W E S T E RN SE R IE S O F R E A DER S —

. VOL . I!

S T O RIE S OF

OU R W E S TER N BIR D S

E L I ! A BE T H A ND J OS E P H G R I NN E L L
‘

AU T H O R S OF “
OUR F E A T H E R E D F R I E N DS ,
” “
I
B R DS OF S ONG O
A ND S T R Y ,
”
E TC .

fi llu fi t r at e fl
BY

W . K . I
F SH E R
OF ST ANFO RD U N I V E R S IT Y

S AN F R A N C I SC O
TH E WH ITA K E R A N D R AY C OM P A N Y
(I N C O PO AT E D )
R R

1 903
 ’
L Y v

C O P Y R I G H T 1 90 3 B Y
, ,

TH E W HI TA KE R A N D R AY C O M P A NY
 PRE F A C E .

IT i s a m a tt e r o mm o n n o t i c e th a t bir d life o ff e r s t h e m o st
of c -

a ttr cti v e o u td oo o bj e t o f i n t e r e s t t o t h e a v e ra g e s c h oo l bo y
a r c .

T h e a l m o s t h u m a n p e r s on a l i ty o f bir d s t h e ir v a ri e d f o r m a n d ,

c o l o r th,e ir c e a s e l e s s a c ti v ity th e ir e v a s i v
, e n e s s — a 11 c on s p ir e ,

t o a r o u se a n i n t e n s e c uri o s ity A n d why s h o ul d w e n o t e n

.

c o ur a g e thi s c uri o s ity ? I i p r o p e rly d ir e c t e d it i s c e r ta i n ly a ,

v a lu a bl e a n d r e a d y i n ce n ti v e to b e s e i e d u p o n a n d h a rn e sse d
, z

i n to th e p r oc e s s o f e d u c ti o n T h e k e n n e s s a n d a cc ura c y o f
a . e

o b se r v a ti o n c ulti v a t e d by t h e o v e r c o m i n g o f th a t v e ry e lu s i v e

n e s s s o c h a r a c t e ri s ti c o f bir d s will r e m a i n l o n g a ft e r t h e bir d

,

it se lf i s f o rg ott e n I t i s a s ign i fi ca n t fa c t t h a t m a n y of ou r
.

gr e a te s t s c i e n ti s t s a n d p r o f e ss i n a l m e n a d m it th e ