from one -end of a chrysalis, a fully developed fly appears. - - -January Twenty-first - -The wonderful changes just described take place throughout most of the -insect world. The larvæ of butterflies and moths are caterpillars; the -larvæ of June bugs or May beetles are grubs. Some moth and butterfly -caterpillars weave silken cocoons about themselves; some make cocoons -from leaves or tiny chips of wood; some utilize the hair from their own -bodies, while others attach themselves to the under side of boards, -stones, and stumps, where, after shedding their skin, they hang like -mummies until spring calls them back to life. - - -Notes - - - - -January Twenty-second - -Bird lovers often make the mistake of putting out nesting-boxes too -late in the season. They forget that most of the birds begin to look -for nesting-sites as soon as they arrive in the spring, therefore the -boxes should be in place before the prospective tenants appear. March -first is none too early for many localities. - - -January Twenty-third - -A natural cavity in a root, cut from a rustic stump, or a short length -of hollow limb, with a two-inch augur hole bored near the top, and a -piece of board nailed over each end, makes an artistic nesting-place -for birds. Some persons prefer a miniature cottage with compartments -and doors; though birds will often nest in them, the simpler and more -natural the home, the more suited it is to their wants. - - -January Twenty-fourth - -A few minutes' work with hammer, saw, and knife, will convert any small -wooden box that is nailed (not glued) together, into a respectable -nesting-box. After it has been covered with two coats of dark green -paint it is ready to be put in place. A shelf placed in a cornice, -under a porch, or the eaves of a building, makes an excellent -resting-place for the nest of a robin or a phoebe. - - -Notes - - - - -January Twenty-fifth - -Nesting-boxes may be placed almost anywhere that there is shade and -shelter. They ought to be put beyond the reach of prowling cats and -meddlesome children, at least fifteen feet from the ground, and to reap -the benefit of your labor, they should be near your sitting-room window. - - -January Twenty-sixth - -It is better not to put an old nest or any nesting material in the -houses. Birds prefer to do their own nest building, and they have their -notions about house furnishing, which do not agree with our ideas. -Birds have often refused nesting-boxes simply because over-zealous -persons had stuffed them with hay or excelsior. - - -January Twenty-seventh - -The birds that nest in bird-houses are the ones which, if unprovided -with them, would naturally choose cavities in stumps, tree trunks, -hollow limbs and the like. Almost without exception this class of -nest-builders will return to the same nest year after year, so once a -pair has taken up its abode with you, you may expect to see the birds -for several summers. - -[Illustration: PURPLE MARTINS.] - - -Notes - - - - -January Twenty-eighth - -The following are common tenants of bird-houses: Purple martin, -bluebird, house wren, chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted -nuthatch, and tree or white-breasted swallow. These birds are great -insect destroyers, and most of them are sweet songsters, so they should -be encouraged to take up their abode about our grounds. - - -January Twenty-ninth - -After a deep fall of snow, the Northern shrike, or butcher-bird, is -forced into the villages and towns for his food. Dashing into a flock -of English sparrows, he snatches one and carries it back to the country -to be eaten at his leisure. He is the bird that impales small birds, -mice, and large insects on barbed-wire fences, or thorn bushes, after -his stomach has been filled, and hence his name. - - -January Thirtieth - -Next to the beaver, the porcupine is the largest rodent in the United -States; the largest porcupines live in Alaska. When on the ground, his -short, thick tail drags in the snow, leaving a zigzag trail. When the -snow is deep and the weather stormy, he spends much of his time in -pine, spruce, and hemlock trees, feeding on the bark and twigs. - -[Illustration: NORTHERN SHRIKE.] - - -Notes - - - - -January Thirty-first - -Hawks, before eating, tear away the skin and feathers from their prey; -but owls eat everything, unless the prey be large, even bolting small -birds and mammals entire. In the course of a few hours they disgorge -pellets of indigestible portions, the bones being encased in the -feathers or hair. The pellets may be found on the snow beneath the -owl's roost, and they often contain skulls of mice as white and perfect -as though they had been cleaned in a museum. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=February= - - -February First - -Mourning-cloak butterflies do not all die when winter comes. Those -that hibernate are usually found singly or in clusters, hanging from -the rafters in old buildings, or from the under side of stones, rails, -limbs of trees, or boards. Those that appear in the spring with -tattered wings, have probably been confined in buildings, and in their -efforts to escape have battered themselves against the windows. - - -February Second - -Does any one know how old the story is that tells us this is the day -on which the bear and the woodchuck rub their sleepy eyes and leave -their winter quarters for the first time? If they see their shadow they -return and sleep six weeks longer, but should the day be cloudy, they -are supposed to remain active the rest of the season. This of course is -only a myth. - - -February Third - -Frogs usually pass the winter in the mud at the bottom of a stream, -lake, or pond, or below frost-line in a woodchuck, rabbit, or chipmunk -burrow. However, it is not uncommon to find them active all winter in a -spring, or a roadside drinking-trough supplied from a spring. I wonder -if they know that spring-water seldom freezes, and that by choosing -such a place, they will not have to hibernate. - - -Notes - - - - -February Fourth - -The bloodthirsty weasel, which is reddish brown in summer (save the -tip of his tail, which is always black), is now colored to match his -surroundings, white. His tracks may be found in the woods and along -the stump fences in the fields, where he has been searching for mice. -He is one of the very few mammals that will shed blood simply for the -pleasure of killing. - - -February Fifth - -Students of nature will find it much easier to identify birds if they -take this opportunity before the migrating birds arrive, to study -carefully the haunts of the common species. Many birds, you know, are -not found beyond the bounds of a certain character of country chosen -for them by nature. So should you see in the deep woods a bird that you -at first take to be a Baltimore oriole or a bobolink, a second thought -will cause you to remember that these birds are not found in the woods, -consequently you must be wrong. - - -February Sixth - -The meadow lark, horned lark, bobolink, grasshopper sparrow, vesper -sparrow, and savannah sparrow, are all common birds of the fields -and meadows, and they are seldom seen in the dense woods or in the -villages. - -[Illustration: PRAIRIE HORNED LARK.] - - -Notes - - - - -February Seventh - -Among the birds that one may expect to see in the woods and groves are -the great-horned owl, hermit thrush, wood thrush, blue-headed vireo, -golden-crowned thrush, scarlet tanager, black-throated green warbler, -and the black-throated blue warbler. - - -February Eighth - -The swamp birds, and birds found along the banks of lakes, rivers, and -streams, and seldom seen far from them, are the belted kingfisher, -red-shouldered blackbird, spotted and solitary sandpipers, great blue, -night, and little green herons, and the osprey, or fish-hawk. - - -February Ninth - -Cleared woodlands overgrown with thick bushes, shrubs, and vines, -as well as the bushy thickets by the waysides, are the favorite -nesting-places for another class of birds. In this category the common -varieties are the yellow-breasted chat, yellow warbler, chestnut-sided -warbler, Maryland yellow-throat, catbird, brown thrasher, mocking-bird, -indigo bunting, and the black-billed and yellow-billed cuckoos. - - -Notes - - - - -February Tenth - -The swimming birds spend the greater part of their time in the water. -Most of them nest in the lake regions of Canada. They are the ducks, -geese, and swans, of which there are nearly fifty species; the grebes -and loons, eleven species; the gulls and terns, thirty-seven species; -and the cormorants and pelicans, beside many other water birds that we -seldom or never see in Eastern United States. - - -February Eleventh - -Then, of course, there is a miscellaneous lot that nest in the -woods, orchards, village shade trees, or any place where large trees -are found. The flicker, downy and hairy woodpeckers, screech owl, -white-breasted nuthatch, chickadee, robin, red-eyed vireo, warbling -vireo, and the yellow-throated vireo, comprise some of the birds in -this group. - - -February Twelfth - -About spring-holes the snow melts quickly and the grass remains green -all winter. It is here that you will find the runways of meadow mice, -or voles (not moles). They live on the roots and tender blades of -grass, but at this time of the year hunger often compels them to eat -the bark from fruit trees, vines, and berry bushes, and during severe -winters they do great damage to apple trees. - -[Illustration: LOON.] - - -Notes - - - - -February Thirteenth - -The whistle-wing duck, or American golden eye, attracts your attention -by the peculiar whistling sound that it makes with its wings while -flying. As it gets its food (small fish, and mussels), by diving, it -is able to remain in the Northern States all winter and feed in the -swift-running streams, in air-holes, or other open water. - - -February Fourteenth - -The skunk is one of the mammals who can hibernate or not, just as -he chooses. During prolonged periods of cold, he takes shelter in a -woodchuck's burrow, and "cuddling down," goes to sleep but a few inches -from the rightful owner, who, in turn, is also sleeping in a chamber -back of the thin partition of earth which he threw out in front of -himself when he retired in the fall. - - -February Fifteenth - -The first bird to actually voice the approach of spring, is the jolly -little chickadee. His spring song, "_spring's-com-ing_," sounds more -like "_phoebe_" than does the note of the phoebe itself, for -which it is often mistaken. It is a clear, plaintive whistle, easily -imitated, and when answered, the songster can often be called within a -few feet of one, where he will perch and repeat his song as long as he -receives a reply. - -[Illustration: Photograph by Silas Lottridge. - -HIBERNATING WOODCHUCK.] - - -Notes - - - - -February Sixteenth - -Even the coldest weather does not close the swift-running streams, -which gives the muskrats a chance to exercise their legs. It makes -you shudder to see one swim along the edge of the ice, then dive, and -come to the surface with a mouthful of food. Climbing upon the ice, he -eats it, then silently slips into the water again. His hair is so well -oiled, that an ordinary wetting does not penetrate to the skin. - - -February Seventeenth - -A crow's track can always be told from the tracks of other birds of -similar size, because there is a dash in the snow made by the claw -of his middle toe. Again, his toes are long and set rather closely -together, and he seldom walks in a straight line, but wanders about as -though looking for something, which is usually the case. - - -February Eighteenth - -Many persons believe that a porcupine has the power to throw his -quills, but it is not so. When alarmed, he hurries, in a lumbering -sort of way, for shelter. If you close in on him, he stops at once, -ducks his head, humps his back, raises his quill armor, and awaits your -attack. Approach closely, and he turns his back and tail toward you, -and the instant you touch him he strikes with his club-like tail, also -armed with quills, leaving souvenirs sticking into whatever they come -in contact with. - - -Notes - - - - -February Nineteenth - -As the migrating birds are beginning to arrive in the Southern States, -and will soon be North, let us consider the subject of migration. The -reason why birds migrate North in the spring is not definitely-known. -Of course they leave the North because cold and snow cut off their food -supply; but why in the spring do they abandon a country where food is -plentiful and make such long flights, apparently for no other object -than to bring forth their young in the North? - - -February Twentieth - -Is it not wonderful how birds find their way, over thousands of miles -of land and water, to the same locality and often to the same nest, -season after season? How do we know that this is true? The reappearance -of a bird with a crippled foot or wing, or one that has been tamed to -feed from one's hand, is unmistakable proof. - - -February Twenty-first - -Ducks and geese make longest flights of any of the migrating birds. -They have been known to cover three hundred miles without resting. The -smaller birds advance as the season advances, the early arrivals being -the ones that do not winter very far south. Storm-waves often check -their progress and compel them to turn back a few hundred miles and -wait for the weather to moderate. - - -Notes - - - - -February Twenty-second - -Most birds migrate at night; and a continued warm rain followed by a -clear warm night is sure to bring a host of new arrivals. If you listen -on moonlight nights, you can often hear their chirps and calls as they -pass over. During foggy weather many meet with accidents by getting -lost and being blown out to sea, or by flying against monuments, -buildings, or lighthouses. - - -February Twenty-third - -Mr. Chapman tells us that, when migrating, birds fly at a height of -from one to three miles, and that our Eastern birds leave the United -States by the way of the Florida peninsula. They are guided in their -flight by the coast-line and the river valleys. - - -February Twenty-fourth - -Some migrants fly in compact flocks of hundreds, like the ducks, for -example, while others, like the swallows, spread out. Then, again, -there are birds that arrive in pairs or singly. With still others, the -male precedes his mate by a week or ten days. Not infrequently a flock -of birds containing several different species will be seen. This is -particularly true of the blackbirds and grackles. - - -Notes - - - - -February Twenty-fifth - -You will notice that the birds are usually in full song when they -arrive from the South. Save for a few calls and scolding notes, most of -them are silent during the winter, but as spring approaches they begin -to find their voices and probably are as glad to sing as we are to hear -them. - - -February Twenty-sixth - -The snow-shoe rabbit, or Northern varying hare, changes its color twice -a year. In winter it is snow white, but at this season it is turning -reddish-brown. In the far Northwest these hares are so abundant that -they make deep trails through the snow, and the Indians and white -trappers and traders shoot and snare large numbers of them for food. - - -February Twenty-seventh - -It makes no difference to the "chickaree," or red squirrel, how much -snow falls or how cold it gets. He has laid by a stock of provisions -and he is not dependent on the food the season furnishes. He is as spry -and happy during the coldest blizzard as he is on a midsummer day, for -he knows well where the hollow limb or tree-trunk is that contains his -store of nuts or grain. - - -Notes - - - - -February Twenty-eighth - -The Carolina wren is the largest member of the wren family in the -Eastern United States. It breeds sparingly in Southern New York and New -England, but is common about Washington, D. C., where it is a resident. -It is found in the forests, thickets, and undergrowth along streams and -lakes. Mr. Hoffman says that its song "is so loud and clear that it can -be heard easily a quarter of a mile." - - -Notes - - - - - - -=March= - - -March First - -A lady once asked me how to destroy the "insect eggs" on the under -side of fern leaves. The ferns are flowerless plants, and they produce -spores instead of seeds. Usually the spores are arranged in dotted -lines, on the underside of the leaves (or fronds as they are called), -and these are the "insect eggs" the lady referred to. - - -March Second - -Even at this early date the female great-horned owl or hoot owl, in -some sections of the country, is searching for a place to build her -nest. She usually selects an abandoned hawk's or a crow's nest, and -after laying her four chalky-white eggs, she is often compelled to sit -on them most of the night to prevent them from freezing. - - -March Third - -A question that is often asked is, what do the early migrating birds -eat, when the ground is frozen and insect life is still slumbering. -If you knew where to look, you would find many of the fruit-trees -and vines filled with dried, or frozen fruit. Frozen apples and -mountain-ash berries constitute a large part of the robin's and -the cedar-bird's food early in the spring, and the bluebirds and -cedar-birds eat the shriveled barberry fruit. - - -Notes - - - - -March Fourth - -In Florida, the black bear can get food throughout the entire year, but -in the North he is compelled to hibernate during the winter. He is now -beginning to think of leaving his den (in a cave, crevice of the rocks, -or under the roots of a partially upturned tree) to begin his summer -vacation. We are apt to think that bears are poor when they leave the -den, but this is not always true, although their pelage does get very -much worn from coming in contact with protuberances in their winter -quarters. - - -March Fifth - -The first plant to thrust its head above ground and proclaim the coming -of spring is the skunk cabbage, or swamp cabbage. Even before the snow -has entirely left, the plant will melt a hole and by its own warmth -keep itself from freezing. In many localities at this date the leathery -hoods are several inches above the ground. - - -March Sixth - -In America the cowbird, like the European cuckoo, lays its eggs in the -nests of other birds. All of our American cuckoos build their nests and -raise their young in a manner creditable to parents. - - -Notes - - - - -March Seventh - -Clinging to the cliffs and rocks in the forests, the dark green -leathery leaves of the polypody fern are nearly as fresh and green -as when first snowed under. Hunt among the clusters until you find a -fertile frond, then examine the back of it and see how closely together -the spores are placed. - - -March Eighth - -We will awaken some morning to find that during the night the song -sparrows have arrived from the South; not all of them, to be sure, but -just a few that are anxious to push North and begin nesting. All winter -their merry song has been hushed, but now it gushes forth, not to stop -again until the molting season in August. - - - -March Ninth - -A porcupine should never be called a hedgehog. The hedgehog, an -insectivorous animal, inhabiting Europe, is not found in the Western -Hemisphere. It rolls itself into a ball when attacked, and the spines, -which _do not come out_, are shorter, duller, and less formidable than -those of the porcupine. - -[Illustration: Photograph by E. R. Sanborn. - -EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG] - - -Notes - - - - -March Tenth - -People, knowing that the robin is an early spring arrival, are always -alert to see or hear the first one. Consequently the first song that -catches their ear is supposed to be that of a robin, whereas often it -is the spring song of the white-breasted nuthatch, which really has no -resemblance to the robin's song. - - -March Eleventh - -When you see a bird with a crest (not one that simply raises its head -feathers) it must be one of the following species: A blue jay, tufted -titmouse, pileated woodpecker, cardinal grosbeak, (also called redbird -and cardinal), Bohemian waxwing, or a cedar-bird. These are the only -birds inhabiting the Eastern States that wear true crests. The belted -kingfisher and many of the ducks and herons have ruffs and plumes but -these can scarcely be considered crests. - - -March Twelfth - -Some scientists contend that, owing to their intelligence, ants should -rank next to man and before the anthropoid apes. They have soldiers -that raid other ant colonies and capture eggs, and when the eggs hatch, -the young are kept as slaves; they have nurses that watch and care for -the eggs and helpless larvæ, and cows (_Aphids_) that are tended with -almost human intelligence. - - -Notes - - - - -March Thirteenth - -The Audubon Society has stopped the slaughter of grebes. Before the -enactment of the laws framed by the society, these duck-like birds were -killed for their snow-white breasts, which were used for decorating (?) -women's hats. Grebes are now migrating to the lakes of the North, where -they build floating nests of reeds. - - -March Fourteenth - -The only sure way to tell a venomous snake is to kill the reptile, open -its mouth with a stick, and look for the hollow, curved fangs. When -not in use they are compressed against the roof of the mouth, beneath -the reptile's eyes. They are hinged, as you can see if you pull them -forward with a pencil. The venom is contained in a sack hidden beneath -the skin at the base of each fang. - - -March Fifteenth - -As a mimic and a persistent songster, the mocking-bird has no rival, -but when quality is considered, I think we have several songsters that -are its equal. The bobolink and the winter wren both have rollicking -songs that are inspiring and wonderful, but to my ear there are no -songs that equal those of the hermit thrush and the wood thrush. Still, -the selection of a bird vocalist is a matter of choice which is often -influenced by one's association with the singer. - - -Notes - - - - -March Sixteenth - -If you will look into one of the large cone-shaped paper nests of the -bald-faced hornet, which hang to the limbs of the trees or under the -eaves of the house, you will be almost certain to find a few house -flies that have passed the winter between the folds of paper. They now -show signs of life, and are ready to make their appearance during the -first warm spell. - - -March Seventeenth - -Before the snow has left, you are likely to see dirt-stained spots on -the hillsides where the woodchuck or ground-hog has thrown out the -partition of dirt which kept the winter air from his bed-chamber. -Of course he has not come out for good, but on warm, sunny days he -will make short excursions from his burrow to see how the season is -progressing. In the early spring, before vegetation sprouts, he finds -it difficult to find good food in plenty. - - -March Eighteenth - -The herring gulls that have been about our harbors and bays all winter, -will not remain much longer. They are about to leave for their nesting -grounds, in the marshes and on the islands of New England and Canada. -In the fall they will return with their young, which wear a grayish -plumage. - - -Notes - - - - -March Nineteenth - -In winter meadow mice build neat little nests of dried grass on the -ground beneath the snow. They are hollow balls, about the size of a -hat crown, with a small opening in one or two sides. The outside is -made of coarse, rank grass, while the lining is of the finest material -obtainable. The heat from the little animals' bodies soon melts an air -chamber around the nest, into which lead many tunnels through the snow. -As soon as the snow has melted, you will find these nests scattered -about the fields and meadows, but they are empty now. - - -March Twentieth - -The fish crow is a small edition of the common crow. He is a resident -of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from South Carolina to Louisiana. His -note resembles the "caw" of the Northern crow, minus the _w_, being -more of a croak: "_cak, cak, cak, cak_." You will find him on the coast -and along the rivers. - - -March Twenty-first - -The white-tailed deer of the deep forests have dropped their antlers by -this time, and a new set has started to grow. (Elk, moose, caribou, and -deer have antlers; sheep, goats and cattle have horns, and retain them -throughout life.) Antlers are cast off annually, and a new set will -grow in about seven months. - -[Illustration: Photograph by Alden Lottridge. - -NEST OF A MEADOW MOUSE EXPOSED BY MELTING SNOW.] - - -Notes - - - - -March Twenty-second - -The purple grackle, or crow blackbird, should make his appearance in -Southern New York about this time. He is the large, handsome fellow -who lives in colonies and builds his nest in pine, hemlock, and spruce -groves near human habitations. As soon as his young are hatched, he -frequents the banks of rivers and lakes and walks along in quest of -insects. He is one of the few birds that _walks_. - - -March Twenty-third - -Screech owls are now nesting in natural cavities in apple-trees, but -they should not be disturbed, for they feed on mice, beetles and other -harmful animals. Owls are very interesting birds, but their wisdom is -only in their looks. Their eyes are stationary, so in order to look -sidewise, they must turn their head. Watch one and notice him dilate -and contract the pupil of his eyes, according to the light, and the -distance of the object at which he is gazing. - - -March Twenty-fourth - -The American goldfinch, thistlebird, or wild canary, often spends the -winter with us, but in his grayish-brown suit he is not recognized by -his friends who only know him in his summer garb of black and yellow. -The male and the female look alike now, but soon the male will don -gorgeous colors and wear them until after the nesting season. - -[Illustration: SCREECH OWL.] - - -Notes - - - - -March Twenty-fifth - -The scarlet heads of the velvet, or stag-horn sumach are very -conspicuous on the rocky hillsides and gravelly bottoms. The fruit -of the poison sumach hangs more like a bunch of grapes, while -the stag-horn fruit is in a massive cluster. Persons susceptible -to poisonous plants should never approach any poisonous shrub, -particularly when the body is overheated. - - -March Twenty-sixth - -From the swamps and river-banks comes the clatter of loud blackbird -voices. Flocks containing hundreds of these noisy fellows perch in the -tops of the trees, resting after their long migration flight. From -the babble, you recognize the "_konk-a-ree_" of the red-shouldered -blackbird, the harsh squeaky notes of the rusty grackle, and the purple -grackle. As you approach, the flock takes flight, and you discover that -all of the red-wing blackbirds are males; the females have not yet -arrived. - - -March Twenty-seventh - -In the dead of winter you may sometimes see a belted kingfisher along -some swift-running stream, but as a rule, north of Virginia, few stay -with us throughout the year. Most of them appear about this time, and -you see them perched on some low limb overhanging a pond or a stream. - - -Notes - - - - -March Twenty-eighth - -From bogs, shaded woods, and sheltered highways. Nature's -question-marks, the "fiddle-heads," appear above the loam. They are -baby ferns, preparing to expand and wave their graceful leaves in the -face of all beholders. These queer, woolly sprouts the Indians use for -food, and birds also eat them. - - -March Twenty-ninth - -The clear, sweet, and plaintive whistle "_pee-a-peabody, -peabody, peabody_," (which to the French Canadian is interpreted -"_la-belle-Canada, Canada, Canada_") of the white-throated sparrow, or -Canada bird, is a common, early spring song, now heard in the swamps -and thickets. This sparrow may be found about New York City all winter, -but it passes North to nest. - - -March Thirtieth - -Beneath hickory-nut. Walnut, and butternut trees, you are sure to find -large numbers of nut-shells that have been rifled of their contents by -red squirrels, chipmunks, meadow mice, and white-footed mice. In nearly -every instance, the intelligent little rodents have gnawed through -the flat sides of the shell, directly into the meat, and taken it out -as "clean as a whistle." But who "_taught_ them" to select the _flat_ -side? - - -Notes - - - - -March Thirty-first - -The noisy kildeer is rare in Pennsylvania and New York, but it is a -common plover in Ohio. Its note, "_kildeer, kildeer, kildeer_," is -emitted while the bird is on the ground or in the air. This plover is -very abundant in the far West, and when a hunter is stalking antelope, -it often flies about his head, calling loudly and warning the game of -danger. For this trait it is sometimes called "tell-tale plover." - - -Notes - - - - - - -=April= - - -April First - -A question which puzzles scientists, is how the turtles and frogs -(which have lungs) are able, at the close of summer, to bury themselves -in the mud at the bottom of a river or pond and remain there until the -following spring. The frogs appear a few days before the turtles are -seen. - - -April Second - -The meadowlark's song, "_spring-o-the-year_," is heard at its best -in this month and in May; but the note is one of the few that may be -frequently heard in southern New England, during the entire winter. As -its name implies, the meadowlark is a bird of the fields and meadows -only, but it will often alight in the top of a tall tree and send forth -its joyful song. Watch and listen for it now. - - -April Third - -As soon as spring arrives and the ice has left the streams, hordes -of May or shad fly nymphs can be found working their way against the -current a few inches from the shore. Catch a few of them and put them -in a tumbler of water and watch their external or "trachea" gills -working. The adult insects are abundant in summer, but at this time of -the year (even earlier), the stone flies which flit over the melting -snow are often mistaken for May, or shad flies. - -[Illustration: MEADOW LARK] - - -Notes - - - - -April Fourth - -The name "purple finch" is very misleading, for the head, neck, breast, -and throat of the bird are more crimson than purple. The female is -often mistaken for a sparrow, as her color is dull, and her breast -streaked. This finch often takes up its abode in the coniferous trees -in the villages. "Its song bursts forth as if from some uncontrollable -stress of gladness, and is repeated uninterruptedly over and over -again." (Bicknell.) - - -April Fifth - -If the season is not belated, you may expect to find the blood-root -peeping through the rocky soil, on exposed brushy hillsides, or along -the margins of the woods. You must look for it early, for its petals -drop soon after the flower blossoms. The Indians used the blood-red -juice which flows when the root is broken, to decorate their bodies. - - -April Sixth - -The brush lots, roadways, and open forests in the Northern States, are -now filled with juncoes on the way to their nesting grounds in Canada -and the mountainous portions of this country. They are with us but -a few weeks and will not be seen again until next fall. The pinkish -bill and the two white outer tail-feathers are of great assistance in -identifying this bird, for they are very conspicuous when it flies. - - -Notes - - - - -April Seventh - -While walking along the bank of a stream you are quite apt to surprise -a pair of pickerel lying side by side in shallow water. Save for the -vibration of their fins, and the movement of their gills, they do not -stir. As you approach they dart off, and you see a roily spot, where -they have taken shelter among the aquatic plants. - - -April Eighth - -The birds having white tail-feathers, or tail-feathers that are tipped -with white, which show conspicuously when the owners are on the -wing, are the meadowlark, vesper sparrow, chewink, snowflake, junco, -blue jay, white-breasted nuthatch, Northern shrike, kingbird, hairy -woodpecker, downy woodpecker, nighthawk, and whip-poor-will. - - -April Ninth - -The clustering liverwort, hepatica, or squirrel cup, with its fuzzy -stems and pretty flowers of various shades of blue, grow side by side -with the white wood anemone, or wind-flower. As soon as the wood -anemone blossoms, a slight breeze causes the petals to fall; that is -why it is called "wind-flower." - -[Illustration: DOWNY WOODPECKER] - - -Notes - - - - -April Tenth - -One of the birds that sportsmen have protected by prohibiting spring -shooting, is Wilson's snipe, or jacksnipe. Like many of the early -migrants it does not nest in the United States; consequently it is only -seen in the spring and fall. It is a bird of the marsh and bog, seldom -seen except by those who know where and how to find it. - - -April Eleventh - -The gall-flies, or gall-gnats, cut tiny incisions in the oak leaves and -golden-rod stems, and lay their eggs between the tissues. These wounds -produce large swellings which furnish the larval insects with food. -If broken into at this season, one discovers that the galls on the -golden-rod stems are pithy. Embedded in the pith is a white "worm," or -a small black capsule, but if the "gall" is empty, a hole will be found -where the fly emerged. - - -April Twelfth - -The red-shouldered hawk is one of our common birds of prey. Its loud, -somewhat cat-like cry, coming from the dense hardwood forests which -border swamps, lakes, and rivers, at once attracts attention. A pair -has been known to return to the same nesting locality for fifteen -consecutive years. This hawk has proved itself to be of inestimable -value to the farmer, and deserves his protection. - - -Notes - - - - -April Thirteenth - -For the past six weeks, chipmunks have occasionally come out from their -nests of dried grass and leaves, made in one of their several tunnels -beneath the line of frost under a stone pile, or a stump. Now they are -seen every day. It is only of recent years that we have discovered that -chipmunks destroy grubs and insects, thus rendering service for the -nuts and grain that they carry away in the fall. - - -April Fourteenth - -Have you noticed how the robins congregate in the evening and battle -with each other on the house-tops until dark? It is during the mating -season that these fights take place. Long after the other birds have -gone to bed. Cock Robin is awake, and shouting loud and defiant -challenges to whoever will accept them. - - -April Fifteenth - -Fungi are the lowest forms of plant life. They subsist on living and -dead organic matter, and not from the soil, as do most other plants. -The bread molds, downy mildew on decaying fruit and vegetables, and the -fungus that kills fish and insects, are all forms of fungi. Patches of -luxuriant grass are seen where decaying fungi have fertilized the soil. - - - -Notes - - - - -April Sixteenth - -The continuous "_chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip----_" of the chipping -sparrow, like a toy insect that must run down before it can stop, is -always a welcome sound at this time of the year. He can easily be tamed -to take food from one's hand. Although a neat nest-builder, "chippy" -selects poor nesting sites, and often the wind upsets his hair-lined -cup and destroys the eggs or young. - - -April Seventeenth - -At first the song of the spring peeper, which is really a _frog_, is -heard only in the evening, but as the days get warmer, a perfect chorus -of piping voices comes from swamps and stagnant pools. He strongly -objects to singing before an audience, but it is well worth one's -while to wait patiently and catch him in the act of inflating the skin -beneath his chin. - - -April Eighteenth - -On account of its tufted head, and clear, ringing song, "_peto, peto, -peto, peto_" or "_de, de, de, de_," much like a chickadee (Chapman) -the tufted titmouse is a well-known bird throughout its range: eastern -United States, from northern New Jersey, and southern Iowa to the -plains. - - -Notes - - - - -April Nineteenth - -Where is the country boy or girl who does not know the "woolly bear," -or "porcupine caterpillar," the chunky, hairy, rufous and black-banded -caterpillar, that curls up when touched and does not uncoil until -danger is over? They are the larvæ of the Isabella moth, and the reason -for their appearance on the railroad tracks and wagon roads, is that -they have just finished hibernating and are now looking for a suitable -place to retire and change to chrysalides and then into moths. - - -April Twentieth - -In the Northern States, where the red-headed woodpecker is not very -common, it is apt to be confused with other species of woodpeckers. The -red-headed woodpecker is _scarlet down to its shoulders_. The eastern -woodpeckers that have the red crescent on the back of the head are -flicker, downy, and hairy woodpeckers. - - -April Twenty-first - -The gardener, while spading about the roots of a tree, will often throw -out a number of white, chunky grubs, about the size of the first joint -of one's little finger. These are the larvæ of the June, or May beetle. -In the fall, they dig below frost line, where they remain until the -following spring. After three years of this life, they emerge from the -ground in May and June, perfect beetles. - - -Notes - - - - -April Twenty-second - -The myrtle, or yellow-rumped warbler, which spends the winter from -Massachusetts, south, into the West Indies and Central America, and -nests usually north of the United States, is very common now. It is -found in scattered flocks. If in doubt of its identity, look for the -yellow patch on the crown, and on the rump. - - -April Twenty-third - -The dainty little spring beauty, or claytonia, is another of the early -blooming flowers. "We look for the spring beauty in April or May, and -often find it in the same moist places--on a brook's edge or skirting -of wet woods--as the yellow adder's tongue." (Dana.) - - -April Twenty-fourth - -Toads are now beginning to leave their winter beds, in the leaves, -under stones and the like. Did you ever tie a piece of red cloth on a -string, dangle it over a toad's head, to see him follow and snap at it? -Toads exude a strong acid secretion from the pores of the skin, which -is distasteful to most predatory animals, excepting the snakes. - - -Notes - - - - -April Twenty-fifth - -The yellow-bellied sapsucker is the only member of the woodpecker -family whose presence is objectionable. His habit of puncturing the -bark of trees and then visiting the cups to catch the sap, is well -known. At any time of the year, row after row of these holes may be -seen on fruit-trees (usually apple and pear)--written evidence of his -guilt. See if you can catch him in the act. - - -April Twenty-sixth - -Turkey buzzards, or vultures, are repulsive and ungainly when on the -ground, but they are by far the most graceful of all our large birds -when in flight. They are rarely seen in New England, or in the Northern -States of the Middle Atlantic group, but in the South they are common -throughout the year. Mounting high in the air, they circle 'round and -'round with scarcely a flutter of the wings, but nervously tilting to -right or left, like a tight-rope walker with his balancing pole. - - -April Twenty-seventh - -This is about the time that young red foxes get their first sight of -the wide, wide world. In the Southern States they have been prowling -about with their parents for weeks; but north of New York City the -farmer's boy, as he now goes for the cows in the morning, will -frequently see a fox family playing about the entrance to their burrow. - - -[Illustration: FOX AT DEN.] - - -Notes - - - - -April Twenty-eighth - -So ruthlessly has the trailing arbutus, or "May-flower" as it is called -in New England, been destroyed, that in places where it was once -common, it is now almost extinct. Of its odor, Neltje Blanchan says: -"Can words describe the fragrancy of the very breath of spring--that -delicious commingling of the perfumes of arbutus, the odors of pines, -and the snow-soaked soil just warming into life?" - - -April Twenty-ninth - -Why are the robins so abundant? Because they are all pushing forward -to their Northern nesting grounds. Even in Alaska you would find a few -pairs that have made the long, perilous journey in safety, raising -their young in the balsam-poplars along some glacial stream, while in -Georgia and Florida, where large flocks of them winter, not one would -now be seen. - - -April Thirtieth - -If you will sow a few sunflower seeds in a corner of the garden and -let the plants go to seed, in the fall you are sure to have feathered -visitors in the shape of goldfinches, chickadees, and nuthatches. The -nuthatches (no doubt thinking of the hard times to come) will carry the -seeds away, and store them in the crevices of the bark of trees. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=May= - - -May First - -Of uniform grayish color, swift in flight, and shaped like cigars with -wings, the chimney swifts might well be called the torpedo boats of the -air. They never alight outside of chimneys or old buildings, and are -usually seen flying high above the house-tops. For hours they chase -each other through the air, keeping up a continuous "_chip, chip, chip, -chip, chip, chip_," whenever the participants of the game come near -each other. - - -May Second - -No sooner does the frost leave the ground, than the moles begin to -work close to the surface, making ridges where the earth is soft, and -throwing out small mounds, when it is packed firm. The star-nose mole -inhabits damp soil, while the common mole likes the dry highlands. -Although moles' eyes are small, he who thinks that they cannot see, -should hold his finger before one's nose and see how quickly it will be -bitten. - - -May Third - -The marsh marigold, which grows in thick clusters in the swamps and -along the streams, is now in full bloom. These flowers are often sold -on the streets for "cowslips," a name wholly incorrect. The leaves make -fine greens. - -[Illustration: CHIMNEY SWIFT.] - - -Notes - - - - -May Fourth - -By this time one of your bird houses should be tenanted by a pair of -house wrens. They migrate at night and the male arrives about a week -in advance of his mate. Both birds assist in building the nest and in -raising the young. As soon as the first brood has been reared, the -lining of the nest is removed, and a new one built before the second -set of six eggs is laid. Wrens may easily be tamed to take spiders and -caterpillars (not the hairy ones) from the end of a stick and even from -one's hand. - - -May Fifth - -How much easier would be the work of nest building if we provided the -birds with nesting material. Scatter strips of cloth, and pieces of -coarse twine on the ground for the robins; hair from the tail and mane -of horses for the chipping sparrows and wrens; twine and horse-hair for -the orioles; bits of "waste" for the yellow warblers, and grapevine -bark for the catbirds. None of these strands should be more than four -inches long. - - -May Sixth - -In some localities the shad-tree is now in full blossom. As -you pause to cut off a few twigs, your ears are greeted by a never -ceasing chorus of toad music. This is the toad's "love song"--a -high-pitched, somewhat tremulous, and rather monotonous note. - -[Illustration: Photograph by J. Alden Loring. - -ONE OF TOUR BIRD-HOUSES SHOULD BE TENANTED BY A WREN.] - - -Notes - - - - -May Seventh - -Perched upon a stump, fence post, or low limb of a tree, the Bob-white -sends forth his clear, far-reaching whistle "_Bob-white_." In the North -this bird is known to every boy as Bob-white, or quail, while in the -South he is called "partridge." The last two names are misnomers, for -we have no native quails or partridges in this country. - - -May Eighth - -The fronds of the sensitive fern resemble somewhat the leaves of the -oak-tree, and in some localities it is called the oak-leaf fern. It -is found in damp, shady spots, and is one of the common ferns of New -England. The delicate, light green leaves wither soon after being -picked, and it is the first of the ferns to fall under the touch of -Jack Frost. - - -May Ninth - -A low, squeaking sound made with the lips is understood by some birds -as a signal of distress. Orioles, wrens, catbirds, cuckoos, warblers, -vireos, robins, and many other birds may be called close to one, -particularly if the intruder is near their nest. You should learn this -trick, for often it is possible to coax a shy bird from a thicket in -order that it may be identified. - - -Notes - - - - -May Tenth - -In summer the most common of our Northern wood warblers, yet one of -the most difficult to see, on account of its liking for the tops of -the tall trees, is the black-throated green warbler. Its song is a -cheerful, interrogative, "_Will you co-ome, will you co-ome, will -you?_" (Wright), or "a droning zee, zee, ze-ee, zee." (Chapman and -Reed.) - - -May Eleventh - -Why is it that the usually frisky and noisy red squirrels have become -so quiet? If you could look into the nest of dried grass and bark, -in a hollow tree-trunk, or a deserted woodpecker's nest, you would -understand their reason for not wishing to make their presence known. -Keep close watch of the opening, and some day you will see several -little heads appear, and in a few days a family of squirrels will be -scrambling about the trees. Pretty and graceful as these squirrels are, -they do great damage by destroying the eggs and young of birds. - - -May Twelfth - -Wintering south of Central America, the veery, or Wilson's thrush, -should now appear in the vicinity of Albany. "A weird rhythm" is the -expression sometimes used to describe the song of this bird. Weird it -certainly is, and beautiful, as well, coming from the depths of some -sombre wood, growing more sombre still as the night falls. - - -Notes - - - - -May Thirteenth - -The wood thrush is much larger than the veery, and easily distinguished -from the six other species of true thrushes of North America, by the -_large black spots on the breast, and the bright cinnamon head_. As -you listened for the veery, you probably heard the wood thrush's pure -liquid song--so far away that you could not catch the low after-notes. -To me, the flute-like quality of the wood thrush's song makes it the -most enchanting of all bird music. - - -May Fourteenth - -At intervals during the day, a distinct booming sound is heard coming -from the forests. At first the beats are slow and measured, but as -they are repeated the time quickens, until they finally blend, and -then gradually die away. This is the "drumming" of the ruffed grouse, -produced by the cock bird beating with his wings against the sides of -his body. At this time of the year it is his love song, but you can -hear it at other seasons as well. - - -May Fifteenth - -Visit again the locality where a week ago you heard so many toads, and -what do you find? Long strings of gelatine-covered specks strewn on the -bottom of the pond. These black spots are the eggs of the toad, and the -gelatine is put around them to protect them and to furnish the first -meal for the young polywogs. - - -Notes - - - - -May Sixteenth - -To find a hummingbird's nest, snugly saddled on a branch of a maple -or apple tree, ten feet or more above the ground, requires patience -and keen eyesight. Unless you have seen one, you almost surely would -mistake it for a bunch of lichens. It is a neat little structure of -downy material covered with bits of lichens, fastened with spider and -caterpillar webs. - - -May Seventeenth - -It would interest you to visit a zoological park to -study the growing antlers of a deer or an elk. A pair of black antlers, -"in the velvet," as the hunters call it, have taken the place of the -bony-colored ones shed in March. Just now they are somewhat flexible, -and feverishly hot from the steady flow of blood that feeds them. If -they are injured at this time, the owner might bleed to death. - - -May Eighteenth - -"_Caw, caw, caw, ka, ka, ka, ka-k-k-k-r-r-r-r_." It sounds as though a -crow were being strangled. Looking in that direction you see a large -black bird fly from the woods to a meadow. After filling her beak with -food she returns. No sooner is she within sight of the young crows, -than they flap their wings, open their mouths and _caw_ until the -stifled, guttural sounds tell you that the morsel is being swallowed. - - -Notes - - - - -May Nineteenth - -When perched or flying the bobolink sends forth his jolly song in such -a flood of ecstasy that you would scarcely be surprised to see him -suddenly explode and vanish in a cloud of feathers. Would that we could -overlook the damage he does to Southern rice crops. - - -May Twentieth - -Before now you have noticed the dainty little -Jack-in-the-pulpit in the damp, shady woods and marshes. Would you -suppose that this innocent looking plant is really an insect trap? The -thick fleshy "corm" when boiled is quite palatable, but who would think -so after digging it from the ground, cutting into it, and feeling the -sharp prickly sensation it gives when touched with the tongue? - - -May Twenty-first - -The song of the brown thrasher can easily be mistaken for that of a -catbird, particularly as both birds inhabit roadways, thickets, and -open brush lots. The male, while singing to his mate, nearly always -perches _in the top_ of a tall bush or tree. His song is a disconnected -combination of pleasant musical tones, which might be arranged so as to -sound thrush-like in effect, but they are usually uttered in pairs or -trios, rather than in the modulated phrase of the hermit or the wood -thrush. - -[Illustration: Photograph by J. Alden Loring. - -MALE BOBOLINK IN SUMMER PLUMAGE.] - - -Notes - - - - -May Twenty-second - -Look intently at the bottom of shallow streams or ponds and you will -see what appear to be small twigs and sandy lumps moving about like -snails. These are the larvæ of the caddis fly. Pick up one and poke the -creature with a straw. You now discover that it lives in a case made of -gravel, or sand, or tiny shells, or pieces of bark, all glued together -in a perfect mask. - - -May Twenty-third - -Keep watch of any brown bird about the size and shape of a female -English sparrow, that you see hopping about the trees and bushes, -peeping under bridges, and looking into hollow limbs of trees. She is -a cowbird, or cow bunting, looking for the nest of another bird who is -away for the moment. When she finds one, she will slip into it and drop -one of her eggs, which will be hatched and the birdling reared by the -foster mother, unless she can manage to get rid of it. - - -May Twenty-fourth - -The Greeks were persistent in their belief that the harmless red, or -fire salamander, found only in damp and shady places, was insensible -to heat. In reality the reverse is true. Its delicate skin cannot even -withstand the sun's rays. During sunny days it hides under leaves and -logs, coming forth only after storms, or at night. - - -Notes - - - - -May Twenty-fifth - -If there are currant or gooseberry bushes about your grounds, you -must know the yellow warbler, or summer yellowbird. He is the little -chap, almost pure yellow, who hunts carefully under each leaf for the -caterpillars that attack the bushes. The female lacks the reddish -streaks on the under parts, and her crown is not as bright as that of -the male. Do not confuse this bird with the male American goldfinch, -which just now has a yellow body, but black crown, wings, and tail. - - -May Twenty-sixth - -Quite unlike the strings of beady eggs of the toad, the eggs of the -frogs are attached in a bulky mass to sticks or to the limbs of -aquatic plants in sluggish or stagnant water. But there is the same -gelatine-like casing around each black egg. - - -May Twenty-seventh - -In the Northern States, where he nests, the redstart is often seen -in the shade-trees along our streets, as well as in the groves and -forests. "'_Ching, ching, chee; ser-wee, swee, swee-e-s_' he sings, and -with wings and tail outspread whirls about, dancing from limb to limb, -darts upward, floats downward, blows hither and thither like a leaf in -the breeze." (Chapman.) - - -Notes - - - - -May Twenty-eighth - -In the evening you often see a chimney swift (it is not a _swallow_) -flying back and forth over dead tree-tops. Each time it pauses as -though about to alight, but after what seems to be a momentary -hesitation, it passes on. With a field-glass you might detect it -snapping off the twigs and carrying them into an unused chimney, where -it fastens them to the bricks with a glutinous saliva. One after -another the twigs are glued together until a bracket-like basket is -made, and in this the four white eggs are laid. - - -May Twenty-ninth - -It is now time to look in the meadows for the dainty blue-eyed grass, -or blue star; in the marshes for the purple or water avens, and the -white hellebore, or Indian poke; and in the damp shady woods for the -blossoming mandrake, or Mayapple. - - -May Thirtieth - -Judging from the name, one might expect to find the pewee, or wood -pewee, in the woods only, but his high plaintive "_P-e-w-e-e, -p-e-w-e-e_," first rising, then falling, coming from the tops of the -village shade-trees, is one of the last notes heard at the close of the -day. Short as the song is, he frequently sings but half of it. - - -Notes - - - - -May Thirty-first - -Birds are often great sufferers from heat. The open bill, drooping -wings, and panting body, all testify to this fact. A bird sitting on -an unshaded nest during a hot day is an object for our pity. Fill -flower-pot saucers with fresh water, and place them in depressions -about the grounds. The birds will get great relief from these drinking -and bathing dishes, and your opportunity for observation will be -increased. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=June= - - -June First - -One night last summer, a moth laid a circular cluster of eggs at the -end of a limb. Not many days ago the eggs hatched and the caterpillars -have begun to spin a silk tent in the crotch of several branches. Every -time these tent caterpillars (for that is their name) go out to feed -upon the leaves, they spin a thread by which they find their way home. -After they have eaten their fill, they will drop to the ground to seek -a hiding-place and there turn into moths. - - -June Second - -The fertile fronds of the cinnamon fern break ground before the -sterile ones come up. They _appear_ to shoot from the centre of the -crown-shaped cluster, and are light cinnamon color when mature. By the -last of June the fertile fronds have withered, leaving only the sterile -ones which the amateur is quite sure to confuse with the interrupted -fern. - - -June Third - -While driving in the country your attention is often drawn to the -swallows that are flying about the barns. Two species are common, one -has _two long tail feathers that fork_. This is the _barn swallow_, and -his mate builds her nest _inside_ the barn, _on a rafter_ or _against -the planking_. It is always _open on top_ and lined with soft material. - - -[Illustration: BARN SWALLOW.] - - -Notes - - - - -June Fourth - -The eave swallow _lacks the forked tail_, and the rump is -cinnamon-buff. Usually the female builds her globular shaped mud nest -_under the eaves_ of an unpainted barn. Hundreds of mud pellets are -neatly welded together and an opening is left in the front. As these -swallows also build against cliffs, they are known as cliff swallows in -some localities. - - -June Fifth - -The nesting season is now at its height, and you will soon see young -birds about the grounds. The old birds may be away looking for food. -Let us remember that it is better to let Nature work out her own -problems. Instead of catching the birdlings and forcing them to eat -unnatural food (only to find them dead a few hours later), put them -back into the nest when it is possible, or if they are strong enough, -toss them into the air and let them flutter to the branches of a tree -beyond the reach of cats. - - -June Sixth - -This is about the time that turtles hunt for a sandy bank in which to -make a depression where they may deposit their eggs--that look so much -like ping-pong balls. The eggs are covered with sand and left for the -sun to hatch. The young dig through the shallow covering and take to -the water. - - -Notes - - - - -June Seventh - -If you wish to see one of the most gorgeous of wood birds, the scarlet -tanager, you must find him now, for, after the nesting season, he loses -his black wings and tail and bright red dress, and dons the sober -green hue of his mate. You will find him living in the maple groves, -and the heavy forests of maple, oak, beech, and chestnut. His song, -though not so loud as either, resembles both that of the robin and the -rose-breasted grosbeak. - - -June Eighth - -In the low-lying meadows, and in the marshes, the towering stems of -the blue flag, or blue iris, have already blossomed. Nature has so -constructed this handsome flower, that were it not for the visits of -bees, and other insects, its seeds would remain unfertilized. - - -June Ninth - -The orchard oriole is far from common north of the States parallel with -southern New York. It migrates to Central America in winter, as does -its cousin, the Baltimore oriole, who is named for Lord Baltimore. It -lives in orchards, and you should look in apple and pear trees for its -graceful pendent nest, built of the stems and blades of grass neatly -woven together, like the nest of a weaver bird. - - -Notes - - - - -June Tenth - -When by pure strategy you have outwitted a pair of bobolinks, and have -succeeded in finding their nest, you have indeed achieved a triumph. -To be successful, take your field-glasses, and secrete yourself near a -meadow where you can watch a pair of bobolinks without being seen. Wait -until one or both birds have made repeated trips to a certain spot, -then with eyes riveted on the place, hurry forward, and as the bird -rises, drop your hat on the spot and search carefully about it until -the nest is found. - - -June Eleventh - -The robin, song sparrow, vesper sparrow, chipping sparrow, phoebe, -and house wren by this time have their first fledglings out of the -nest. They usually raise two, and sometimes three broods in a season. -While the father bird is busy caring for the youngsters, the mother is -building another nest or laying a second set of eggs. - - -June Twelfth - -In damp low-lying fields at this season, beds of bog cotton decorate -the landscape. Its silken tassels sway gracefully in the breeze, and at -a distance one could easily mistake them for true flowers. - - -Notes - - - - -June Thirteenth - -Although the meadow lark and the flicker are about the same size, and -each has a black patch on its breast, they need never be confused. -The flight, as well as the difference in color, should help in their -identification. The flicker's flight is undulating; while the meadow -lark flies steadily, and the wings move rapidly between short periods -of sailing. Again, the meadow lark's _outer tail feathers_ are white, -while the flicker's _rump_ is white, both of which can be seen when the -birds fly. - - -June Fourteenth - -Visit the pool or waterway where you discovered the toad's eggs and -you will find that they have hatched. The little black polliwogs, or -tadpoles, have eaten their way out of the gelatine prison and are now -schooled at the edge of the water. They subsist upon the decaying -vegetation and minute animal life. - - -June Fifteenth - -Our lawns are now the feeding ground of the first brood of young -robins, great overgrown, gawky, mottle-breasted children, nearly as -large as their parents. What a ludicrous sight it is to see them -following their mother about, flapping their wings, opening their -mouths, and begging for food every time she approaches them. - - -Notes - - - - -June Sixteenth - -Leopard frogs and tiger frogs are often found in the tall grass a -mile or so from water. Food is abundant and more easily caught in -such places than along the streams. By the waterways the frog waits -patiently for insects to pass, then springs at one with open mouth and, -whether successful or not, he falls back into the water, swims ashore, -and awaits another morsel. - - -June Seventeenth - -A family of six young belted kingfishers perching on the edge of a -bank, preparatory to taking their first flight, is a laughable sight -indeed. Their immense helmet-like crests, their short legs, and their -steel blue backs, give them a "cocky" appearance, and remind one of a -squad of policemen on dress parade. - - -June Eighteenth - -If the bird observer upon his first birding trip could be introduced to -the song of a winter wren, there is scarcely a doubt that he would be a -bird enthusiast from that minute. Mrs. Florence Merriam Bailey has come -nearest to describing its song; "Full of trills, runs, and grace notes, -it was a tinkling, rippling roundelay." - -[Illustration: BELTED KINGFISHER.] - - -Notes - - - - -June Nineteenth - -Throughout the mountainous region of the eastern States, the mountain -laurel (spoonwood, broad-leafed kalmia, or calico bush) is in full -blossom. It is a beautiful, sweet-scented, flowering shrub, and the -bushes are ruthlessly destroyed by those who have no regard for -Nature's future beauty. - - -June Twentieth - -The habits of wasps and bees differ widely. Both orders are very -intelligent. Wild bees live in hollow trees and make their cells of -wax. At first they feed their young on "bee bread," which is made from -the pollen of flowers, and afterward on honey. Wasps subsist on the -juices of fruits, and insects; but they will eat meat. They make their -homes in burrows in the ground, or in wood, or they construct nests of -paper or mud. - - -June Twenty-first - -The Maryland yellow-throat is more like a wren than a warbler, but it -belongs to the warbler family. As you pass a thicket or a swamp, he -shouts "_This way sir, this way sir, this way sir_;" or "_Witchety, -witchety, witchety_;" and you might watch for hours without seeing him. -But by placing the back of your hand against your lips, and making a -low squeaking noise, you are likely to bring him to the top of a reed -or bush. - - -Notes - - - - - -June Twenty-second - -It is quite easy to tell the difference between butterflies and moths. -Remember, first of all, that butterflies are _sunlight_ loving insects, -while moths stir about only on cloudy days, or after dark. Butterflies, -when at rest, hold their wings together over their backs; moths carry -them open and parallel with the body. Again, the antennæ, or "feelers," -of butterflies are quite club-like in shape, while the "feelers" of -moths inhabiting the United States and Canada resemble tiny feathers. - - -June Twenty-third - -If you are so fortunate as to have a pair of catbirds nesting in a -_small tree_ or a _bush_ near your house, you have learned that the -male is an accomplished songster. Have you ever noticed the father -bird, when perched where he can overlook the nest, gently quivering his -wings as though delighted at the thought of a nest full of little ones? -After the eggs have hatched, these periods of delight are more frequent. - - -June Twenty-fourth - -The bracket fungi that are attached to the trunks of forest and shade -trees live to an old age. Some have been found over seventy-five years -old. They are the fruit of the fungous growth that is living on and -destroying the tissues of the tree. The puff-balls are edible fungi -before they have dried. - -[Illustration: CATBIRD] - - -Notes - - - - -June Twenty-fifth - -Some one has rightly called young Baltimore orioles the "cry-babies of -the bird world." The approach of their mother with food is the sign for -a general outcry, and even during her absence, they whimper softly, -like disconsolate children. For the next ten days you may hear them in -the shade-trees about our streets, particularly after a rain. - - -June Twenty-sixth - -The long-billed marsh wren is found in tall, rank vegetation bordering -rivers and lakes, and in the marshes at tide water. It nests in -colonies in the rushes, and the male will build several other nests -near the one his mate occupies. "While singing it is usually seen -clinging to the side of some tall swaying reed, with its tail bent -forward so far as almost to touch its head." (Chapman.) - - -June Twenty-seventh - -The kingbird, because of its pugnacity, is considered a ruler of other -birds, although it might rightly be called a watchman and protector of -the feathered world. It is a sober colored bird, save for the concealed -patch of orange on the crown of the head. It is always the first bird -to detect the presence of a feathered enemy. With loud, defiant cries -it sallies forth to attack, and is not content until it has driven the -intruder beyond range. - - -Notes - - - - -June Twenty-eighth - -The spittle insect, or spittle bug, _not a snake, frog, or -grasshopper_, is responsible for that bit of froth found on the stems -of weeds and grasses. Push away the foam, and you will find a small, -helpless insect apparently half-drowned. The liquid is a secretion from -the body, whipped into froth by the creature's struggles. These are -the larvæ of the insects which, when full grown, fly up before you in -myriads as you walk through the fields. - - -June Twenty-ninth - -The swallows are noted for their strong and graceful flight. Watch one, -as he sails gracefully through the air, now swerving to the right, now -to the left, and then dipping down to take a drink or to pick an insect -from the water, scarcely making a ripple. The barn and eave swallows -feed their young in mid air. It would appear that they are fighting, -when the food is being passed from the old bird to the youngster. - - -June Thirtieth - -A common bird along the country roads is the indigo bunting, or indigo -bird. He perches on a wire, or on the topmost limb of a tall bush or -tree, and sings a song quite sparrow-like in quality. As you approach, -he drops gracefully into the foliage. His nest probably contains young -birds. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=July= - - -July First - -After a shower in early July, myriads of tiny toads swarm on the lawns -and walks. They have just abandoned their aquatic life as tadpoles, and -have taken up a terrestrial mode of living. Their skin is so delicate -that sunlight kills them, so they remain hidden until clouds have -obscured the sun. - - -July Second - -"_Whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will._" From dusk until -daylight you hear its mournful song. The whip-poor-will spends the -day in the forest. At twilight it comes forth to catch its insect -prey, which it captures while flying. It makes hardly any pretence at -building a nest, but lays its eggs upon the ground among the leaves, -and so closely do both bird and eggs resemble their surroundings, that -one might easily step on them unknowingly. - - -July Third - -Attached to stones, stumps, and tree trunks along the fresh water ponds -and streams, are the cast-off jackets of the larval dragon-fly. These -larvæ remain in the water for more than a year, feeding upon the larvæ -of other insects. Finally they leave the water, and a long rent is seen -on the creature's back, and soon the dragon-fly appear. - - -Notes - - - - -July Fourth - -Similar to the whip-poor-will in shape, the nighthawk, or bullbat, -differs from it in song and habits,--though, oddly enough, it perches -lengthwise on a limb as the whip-poor-will does. _It is neither a hawk -nor a bat_, for it is classed close to the chimney swift, and like the -swift, it is of inestimable value as an insect destroyer. It is often -seen in the daytime and the large white spot on the under side of each -wing helps to identify it. - - -July Fifth - -The horned-tails are the large wasp-like insects that we see about -the elm, oak, and maple trees. They bore holes a quarter of an inch -in diameter in the tree trunk, and in these holes the eggs are -laid. Sometimes they get their augers wedged and are unable to free -themselves. The horned-tails are destructive, and should be killed -whenever found. They sometimes remain in the pupa state so long, that -the tree may be cut down and the wood made into furniture before they -finally emerge. - - -July Sixth - -Before now you have probably seen the ruby-throated hummingbird poising -over the flowers in your garden. Sometimes he goes through strange -antics. Mounting ten or fifteen feet into the air, he swoops down in a -graceful curve, then turns and repeats the performance time and time -again. - - -Notes - - - - -July Seventh - -In travelling from burrow to burrow, woodchucks often make roads a -quarter of a mile long through the grass. Occasionally you will get -a long distance view of the "'chuck" as he scuds to the mouth of his -hole, and rising on his hind legs, stands erect and watches you, then -bobs out of sight. He is the most alert and keen-eyed of all American -rodents, and his presence in such numbers, despite the war waged upon -him, proves his ability to take care of himself. - - -July Eighth - -"The interrupted fern is less a lover of moisture than its kindred. The -fertile fronds are usually taller than the sterile leaves, and they -remain green all summer. The spore-bearing organs are produced near the -middle of the frond" (Clute), thus "interrupting" the pinnæ growth of -the leaf. It is also called Clayton's fern. - - -July Ninth - -The hind feet of a honey bee are provided with stiff fringes. With -these the bee scrapes from the rings of its body the oily substance -that is exuded, and passes it to the mouth. After chewing and working -it between the mandibles (for the bee has mouth-parts for biting, and -a proboscis for sucking the juices and honey from plants), it becomes -soft and is then built into comb. - -[Illustration: Photograph by Silas Lottridge. - -WOODCHUCK.] - - -Notes - - - - -July Tenth - -From the depths of the forest and thick underbrush, you will hear the -"_teacher_, teacher, TEACHER, _TEACHER_" (in a swift crescendo) of the -golden-crowned thrush, ovenbird, or teacher-bird. It is a note of such -volume that, instead of a bird the size of a robin, you are surprised -to find that the songster is no larger than a song sparrow. He is -called ovenbird because his nest is covered over and resembles somewhat -an old-fashion bake oven. - -July Eleventh - -Some "glow-worms" are female fire-flies or lightning-bugs. There are at -least a score of common insects that are luminous, besides some rare -ones. With some species of fire-flies (our common fire-fly included) -both sexes are winged, while with others the females lack wings and are -known as "glow-worms." - - -July Twelfth - -With most birds, the female only builds the nest and incubates the -eggs, after which both birds usually assist in bringing up the young. -Some of the exceptions to this rule are the male Bob-white, house wren, -catbird, blue-headed, yellow-throated, and warbling vireos, and the -barn and eave swallows, each of which does his share of the domestic -duties and takes care of the young birds. - - -Notes - - - - -July Thirteenth - -Through ignorance we often persecute our best friends. The ichneumon -fly is a parasitic insect that all should know. It lays its eggs in the -larvæ of many injurious insects, and its larvæ feeds upon them. A great -enemy to the horned-tails, it is invariably misjudged and killed, when -discovered with its ovipositor inserted in one of the borings of the -horned-tail fly. - - -July Fourteenth - -How beautiful is the awakening of the evening primrose. No sooner is -the sun beneath the horizon, than the calyx begins to swell and out -springs a yellow petal. Then another and another appear before your -very eyes, until the petals look like the blades of a screw propeller. -The blossom is often less then five minutes in opening, and is -immediately surrounded by tiny black insects. - - -July Fifteenth - -Young spotted sandpipers, or "tip-ups," are able to leave their nest -(in a slight depression in the ground) soon after the eggs hatch. It is -indeed interesting to watch a family of these animated woolly balls on -stilts, running along the shore with their parents. When pursued they -sometimes will take to the water and cling to the vegetation on the -bottom. - - -Notes - - - - -July Sixteenth - -The perfectly round white heads of the button bush are now conspicuous -along the streams, bogs, and lakes. The long slender styles project -from all sides like the quills on the back of a frightened hedgehog. -Although this shrub is a lover of water and damp soil, "it is sometimes -found on elevated ground, where it serves, it is claimed, as a good -sign of the presence of a hidden spring. The inner bark is sometimes -used as a cough medicine." (Newhall.) - - -July Seventeenth - -During the haying season the birds hold high carnival. Robins, song -and chipping sparrows, orioles, bobolinks, goldfinches, meadow larks, -and flickers, all feed upon the insects that are now so easy to catch. -A seat in the shade overlooking a new mown field is at present a good -point from which to study birds. - - -July Eighteenth - -Huckleberries, red raspberries, and shad or service-berries, when ripe, -are eaten by birds, squirrels, and chipmunks during the day, while -at night various species of mice harvest them. The choke-cherries, -elderberries, and blackberries are beginning to lose their bright red -color, and they, too, will soon be feeding Nature's people. - -[Illustration: SONG SPARROW.] - - -Notes - - - - -July Nineteenth - -The pickerel-weed and arrow-head are in full bloom side by side at the -water's edge of stream and pond. The blue flower-heads of the former -contrast strikingly with the round white blossoms of the latter. - - -July Twentieth - -The female flies and mosquitoes are the ones that bite, and it is the -female and the worker bees and wasps that sting. The males of the two -former groups are not provided with blood-sucking mouth parts, and the -males of the bees and wasps lack stingers. When a less offensive remedy -is not at hand, insect tormentors may be kept away by rubbing a piece -of fat pork or bacon on one's face and hands. - - -July Twenty-first - -The leaf-cutting bees resemble the bumblebees. Examine the bushes and -trees and you will find circular holes in the leaves from which pieces -have been cut. Hundreds of these tiny bits are used to line the rows of -cells that the bees make in the ground or in wood. The cells are filled -with pollen for the young bees to feed upon when they emerge from the -eggs that are laid on top of the supply of "bee-bread." - - -Notes - - - - -July Twenty-second - -Do you miss the rollicking song of the bobolink? Have you seen him -recently in his spring dress of black and white? No; he has sung -himself silent, and, as though in hope of escaping the guns of the -Southern rice planters, whose crops he will plunder on his way South, -he has disguised himself in a plumage of buff color, streaked with -brown, quite like that of his mate. - - -July Twenty-third - -"The summer is nearly over when the Joe-Pie weed (purple boneset) -begins to tinge with 'crushed raspberry' the lowlands through which -we pass. 'Joe Pie' is supposed to have been the name of an Indian who -cured typhus fever in New England by means of this plant." (Dana.) - - -July Twenty-fourth - -The ostrich fern is so named because the dark green fertile fronds -which appear about this time, and form the centre of the vase-shaped -leaf-cluster, resemble ostrich plumes. Mr. Clute says: "It is at its -best in wet, sandy soil of a half-shaded island or river shore. Its -development is rapid, often lengthening six inches in a day." - - -Notes - - - - -July Twenty-fifth - -A cuckoo pleading for her nest of young would soften a heart of stone. -With wings and tail spread, she flutters almost into one's face, -uttering pathetic and heartrending cries that beseech you not to touch -her treasures. In pinfeathers the young of this bird, as well as those -of the chimney swift, resemble baby European hedgehogs. - - -July Twenty-sixth - -Trees and flowers must sleep as well as animals. The dandelion closes -its petals late in the afternoon, and as night approaches the water -lily folds up tightly. Although summer in the North is shorter than the -summer in the South, the days are several hours longer, so vegetation -is growing here while their trees and flowers are sleeping. This -provision of Nature gives the northern Indian vegetables and flowers in -a country which we often call "a land of snow and ice." - - -July Twenty-seventh - -The common milkweed is another one of Nature's fly traps. Examine some -of the fragrant flower heads and you are almost sure to find a captive -held firmly by the foot. "The silky hairs of the seed-pods have been -used for stuffing pillows and mattresses, and can be mixed with flax or -wool and woven to advantage." (Dana.) - -[Illustration: YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO.] - - -Notes - - - - -July Twenty-eighth - -One of the simplest duties of a spider's life, is the stretching of -a parallel web. Tiring of her location, the spider begins to spin -a thread, or tangle a mass of threads together, until they are of -sufficient buoyancy to support her weight. Then she fastens one end of -a strand to the point she is about to leave, and clinging to the under -side of her improvised balloon, floats away with the breeze. She pays -out silk until the thread parts, or she finally comes in contact with -some object, and so the cable is laid. - - -July Twenty-ninth - -Young song sparrows, chipping sparrows, field sparrows, cedar-birds, -bluebirds, and robins are streaked and mottled on the breast during the -first few months of their lives. Another noticeable fact is that young -birds fluff their feathers, and as the old birds are often thin from -care and worry, the youngsters seem larger than their parents. - - -July Thirtieth - -The dobson, or "hellgrammite," is honored with about sixteen other -names. Its chalky-white mass of eggs about the size of a dime are now -common objects along inland waterways. As soon as the eggs hatch, the -young dobsons drop into the water and hide beneath stones for three -years, feeding on aquatic larvæ of insects. - - -Notes - - - - -July Thirty-first - -The river crab, or crawfish, has five pairs of walking legs and six -pairs of swimming legs. If a leg is lost, another will grow within a -year. The female lays a large number of eggs, which are attached to the -fringes of her body. These crabs have two pairs of antenna-like organs, -one to feel with and the other for hearing. The compound eyes are set -on two pegs that can be protruded or depressed at will. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=August= - - -August First - -The mid-air gyrations of the kingbird are not very often seen. Flying -some distance into the air, the bird utters a series of indescribable -notes, and as he does so, he dodges, twists, and zigzags through the -air as though trying to escape the talons of a hawk. After repeating -the performance several times, he sails gracefully to a perch on a -telegraph wire or the topmost twig of a tree or a bush. - - -August Second - -During the summer, gray squirrels leave their winter homes, in hollow -tree trunks and limbs, and construct summer nests. These nests are -simply balls of leaves placed in oak, chestnut, maple, or beech trees. -A squirrel will build several nests close to one another, from which he -never wanders far. - - -August Third - -The _aphides_, or plant lice, are known to every horticulturist and -lover of flowers. They cluster on the under side of leaves, causing -them to curl and wither. There are a great many species, and they are -the insects that the ants care for. They are sometimes called "ant's -cows," because they secrete a sweet substance of which ants are very -fond. - -[Illustration: KINGBIRD.] - - -Notes - - - - -August Fourth - -The clusters of white berries of the red-twigged osier, or kinnikinnik, -so common in damp localities, will turn blue later on. The northern -Indians remove the thin outer bark from the twigs, and after scraping -off the inner green bark with a knife, they dry it over a camp fire, -powder it between the palms of the hand, then mix it with tobacco and -smoke it. - - -August Fifth - -The ant lion is the peculiar larva of a fly. It forms small, -funnel-like depressions in the dry sand or dust, throwing out the -grains with its broad, flat head. You probably have seen an unfortunate -ant struggling desperately to gain the top of the death pit. Gradually -the drifting sand carries it nearer and nearer the jaws of the ant -lion, waiting at the bottom, and finally it falls a victim to Nature's -ingenuity. - - -August Sixth - -The moist and shaded highland where the thorn apple, willow, -red-twigged osier, and second-growth maples thrive, is the haunt of the -mild and timid woodcock. Tracks in the mud may be seen where one has -been walking about, and here and there clusters of holes smaller than -a lead pencil tell that it has been "boring" for worms with its long, -sensitive bill. - - -Notes - - - - -August Seventh - -The harvest fly (cicada, "lyre-man," or dog-day locust) is really not -a _locust_. Unlike its relative, the seventeen-year locust, which for -seventeen years remains in the ground, a larva, it produces young -yearly. In the woods and villages, its monotonous buzzing, sizzling -note is heard, and is taken as a sign of warm weather. - - -August Eighth - -As though ashamed of man's carelessness. Nature covers the fire-swept -forests with beds of purple flowers, called "fireweed." Sometimes -acre after acre of these tall flowers sway back and forth beneath the -charred or naked tree trunks, a pleasant relief to the eye of the -traveller. - - -August Ninth - -Look carefully among the leafy boughs and you may find the home of a -leaf-rolling caterpillar. "The little creature begins by spinning a -thread and fastening one end to some fixed point, and then attaches the -other end to the loose leaf. By means of powerful, muscular movements -of the front part of the body, ... it hauls away on the ropes, slowly -pulling it to the desired point, where it is held in place by a new and -stronger thread. In this tent it resides, eating out the interior, and -adding new stores of food, by sewing new leaves to the outside of the -tent." (Packard.) - - -Notes - - - - -August Tenth - -Families of barn and eave swallows now begin to congregate and to act -restlessly. Flocks of red-shouldered blackbirds, mixed with purple and -bronzed grackles, feed silently in the willows along the waterways, or -are flushed from the grain fields. In the woods the chickadees, vireos, -and warblers of many kinds keep company while they search among the -trees for food. These are the first real signs to make the bird lover -feel his feathered friends are soon to leave him. - - -August Eleventh - -The muskrats now begin to build their winter houses, mounds of leaves, -sticks, reeds, and aquatic vegetation, brought from the borders or the -bottom of the ponds and streams, and piled from two to four feet above -the surface of the water. The entrance to the _one large chamber_ is -always below the surface, and in this snug room a family of muskrats -will spend the winter, but they _do not hibernate_. - - -August Twelfth - -The Indian pipe, or corpse flower, is found only in heavily shaded -woods. Like the fungi, to which it is kin, it subsists on decaying -vegetation. Its ashy color and queer, fantastic shape make you hesitate -to pick it, and after you have overcome the feeling and snipped off the -stem, you find that it soon turns black, and is useless as an ornament. - - -[Illustration: RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.] - - -Notes - - - - -August Thirteenth - -Queen Anne's lace, wild carrot, and bird's nest, are the names given to -the delicate, white lace-like flower which grows in such abundance in -the open countries throughout the eastern States. Several flat-topped -flower heads are arranged on stems along the stalk, and after the -flowers have bloomed the stems of each head contract and form a sort of -basket about the size of a hummingbird's nest. - - -August Fourteenth - -"Now comes the season of our insect instrumentalists.... I have called -them instrumentalists, for there are no insects, to my knowledge, that -make any sounds with their mouths; they seem to be entirely void of -vocal organs.... The song is produced by the rubbing or beating of some -portion of the body against some other portion, these portions being so -modified as to produce the rasping sound." (Brownell.) - - -August Fifteenth - -The small-mouthed black bass is one of the gamiest of our fresh water -fish. "The eggs are bound together in bands of ribbons by an adhesive -substance. They adhere to stones on which they are deposited. The -small-mouthed black bass ceases to take food on the approach of cold -weather, and remains nearly dormant throughout the winter." (Bean.) - - -Notes - - - - -August Sixteenth - -Often spending the entire winter in southern New York and New England, -the American goldfinch and the cedar waxwing are the latest birds to -begin nest building. The young have just now left the nest, while the -other birds have long since ceased their domestic duties, and the -white-breasted swallow will soon start on his southward journey. - - -August Seventeenth - -If you will visit the zoological park at this time, you will find that -since you last saw the buck deer, the antlers have hardened-like bone. -The velvet, too, is hanging from them in shreds, and the buck thrashes -his antlers against the bushes, and rubs them on the tree trunks, in an -effort to rid them of the velvet. Soon they will be in prime condition -for battle with his rivals or his enemies. - - -August Eighteenth - -Children believe that a hair from the tail or mane of a horse will -turn into a snake if left in water long enough. The so-called "hair -snake" lives in the bodies of insects, such as grasshoppers, crickets, -and beetles. The eggs of the _worm_ are taken into the system when the -insect drinks. Once hatched, the worm gnaws at its victim's vitals -until the insect dies. They take to the water when full grown and lay -their eggs in a long chain. - -[Illustration: CEDAR WAXWING] - - -Notes - - - - -August Nineteenth - -There are more than eighty species of our national flower, the -golden-rod, in the United States. While a cluster of golden heads -swaying in the breeze is beautiful indeed, it is with regret that we -watch its ripening, for, like the harvesting of grain, and the flocking -of bluebirds, it tells us of the approaching autumn. - - -August Twentieth - -The female mosquito lays her eggs in a mass, that floats upon the -surface of the water. The larvæ are the "wigglers" that swim about in a -jerky sort of way in the rain barrels or pools of stagnant water. They -float near the surface and breathe through a tube at the end of the -body. When ready to emerge from this larval stage, they crawl out on a -stick, stone, or bush, the skin on the back splits, and the mosquito -emerges. - - -August Twenty-first - -The narrow spear-pointed leaves of the walking fern cling to the -moss-covered rocks, and in graceful curves reach out until their tips -touch the ground and take root again. These fronds in turn take up -the march, and so they creep about the rocks wherever there is soil -sufficient for them to get a foothold. They are also reproduced by -spores in the regular fern-like way. - - -Notes - - - - -August Twenty-second - -The fresh-water clam furnishes us with a good quality of pearl, and -from the shells pearl buttons are made. Along the muddy bottom of our -inland lakes and rivers, you may see the clumsy writing in the mud -where they have crawled. During a clam's infancy it lives a parasitic -life, embedded in the body of a fish. It then emerges and drops to the -bottom of the lake or river, where it spends the remainder of its life. - - -August Twenty-third - -"Those horrid tomato worms are eating all my plants. They are -positively the most repulsive creatures I know." A few weeks later -a beautiful sphinx moth flutters into your chamber window. Do you -recognize it as your hated enemy? It is he,--a "wolf in sheep's -clothing." - - -August Twenty-fourth - -The cardinal flower, or red lobelia, lives in the marshes and along the -streams, where it often trespasses so near the brink, that a slight -freshet floods its roots. "We have no flower which can compare with -this in vivid coloring." (Dana.) In some localities it has been in -bloom for weeks. - - -Notes - - - - -August Twenty-fifth - -Some evening after a thunder-shower, take a light and stroll along the -garden path, or by the flower bed. Go slowly and step with caution, -and you will see large numbers of angle worms--"night walkers" the -fishermen call them--stretched out on the ground. Half of their length -is hidden in the hole, ready at the slightest jar or noise to pull the -remainder underground. - - -August Twenty-sixth - -Woodchucks, or "groundhogs," are very busy at this season of the year. -They work overtime even on moonlight nights, for they have a contract -with Nature to blanket themselves with layers of fat half an inch -thick. If the contract is not filled before winter sets in, death may -be the forfeit. Eat, eat, eat; they spend every minute digging up the -grass roots, and eating off the clover heads, and they often make -excursions into the farmer's garden. - - -August Twenty-seventh - -Butter-and-eggs prefers the unsheltered lands where the sun can beat -upon it. It came from Europe and "like nearly all common weeds this -plant has been utilized in various ways by the country people. It -yields what was considered at one time a valuable skin lotion, while -its juices mingled with milk constitutes a fly poison." (Dana.) - - -Notes - - - - -August Twenty-eighth - -Be sure to kill any bee-like insect that you see hovering about your -horse's fore legs, for it is a bot-fly. After the eggs have been -attached to the horse's leg-hairs, they hatch and the horse licks the -larvæ and swallows them. Attaching themselves to the walls of the -stomach, they live there for some time, but finally pass through the -horse and fall to the ground, where they transform into bot-flies. - - -August Twenty-ninth - -The solitary sandpiper is one of the early migrating birds that is now -returning from its northern nesting grounds. It is always found near -water, singly or in twos and threes. It has a habit of holding its -wings over its head as it alights, showing conspicuously their dark -tips. Like all sandpipers, it is not supposed to perch in trees or -bushes; nevertheless it does so frequently when a person approaches its -young or its nest. - - -August Thirtieth - -Have you ever watched a spider making its web? The sticky fluid, which -becomes a silk strand upon coming in contact with the air, pours from -several holes, or spinnerets, at the end of the body. The threads are -guided by the feet, and when the spinnerets are held apart, several -strands are spun, but by contracting them one heavy rope is made. - - -Notes - - - - -August Thirty-first - -Most crickets die at the approach of winter, but some hibernate. It is -only the males that sing, and they do it by rubbing together the inner -edges of the outside wings. They live on the moisture from the roots of -various kinds of vegetables, and are not above eating insects. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=September= - - -September First - -In various localities the Oswego tea is known as "bee balm," "fragrant -balm," "Indian plume," and "mountain mint." "The bee balm especially -haunts those cool brooks, and its rounded flower-clusters touch with -warmth the shadows of the deep woods of midsummer. The Indians named -the flower, _o-gee-chee_, 'flaming flower,' and are said to have made a -tea-like decoction from the blossoms." (Dana.) - - -September Second - -Small mammals are abundant in the Adirondacks. Chipmunks and red -squirrels are very tame, and if one sits still in the woods they will -approach within a few feet. By watching at the base of logs and stumps, -you can often see a red-backed mouse or a long-tailed shrew. The latter -is the smallest of American mammals, its body being scarcely two inches -in length. - - -September Third - -Mr. Scudder says that katydids have a day and a night song. He has -watched one, and when a cloud obscured the sky, it, and all of those -within his hearing, stopped singing and began their night song, but as -soon as the sun came out, they again changed to their original song. - - -Notes - - - - -September Fourth - -What a fine time the robins, cedar-birds, catbirds, and flickers are -having in the choke-cherry bushes these days! Twenty or thirty of them -may fly from a bush of ripened fruit as you approach. The streaked and -speckled breasted young robins and cedar-birds are loath to leave their -feast. - - -September Fifth - -It is hard to believe that the yellow butterflies with the black tips -and spots on their wings, so common about moist spots in the road, were -once cabbage worms. Mr. Packard says that this species was introduced -from Europe to Quebec about 1857. It rapidly spread into New England -and has reached as far south as Washington, D. C. About Quebec it -annually destroys $250,000 worth of cabbages. - - -September Sixth - -The bottle, closed, or blind gentian loves the damp fields and somewhat -open road-sides. It resembles a cluster of bright blue buds about to -open, but they never do. Neltje Blanchan says that bumblebees have -hard work to rob it of its nectar and pollen. Climbing clumsily over -the corolla, it finds the space between the lips and forces its head -and trunk through the opening. Presently it backs out, and, with its -feet and velvety body covered with pollen, flies away to fertilize some -other gentian. - - -Notes - - - - -September Seventh - -Muskrats, like children, make "collections." A muskrat's "playhouse" -is usually placed on a partly submerged stump, log, boulder, or the -float of a boat-house. In some such place is piled all sorts of -rubbish,--sticks, stones, bones, iron, glass, clam shells, and what -not. Near by one may find a thick mat of aquatic grass, used by the -owner as a resting-place. When camped in the vicinity of a playhouse, -you will hear the clink of touching stones at night, and the splash of -water. - - -September Eighth - -Damp, shaded flats along streams or spring-holes, are where the -jewel-weed, or touch-me-not, clusters. The orange-colored blossoms have -gone to seed and hang in tiny pods upon the stems. Touch one, and if it -is ripe, it will burst with a suddenness that startles you. - - -September Ninth - -You must be unfamiliar with the country if you have never felt the -sting of the nettle. The rib of the nettle leaf is armed with tiny, -hollow spines, each of which is connected with a microscopic sack or -bulb filled with poison, called formic acid. When the skin is pierced -by the spines, the bulb is pressed, and the poison injected into the -wound. Every boy of outdoor life knows that mud will relieve the -irritation. - - -Notes - - - - -September Tenth - -The true locusts are the field insects commonly called "grasshoppers." -They belong to a class of insects whose metamorphosis is not -complete,--that is, they do not go through all of the several stages -of transformation. The young, on emerging from the ground where the -eggs were laid the summer previous, look like abnormal wingless -grasshoppers. Grasshoppers live but a single season. - - -September Eleventh - -The little green heron will steal cautiously along the water's edge, -with head drawn in, and beak pointed forward. Then he stops, and with a -sudden lunge catches a minnow or a polliwog in his bill, and swallows -it head foremost. When flushed, he laboriously wings his way across -the stream and, alighting in the shallow water or in a tree, flirts -his tail, stretches his long neck, and stands motionless a few minutes -before starting on another fishing trip. - - -September Twelfth - -At this season the banks of the rivers and streams shine with the -golden blossoms of the wild sunflower, artichoke, Canadian potato, or -earth apple. In late summer and early spring, freshets wash away the -earth, leaving the edible, tuberous roots exposed for the muskrats, -woodchucks, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits to feed upon. - - -Notes - - - - -September Thirteenth - -Patiently Madam Spider sits and holds the cords of her telegraph -system, waiting for some unfortunate to announce to her its capture. -When she receives this message, out she rushes, and while the victim -struggles she holds him with her legs, while other legs are busy -binding him with cords. - - -September Fourteenth - -The American goldfinch is very much in evidence these days. He sways -back and forth on the heads of the Canadian thistles, and clings to -the ripened sunflower heads, the fruit of which he is very fond. When -disturbed he flies away in graceful undulations, calling back to you, -"_Just-see-me-go; just-see-me-go; just-see-me-go._" - - -September Fifteenth - -When overburdened with honey and bee-bread, large numbers of honey bees -are drowned while attempting to cross wide stretches of water. Put your -hand in the water and let one crawl into the palm. It will not sting -so long as you do not squeeze or touch it. Note the two dots of golden -pollen adhering to the cups on the hind feet. Gradually the bee regains -strength and begins to dry itself. First fluttering its wings, then -combing its fuzzy head and trunk with its legs, finally it is off in -the direction of its hive. - - -Notes - - - - -September Sixteenth - -Clinging to the old stump fences, and covering the low bushes by the -roadside, the wild clematis, or traveller's joy, smiles at the wayfarer -and defies the efforts of the farmer to exterminate it. As the blossom -goes to seed, a charming, foamlike effect is produced by the appearance -of the many stamens and pistils. - - -September Seventeenth - -This week the rose-breasted grosbeak, kingbird, Baltimore oriole, -yellow warbler, ruby-throated hummingbird and yellow-breasted chat will -probably leave for the South. They all pass beyond the United States to -winter, and most of them go to Mexico, Central and South America. Good -luck to them on their long journey, and may they all live to return to -us again next summer. - - -September Eighteenth - -The dense forests strewn with moss-covered logs, stumps, and boulders, -and the rocky, fern-clad borders of woodland rivulets, are the home of -the winter wren. Quite like a mouse in actions, he works his way over -and under the fallen trees; in and out of the rocky crevices, until you -quite despair of guessing where he will next appear. - -[Illustration: YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.] - - -Notes - - - - -September Nineteenth - -The next time you go into the country, catch two or three locusts -(grasshoppers), and examine their bodies for locust mites. They are -tiny red mites usually clustered at the base of the grasshopper's -wings, and are easily found if you raise the wings slightly and look -under them. Often they are found on house flies. - - -September Twentieth - -Nature employs many ingenious devices for distributing the seed of her -plants. The downy seeds of the Canadian thistle, dandelion, prickly -lettuce, dogbane, and milkweed are cast over the land by the winds. -The common tare, the jewel-weed, and the wood sorrel have devices for -throwing their seeds. Seeds of many species of plants are contained in -burrs or "stickers" that adhere to the coats of animals and are carried -miles before they are finally planted. - - -September Twenty-first - -A belted kingfisher, when suddenly seized with a fit of playfulness, -will skim over the water and plunge beneath the surface, sending the -spray in all directions. Emerging, he continues his flight, repeating -the performance every fifty feet or more, at the same time "rattling" -loudly as though in great ecstasy. - - -Notes - - - - -September Twenty-second - -The thick, chunky purple heads of the Canadian thistle always attract -the bumblebees, and you find them as eager for its nectar as they were -for the Joe-Pie weed a month or so ago. It is wonderful how much abuse -a bumblebee will stand before he loses his temper. He is much more -tractable than his cousin, the honey bee, or any of the wasps. - - -September Twenty-third - -Some animals lay by a supply of fat for winter, which they absorb while -resting in comparative quiet in their burrows. Others are endowed with -a hoarding instinct, so they gather and store nuts, grain, seeds, and -fruit to last them until spring, while the remainder are forced to live -upon the food that the season affords them,--a life of privation, in -many instances. - - -September Twenty-fourth - -The monarch butterfly is one of the common butterflies seen in early -fall. It is something of a wanderer, going North in the spring and -migrating South in the fall. Have you ever watched them floating -through the air, high above your head and tried to estimate how high -they were? - - -Notes - - - - -September Twenty-fifth - -Fishermen often find piles of clam shells heaped under the exposed -roots of trees or stumps, at or near the water's edge. This is the work -of muskrats. After carrying the clams from the bed of the stream, the -rats take them to the bank and leave them for the sun to open. Then -they eat the clams, after which the shells are disposed of in little -heaps. - - -September Twenty-sixth - -Next to the red-shouldered hawk, the red-tailed hawk is the most common -of the large hawks in Eastern North America. Although the farmers shoot -it on sight, and the barn-yard fowls hurry to shelter at its cries, it -is one of the farmer's best friends, because of the great number of -grasshoppers and mice it captures. Its cry is a loud, high-pitched, -"long-drawn out squealing whistle which to my ear suggests the sound of -escaping steam." (Chapman.) - - -September Twenty-seventh - -You hear the mitchella-vine spoken of as "partridge berry," -"twin-berry," and "squaw-berry." It is a small-leaved vine, very common -in woods and shaded thickets. Winter does not harm its fruit, so it is -a welcome treat to many birds and mammals in early spring. The buds -appear in pairs, which form a double fruit with two eyes, or navels, -thus giving it the name of "twin-berry." - - -Notes - - - - -September Twenty-eighth - -The water skate, or water strider, resembles somewhat a "granddaddy -longlegs." It runs about over the surface of the water in search of -microscopic insects, casting grotesque shadows on the bottom. It does -not dive like the water boatman, but if it chooses it can take wing, -and is often seen to spring into the air and grasp its prey. - - -September Twenty-ninth - -Our common sunfish builds a nest of stones and gravel on the bottom of -a stream. "The male watches the nest and drives away all intruders. -The species is usually hardy in captivity, but is subject to fungus -attacks, which yield readily to a treatment with brackish water." -(Bean.) - - -September Thirtieth - -On moonlight nights skunks come out into the fields to feed upon -beetles and grasshoppers. They are keen scented, and you will sometimes -see where their claws have assisted in securing an insect that their -nose has detected in the ground. They will often approach a man -carrying a lantern, and after sniffing at it a few times will walk away -and resume their hunt. - -[Illustration: SKUNK HUNTING GRASSHOPPERS.] - - -Notes - - - - - - -=October= - - -October First - -This is the month when many of our birds depart for their southern -winter resorts. The common ones that leave this week are the scarlet -tanager, ovenbird, chimney swift, wood thrush, indigo bunting, and -redstart. - - -October Second - -The workers and drone bumblebees die at the approach of winter, but -the queen takes shelter under the bark of trees, in stone piles and -in other places which offer protection, where she remains all winter. -She then comes out and gathers moss and grass for a nest, or she may -appropriate the deserted nest of a meadow mouse. After making several -wax cells, she fills them with pollen and honey, deposits an egg in -each cell, and when the young hatch, they feed upon the sweets. - - -October Third - -"'Among the crimson and yellow hues of the falling leaves, there is no -more remarkable object than the witch-hazel in the moment parting with -its foliage, putting forth a profusion of showy yellow blossoms, and -giving to November the counterfeited appearance of spring.'" (Newhall.) - - -[Illustration: AMERICAN REDSTART.] - - -Notes - - - - -October Fourth - -When surprised while feeding, gray squirrels will resort to an -ingenious method of escape. As the hunter approaches, the squirrel -will scurry to the opposite side of the tree trunk, and as the hunter -changes his position, the squirrel does likewise, keeping the trunk of -the tree between itself and the enemy. - - -October Fifth - -It is not always the large winged birds with the light bodies that fly -the fastest. The swifts, grouse, pigeons, and ducks are the swiftest -of fliers, yet they have heavy bodies and short or narrow wings. The -eagles, hawks, owls, buzzards, and herons, on the other hand, have -large wings and comparatively light bodies, yet they are noted for -their slow and graceful flight, still they can fly long distances. - - -October Sixth - -The white-footed mouse, deer mouse, or wood mouse, usually makes his -home in a hollow stump, limb, or tree trunk. To prove that he can -scramble up rough bark, as well as run upon the ground, he frequently -builds a large, bulky nest of dried grass in a bush or low tree. These -nests have a tiny aperture in one or two sides, and they are nearly -always located in trees traversed by wild grape, or other vines. - - -Notes - - - - -October Seventh - -Insects "supply us with the sweetest of sweets, our very best inks and -dyes, and our finest robes and tapers, to say nothing of various acids, -lacs, and waxes; while few, who have not studied the subject, have any -idea of the importance of insects and their products as articles of -human diet." (Riley.) - - -October Eighth - -Many an amateur sportsman has mistaken the fall song of the peeper, -coming from the tall forest trees, for that of a game bird or mammal. -It is loud and clearer than the peeper's spring song, but the -resemblance is easily detected after one knows that both songs are sung -by the same frog. Now since the wood birds have ceased to sing, its -song is quickly noticed. - - -October Ninth - -In size, shape, and actions, the English robin is similar to our -bluebird, to which it is related. The English blackbird is a _thrush_, -and our robin is the largest of American thrushes. In the Bermuda -Islands the catbird is called "blackbird." - - -Notes - - - - -October Tenth - -"The flight of the flying fish is usually from four to six feet above -the water, and it is sustained for fifty to one hundred feet. The -general enlarged pectoral fins act as wings, and furnish the motive -power.... On all up grades it gives a stiff wing-stroke about every -three feet, rises to overtop each advancing wave, and drops as the wave -rolls on, like a stormy petrel." (Hornaday.) - - -October Eleventh - -Mushrooms and apples are often seen resting in the branches of trees. -Should you examine one, very likely you would find the marks of a -rodent's teeth in its sides. This is one of the ways a red squirrel has -of storing food. When he placed the mushrooms there, did he know that -they would dry and be preserved? If so, why did not instinct tell him -that the apples would decay before spring? - - -October Twelfth - -Once the alarm note of a crow is heard and its meaning understood, you -can always tell when those keen-eyed birds have discovered a hawk or -an owl. "_Hak, hak, hak, hak, hak_," they call, much louder, quicker, -and in a higher key than the regular "_caw, caw, caw_." Rarely do they -strike a hawk or owl, but they keep diving at it until it soars beyond -their reach, or takes shelter in a tree. - - -Notes - - - - -October Thirteenth - -If you can surprise a muskrat in a small pond, notice that he does not -use his front feet (which are not webbed) in swimming; but, like the -frog and the toad, holds them close against the sides of his body. -Ordinarily the tail is used as a rudder, but when he is hard pressed, -he whirls it round and round so that it acts like a screw propeller. - - -October Fourteenth - -The brook trout is another fish that builds a nest. It makes a hollow -in the bed of a brook or a spring, pushing the gravel aside with its -nose, and carrying the stones in its mouth. By using its tail the -cavity is shaped and then filled with pebbles, on which the eggs are -laid, and covered with gravel. These "spawning" beds can now be seen in -any spring-fed trout stream. - - -October Fifteenth - -As soon as the foliage falls from the trees it is easy to collect -birds' nests; and it is no sin to do so then, inasmuch as the birds -mentioned this week rarely use the same nest a second season. Take a -trip into the country with the sole object of hunting for nests, and -you will be surprised to see how many you can find. One hundred and -ninety-eight bird homes have been counted during a three hours' walk. -When it is possible to take a part of the limb to which a nest is -attached, it is best to do so. - - -Notes - - - - -October Sixteenth - -Besides the large pendent nest of the Baltimore and the orchard -orioles, skilfully suspended from the end of an elm, maple, apple, or -pear tree limb, you will find many smaller _hanging_ nests built by the -several species of vireos. They are about the size of a tennis-ball; -made of birch bark, paper, and pieces of dried leaves, fastened with -spider and caterpillar webs, and they are lined with dried pine needles -or dried grass. - - -October Seventeenth - -The American goldfinch, "thistlebird" or "wild canary," usually places -its nest in the angle of three twigs at the end of a slender branch -that is nearly or quite perpendicular. The nest is larger than a -base-ball, deeply hollowed and composed outwardly of pieces of cotton -waste, plant fibres and fine bark, with a thick lining of willow or -dandelion down, and other soft material. - - -October Eighteenth - -The chebec (least flycatcher), wood pewee, and blue-gray gnat-catcher -saddle their nests on the upper side of limbs, as the hummingbird does, -and they use the same variety of material. They are so delicate in -construction that a severe storm will send them to the ground. - - -Notes - - - - -October Nineteenth - -The bulky basket nests of the cedar-bird and kingbird are usually found -saddled on a horizontal limb in an orchard. The kingbird prefers to -be near water, and will often use an elm, willow, or thorn-tree for a -nesting site. From the ground, the nests resemble each other. They are -about eight inches across, are composed outwardly of sticks, leaves, -and moss, lined with fine roots and the like, and sometimes wood or -cotton is used. - - -October Twentieth - -Crows usually build in pine-trees, but where there are no pines, they -will choose an oak, chestnut, maple, or poplar, not always high ones -either. The nest is made of sticks, leaves, bark, and mud, lined with -dried grass or fine bark. Most of the large hawks make their nests in -oak, maple, chestnut, or beech trees, in the groves or forests. They -often occupy the same nest year after year. - - -October Twenty-first - -Of the birds that build in bushes or small trees, the following are -the common species: catbird (twigs, leaves, and grass, lined with -fine roots), black-billed and yellow-billed cuckoo (a sort of stick -platform with a few dried leaves for a lining), and yellow-breasted -chat (leaves, sticks, and bark, deeply hollowed and lined with soft -grasses). Song sparrows' nests are very common. - - -Notes - - - - -October Twenty-second - -If it becomes necessary to protect their young, most birds seem to lose -all fear. When surprised with her brood of chicks, the ruffed grouse -and nearly all ground-dwelling birds will feign injury and flutter -a few feet in front of the intruder, seemingly in great agony. The -cries and actions are intended to lure you from the young. During the -interval that you are watching or chasing her, the chicks have fairly -melted into the earth. - - -October Twenty-third - -The stickleback is a small fish that inhabits the brackish waters from -Cape Ann to New Jersey. Mr. Hornaday says that the abdomen of the male -has been provided with a gland filled with a clear secretion which -coagulates into threads when it comes in contact with the water. By -means of this, a hood-like nest large enough for the female to enter is -fastened to the vegetation at the bottom of the sea, and the eggs are -deposited in the nest. - - -October Twenty-fourth - -Birds seem to have a common language, so far, at least, as conveying -a warning of danger is concerned. The appearance of a hawk, or an -owl, will cause a catbird, robin, vireo, or song sparrow to give a -warning note which is at once heeded by every feathered neighbor within -hearing. Instantly all is quiet until danger has passed. - - -Notes - - - - -October Twenty-fifth - -Grebes are expert swimmers and divers. Before the invention of -smokeless powder, the adult birds could easily dive at the flash of a -gun and were beneath the surface of the water when the shot struck. On -land these duck-like birds push themselves over the ground on their -breasts, or waddle along in a very awkward manner. They cannot rise -from the ground, and even when rising from the water they must flutter -over its surface for a long distance before they are able actually to -take wing. - - -October Twenty-sixth - -A strong aversion for snakes prevails with many of us. Most people -think that the majority of snakes are poisonous. In reality the only -dangerously venomous snakes in the United States are the rattlesnakes -(fourteen species), the moccasin, and the copperhead, and they are not -so aggressive as is generally supposed. - - -October Twenty-seventh - -How often the osprey or American fish-hawk is mistaken for an eagle! -The fish-hawk is the only hawk that will poise in the air and then -plunge into the water for its prey. Unlike the kingfisher, of which of -course it is no kin, it carries its food in its talons instead of in -its beak. In captivity it may be confined in an aviary with pigeons, -quail, and other defenceless birds, and will not molest them. - -[Illustration: HORNED GREBE. - -Winter Plumage.] - - -Notes - - - - -October Twenty-eighth - -The bull-frog, whose legs are considered such a delicacy, often attains -a length of fifteen inches. Its food consists of insects, small frogs, -birds, mice, and young water-fowl, and one has been killed which had -eaten a bat. Birds have learned to look upon it as a foe. Bull-frogs -are fast becoming extinct because of the demand for their legs. - - -October Twenty-ninth - -The sharp-shinned hawk is smaller in body, but has -about the same expanse of wing, as a domesticated pigeon. It is one of -the few hawks that is destructive to birds and young poultry. Not only -in the country, but in the city parks and villages, it is seen in late -fall or in winter, skimming over the tops of the bushes ready to pounce -upon a sparrow of any species the instant one appears. - - -October Thirtieth - -Red squirrels and chipmunks differ in size, markings, -and habits. The red squirrel is nearly twice as large as the chipmunk, -it nests in trees, and is usually seen among the branches. It is red -on the back and whitish beneath, sometimes having one black line along -each side. Chipmunks live in the ground, hollow stumps, and roots. -They are poor tree climbers and will not jump from tree to tree unless -forced to do so. They have a black stripe down the back and two on each -side. - -[Illustration: SPOTTED SANDPIPER.] - - -Notes - - - - -October Thirty-first - -At dusk or early in the evening the weird, tremulous wail of the -screech owl may be heard. Sometimes one will visit a favorite tree -at the same hour evening after evening, and after sounding his cry -several times, will glide away into the country to hunt for a supper of -beetles, meadow mice or white-footed mice. - - -Notes - - - - - - -=November= - - -November First - -The chipping sparrow, field sparrow, vesper sparrow, mourning dove, -red-shouldered blackbird, and purple grackle stay with us as long as -the weather will permit. Mr. Chapman says: "Should the season be an -exceedingly mild one, many of these birds will remain [about New York] -until late in December." - - -November Second - -The brown creeper, another denizen of the forests, groves, and village -shade trees, is seldom noticed because of its small size and dull -coloring, which blends perfectly with the tree trunks. It is often -found in company with chickadees, nuthatches and kinglets. The creeper -flies to the base of a tree, and winds his way to the top, hunting in -the crevices of the bark for insects and insect larvæ, occasionally -uttering a clear, feeble trill. - - -November Third - -Unlike the bears one meets in certain kinds of animal stories, the -real bear is the most easily frightened of all our large animals. His -eyesight is defective, and his hearing not particularly good, but his -keen nose more than compensates for those deficiencies. - -[Illustration: CHICKADEES. - - Upper, Mountain. Lower, Hudsonian.] - - -Notes - - - - -November Fourth - -Artists often make the mistake of drawing a flying bird with its feet -drawn up beneath its breast. Although some birds do hold their feet in -this position, the herons, gulls, buzzards, and most of the hawks and -eagles hold their feet and legs against the under side of the tail. The -legs of the many species of herons are very conspicuous when the birds -fly, for as the tail is short, they extend far beyond it. - - -November Fifth - -Some ants live in the ground, some make chambers in wood, while others -build mounds of small sticks, dirt, and gravel, and construct roadways -to and from them. They feed upon flesh, fruit, and plant substances. -Their hind legs are provided with a sort of brush for cleaning the dirt -from their bodies, and these legs in turn are cleaned by being drawn -through the mouth. - - -November Sixth - -The "'coon" (raccoon) is strictly a nocturnal animal, and spends the -day in hollow trees, crevices in the rocks, or in thick underbrush, -coming forth at night to hunt its food,--mice, birds, crabs, clams, -eggs, acorns, and green corn. On the Pacific Coast it makes a neat -round hole in the side of a pumpkin and takes out the seeds with its -hands. - - -Notes - - - - -November Seventh - -Hawks, owls, and eagles are bold defenders of their nests and young. -Circling overhead, they suddenly bow their wings and dash at the -intruder, turning quickly and swooping up again when only a few inches -from his head. Instances are known in which persons have been wounded -severely while meddling with the property of such birds of prey. - - -November Eighth - -The tail of the brown creeper, and of all of the thirty-five species -and sub-species of woodpeckers, is provided with stiff, pointed -feathers which curve in slightly. With the chimney swift, each feather -is armed with a spine. While woodpeckers cling to a tree trunk, and -the chimney swift to the side of a chimney, their stiff tails help to -support them. - - -November Ninth - -Although the darning-needle, dragon fly, snake feeder, or snake doctor -is perfectly harmless, Howard says, "Some believe that they will sew up -the ears of bad boys; others that they will sting horses; still others -that they act as feeders and physicians to snakes, especially to water -snakes." They are the beautiful lace-winged insects that frequently dip -down and pick up an insect from the surface of a pond or a river. - - -Notes - - - - -November Tenth - -Conspicuous in the withered grass of upland meadows are the white -flowers of the several species of everlasting. If picked before they -begin to fade, they will keep through winter nearly as fresh and white -as when the blossoming season was at its height. - - -November Eleventh - -In the mountains of the North, the black bear is beginning to look for -a suitable place in which to pass the winter. Many bears could wear -their skins much longer if they would only hibernate before the snow -begins to fly. Every hunter anxiously awaits the first fall of snow, -which makes the tracking of bears so easy. - - -November Twelfth - -Nine out of every ten persons call salamanders or newts, "lizards." -Lizards do not metamorphose; consequently they are never found in -the water. They are very swift; lovers of the sun, and in the East -are rarely seen north of a line parallel with southern New England. -Salamanders are found either _in the water or in damp places_. They -metamorphose, and when on the ground their efforts to escape are -feeble. - - -Notes - - - - -November Thirteenth - -Owls, woodpeckers, ducks, doves, pigeons, the ruffed grouse, Bob-white, -belted kingfisher, ruby-throated hummingbird, chimney swift, -short-billed marsh wren, and bush-tit lay eggs that are glossy white or -various shades of white or buff-color. The eggs of the herons, cuckoos, -robin, bluebird, catbird, Wilson's thrush, and hermit thrush are blue, -green, or various shades of those colors. - - -November Fourteenth - -Just at evening the white-throated sparrows, from the thickets, call -their sweet, clear good-night to one another. As the darkness falls, -the calls gradually cease, until only an occasional flutter is heard -as some restless bird, not satisfied with its perch, chooses a new -position for the night. - - -November Fifteenth - -It is now time to build winter shelters for Bob-white, and to begin -to feed the winter birds. Cut pine or evergreen boughs, and pile them -against the side of a log, leaving a _small_ opening at each end for -the quail to enter. Make the shelters on the south or east side of a -hill or bank, where it will be protected from the cold winter storms. -Now scatter buckwheat about your bird "wickey-up," as an Indian would -call it, and they will soon find it. You should feed grain to your -flock all winter. - - -Notes - - - - -November Sixteenth - -The sparrow hawk is a summer resident in New England, Pennsylvania, -New York, and Ohio. It nests in a cavity of a tree or in a deserted -woodpecker's nest, and it will return to the same locality year after -year. The bird is no larger than a robin, and instead of being a -sparrow killer, it lives chiefly upon insects. - - -November Seventeenth - -The opossum is the only North American member of the order Marsupialia -which has so many representatives in Australia and New Zealand. The -marsupials are the animals that have pouches over their abdomens in -which they _carry their young_. Some people wrongly include in this -order the pocket gopher, pocket mouse, and other mammals that have -cheek pouches in which they _carry food_. - - -November Eighteenth - -Accounts of the capture of "extremely rare and valuable monkey-faced -owls," are often published. These owls are nothing more than barn owls, -which are so common in the Southern States. They nest in holes in -banks, in cavities in trees, or in church belfries. A pair has occupied -one of the towers in the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, for -several years. - - -Notes - - - - -November Nineteenth - -The common meadow mouse makes a docile and interesting pet, if captured -without frightening or exciting him. Within fifteen minutes from the -time of his capture he will often lose all fear, and while you hold him -he will wash his face with his paws. - - -November Twentieth - -The snowy, and the great-gray, owls, both inhabitants of the -North-land, are the largest American members of the owl family. They -are more frequently seen in the daytime and are much tamer than other -owls, often permitting one to approach very close to them. Except -in very severe weather they rarely come below the Canadian border. -In disposition the great-horned owl and the snow owl are considered -fierce, still they can be tamed, even if captured when adult. - - -November Twenty-first - -It is a general impression that bears hug their victims to death. When -enraged a bear will charge to within a few feet of a man, rise upon its -hind legs, and strike him down with its fore paws, or hold him with -them while it attacks his neck and shoulders with its teeth. After -inflicting several wounds a bear will often leave its victim without -further injuring him. - -[Illustration: Photograph by Jackson. - -THE GREAT HORNED OWL AND THE SNOWY OWL CAN BE TAMED.] - - -Notes - - - - -November Twenty-second - -The blue jay is one of the birds who remain with us throughout the -entire year. His habits are not the same in all parts of his range. In -some localities he is strictly a bird of the forests, while in others, -he is common in our city parks and shade-trees. A relative of the crow, -he is charged with robbing nests of their eggs and young birds. He is -fond of nuts also, and will eat any kind that his strong bill can open. - - -November Twenty-third - -Hawks and owls will respond quickly if you make a squeaking noise like -a mouse, and a fox will stop and prick up his ears, then turn and -proceed in the direction of the sound until he discovers its source. -A weasel will dash toward the hunter, and even after it sees him, its -curiosity keeps it from retreating at once. - - -November Twenty-fourth - -The Thanksgiving turkey that we eat about now "is derived from the wild -turkey of Mexico, which was introduced into Europe shortly after the -Conquest and was thence brought to eastern North America." (Chapman -and Reed.) The tips of the upper tail-coverts of the domestic and the -Mexican turkey are whitish, while those of the wild turkey of eastern -United States are rusty brown. - -[Illustration: BLUE JAYS.] - - -Notes - - - - -November Twenty-fifth - -A skunk knows every woodchuck and rabbit burrow in his neighborhood. In -the woods he will often visit hole after hole with great precision, but -in the meadows he is more apt to follow the fences, frequently cutting -across a corner in order to shorten the distance to a burrow. Probably -experience has taught him that rabbits are often found in woodchuck -holes and that meadow mice also take shelter in them during the winter. - - -November Twenty-sixth - -The tallest and heaviest of all birds is the African ostrich, but the -condor of South America has the widest expanse of wing. In the United -States, the California vulture, once very rare, but now steadily -increasing, is broadest across the wings. The whooping crane stands the -highest, and the swans are the heaviest of our birds. - - -November Twenty-seventh - -Do not kill the bats that you find passing the winter in your garret, -or those that fly into your house in the summer. They destroy large -numbers of gnats and mosquitoes, and do no harm. The belief that they -get into one's hair is ridiculous, and it is seldom that they are -infested with vermin. A South American species has been known to suck -the blood of horses and cattle. - - -Notes - - - - -November Twenty-eighth - -On returning to the nest and discovering that a cowbird has laid -an egg in it, some species of birds will roll the egg out. But the -phoebe, red-eyed vireo, chipping sparrow, and yellow warbler will -sometimes cover the eggs with nesting material and build up the sides -of the nest, thus burying its own and the cowbird's egg. Another set -of eggs is then laid and the bird begins to sit, but the buried eggs -are too deep to be affected by the warmth of the parent's body, so the -"lazy-bird's" purpose is defeated. - - -November Twenty-ninth - -In the abandoned birds' nests that are placed near the ground in shrubs -and small trees close to hazel-nut bushes and bitter-sweet vines, you -will often find a handful of hazel-nuts or bitter-sweet berries. They -were put there by the white-footed mice and the meadow mice who visit -these storehouses regularly. Very often a white-footed mouse will cover -a bird's nest with fine dried grass and inner bark, and make a nest for -itself. - - -November Thirtieth - -Between now and the first of March you may expect to see large flocks -of red-polls feeding on seeds among the weeds and low bushes, and -cross-bills in the pine and spruce trees shelling seeds from the cones. - -[Illustration: Reproduced by the courtesy of the Field Columbian Museum. - -A FOUR-STORIED WARBLER'S NEST. EACH STORY REPRESENTS AN ATTEMPT BY THE -WARBLER TO AVOID BECOMING FOSTER PARENT OF A YOUNG COWBIRD.] - - -Notes - - - - - - -=December= - - -December First - -Besides being the means by which they capture their prey, the talons -of an eagle, hawk, or owl are their weapons of defence. Their bill -can really inflict but little injury. When wounded one of these birds -will throw itself upon its back, and strike with its feet, burying its -talons deep in the flesh of its adversary. - - -December Second - -The gray or wood gray fox lives about the rocks and ledges. It is a -noted tree climber, and, being less fleet than the red fox, it often -eludes pursuing dogs by taking shelter in the rocks, or amid the -branches of a tree. Running a short distance, it will spring to the -side of a tree and scramble up the trunk. Sometimes it falls back and -is obliged to repeat the performance several times before it is able to -gain the first branches, from which it can easily climb from limb to -limb as high as it chooses. - - -December Third - -The junco and the horned lark in some localities are called "snowbird," -but the snow bunting, or snowflake, is the only bird correctly so -called. These birds do not look alike, but the appearance of the three -species in large numbers during the winter is confusing to one not -versed in bird-lore. - -[Illustration: SNOW BUNTING.] - - -Notes - - - - -December Fourth - -Why is it that most carnivorous animals, as well as most birds of prey, -refuse to eat shrews and moles? It may be due to the strong pungent -odor of their bodies. Cats will catch them and play with them, but owls -are the only creatures that seem to care for them for food. - - -December Fifth - -Mr. Newhall says that a lady told him that an Oneida Indian once cured -her grandfather of a severe illness. He afterward learned that the -medicine used was an extract of witch-hazel, and later prepared and -sold it widely. - - -December Sixth - -The great-horned owl, hoot owl, or cat owl, is the only bird that from -choice will feed upon skunks. Although rabbits are abundant and easy to -capture, his Owlship seems to prefer to battle against the long teeth -and disagreeable odor of the skunk in order to dine upon its flesh. -Nearly all owls of this species that are killed in winter are strongly -scented with the skunk's odor. - - -Notes - - - - -December Seventh - -The two glands that hold the skunk's vile-smelling fluid are about the -size and shape of a pecan nut. They are strictly _organs of protection_ -and are never used except in _extreme_ cases of defence. They are -situated between the skin and the flesh near the root of the tail. When -brought into use, a number of strong muscles encircling them contract, -and a fine spray of the fluid is thrown off; the tail taking no part in -its distribution. - - -December Eighth - -Snakes are not slimy and clammy; they do not cover their food with -saliva before swallowing it, and the forked flexible member which darts -in and out of their mouth is not a "stinger," but the tongue. They do -not swallow their young in cases of danger, and they have no power to -"charm," or hypnotize. - - -December Ninth - -The bald-faced hornet attaches his large, cone-shaped, paper nests -under the eaves of houses, in garrets, or to the limbs of trees. -Collecting the minute fibres that adhere to the weather-beaten fences -and buildings, the hornets mix it with saliva and make a crude quality -of paper. To enlarge a nest, the inside walls are torn away and the -material is used to add to the outside layer. Like bumblebees, the -workers and drones die in the fall, the queen hibernating. - - -Notes - - - - -December Tenth - -Beautiful as the deer are and innocent as they seem, they cannot be -trusted, as attendants in zoological parks can testify. A bear will -seldom attack a keeper without provocation, and when he does he will -usually give warning before he charges. Not so with a buck of the deer -family. Greeting his best friend in the most cordial manner, he may, -without warning, charge when the man's back is turned, and gore or -trample him to death. - - -December Eleventh - -The American eagle is more often spoken of as the "bald eagle," a name -which misleads many people since the bird is not "bald" at all. The -top of its head is as thickly feathered as the heads of most birds. -Probably some one thought that the white head and neck made the eagle -appear bald, hence the name. The birds reach the third year before the -head and tail begin to turn white. - - -December Twelfth - -The little striped skunk, or hydrophobia skunk of the South, West, and -Southwest, is about half the size of our common skunk. It frequently -goes mad and attacks people with great fury. Cowboys and other persons -compelled to sleep on the ground in the open have been bitten by it and -have died of hydrophobia. _It is the only_ North American animal that -will deliberately _attack a sleeping person_. - - -Notes - - - - -December Thirteenth - -"Till a comparatively recent date it was not certainly known that eels -have eggs which develop outside of the body. Even now the breeding -habits are scarcely known, but it is supposed that the spawning takes -place late in the fall or during the winter, near the mouth of rivers, -on muddy bottoms." (Bean.) - - -December Fourteenth - -The so-called glass snake is truly speaking not a snake, but a legless -lizard. It forms part of the food of the true snakes. Its body is very -brittle, a light blow with a stick being sufficient to break it in two. -Although it is true that another tail will grow (provided not more than -a fourth of the body is missing), it is not true that the broken pieces -will eventually unite, or that a head and body will grow on the tail -piece. - - -December Fifteenth - -How often you read of, or heard some one speak of, the whale as "the -largest of fish." A whale is a _mammal_, because it suckles its young. -It is not only the largest of _living_ mammals, but, according to Mr. -Lucas, the large ones are larger than any of the enormous reptiles that -inhabited the world before the advent of man, and whose fossil remains -may be seen in any of our large museums. - - -Notes - - - - -December Sixteenth - -The quiet little tree sparrows spend the winter with us feeding on the -seeds of weeds and grasses. You will find their tracks in the snow -where flocks have been eating ragweed seeds, and you are likely to see -some of them fluttering about in the bushes along the river banks, -or in the frozen swamps uttering a pleasing call note. They can be -identified by the distinct black spot on the breast and their pinkish -bills. - - -December Seventeenth - -There is no better time to study the tracks and nightly doings of -animals than after the first fall of snow. Start early in the morning -and see how many stories the tracks have written. - - -December Eighteenth - -Following the tracks of a white-footed mouse in the woods, they lead -you to a hollow log, at the entrance of which are a number of beech-nut -shells, remains of a midnight feast taken from a winter store-house. -From here the mouse went into the field, and then the tracks stop -abruptly, leaving you to guess the rest. Possibly one of the several -species of owls that inhabit your locality could explain the sudden -ending of the trail. - - -Notes - - - - -December Nineteenth - -Continuing through the woods, you soon discover the trail of two -birds whose feet are not quite the size of those of bantam chickens. -Following them a few hundred yards you come to a bedded spot in the -snow, beneath the drooping branches of a spruce. Not far from here, two -ruffed grouse rise, with a loud whirr of wings, and speed off before -your startled eyes. These are the birds whose tracks you have been -following. - - -December Twentieth - -Don't follow a fox track with the intention of overtaking the maker, -unless you have dogs. He may be ten miles away at that very moment, and -even if you should draw near to him, he is almost certain to elude your -sight by sneaking away. - - -December Twenty-first - -You may find where a muskrat has left the stream and started across -the meadow to a marsh near by. Suddenly a mink's track breaks into the -trail and follows in the same direction, and you soon come to a spot -where the snow is much disturbed, and the tracks mingle in confusion. -Blood-stains on the snow and matted places show where the two have -fought a battle for existence. A broad, deep trail leading to a stump -indicates that some object has been dragged across the snow, and there -you find the half-eaten remains of the muskrat. - - -Notes - - - - -December Twenty-second - -What tracks are these, trailing along the fence between a brush-lot -and a buckwheat field? At the corner of the fence human footprints and -those of a dog join them. All now travel in the same direction, first -on one side of the fence, then on the other. Finally the bird tracks -stop abruptly and the marks of wings on each side of them show that the -birds have taken flight. The dog has suddenly bolted, and where his -tracks turn back is a dash in the snow and a few quail feathers which -tell the story; a hunter has bagged his game. - - -December Twenty-third - -An open brush-lot bordering woods is the best place to find cotton-tail -rabbit tracks. Judging from the number of tracks and the spaces between -them, the rabbits have been playing tag, or attempting to break the -record for running and jumping. They did rest, however, for beneath a -bush, and by the side of a stump, we find impressions in the snow where -they sat down. If it is a warm day, you are apt to surprise one taking -a sun-bath. - - -December Twenty-fourth - -Save in the dome of the Capitol, could our national bird, the -bald eagle, select a more appropriate place for its nest than at -Washington's home? In a patch of heavy timber at Mt. Vernon, Va., a -pair of eagles have nested for several years. - -[Illustration: Photograph by J. Alden Loring. - -COTTONTAIL RABBIT TAKING A SUNBATH.] - - -Notes - - - - -December Twenty-fifth - -Mistletoe is a parasitic evergreen shrub that is abundant in the South. -It grows in thick clusters on limbs of various species of trees. Its -flowers are whitish, and after the flowering season, clusters of white -berries take the place of the blossoms. As the berries are ready to -fall, they become soft and sticky, and when they drop they adhere to -the bark of any limb they strike, and the seeds take root and are -nourished by the sap of the tree. - - -December Twenty-sixth - -You might take a Christmas walk over the ice and visit a muskrat's -house of sticks and other rubbish. If the occupants are at home, you -will notice a frosty spot on one side of the mound. A muskrat hunter -would thrust his spear through the thin wall and impale one or more of -the rats upon its tines. Many of the clods composing the house bear the -nose-print of the maker. - - -December Twenty-seventh - -While sleigh-riding you are likely to see a flock of trim, -sober-colored birds perched close together, feeding on the berries of -the mountain ash tree or on decayed apples. They have _crests_ and -_wax-like red dots_ on the inner feathers of their wings. These are -cedar-birds, or cedar waxwings. They often remain with us throughout -the year. - - -Notes - - - - -December Twenty-eighth - -"The name 'burl' is applied to all excrescent growths on trees, except -true knots. The origin of these wart-like swellings is imperfectly -known, but they can generally be attributed to injuries by woodpeckers, -gall insects, and to the irritating and continued growth of fungi in -the woody tissues at such points." (Adams.) - - -December Twenty-ninth - -A flock of pine grosbeaks feeding on buds in a maple or an apple tree -on a cold winter's day is a pleasing sight for any bird lover. They -are the size of a robin, and the male has a rose-colored head, neck, -breast, and back. They are quiet birds and very tame, even permitting -a person to climb the tree and approach within a few feet, before they -take flight. It is only during the severest weather that they migrate -south into southern New York, Pennsylvania, and New England. - - -December Thirtieth - -North America can boast of the largest deer in the world, the Alaskan -moose; as well as the largest of flesh-eating mammals, the Kodiak bear. -We also have more rodents and cats than any other country. - -[Illustration: BONAPARTE GULL.] - - -Notes - - - - -December Thirty-first - -Sometimes the lakes freeze over, and the gulls are compelled to seek -the large open rivers, and ask alms from the inhabitants along their -banks. At such times they become very tame, so if you will place food -within their reach, they will soon find it and call upon you from day -to day. - - -Notes - - - - - * * * * * - - -Transcriber Note - -Although the images were inserted before the "Notes" page which follows -each page of dates, the images were not moved due to the List of -Illustrations page numbering. 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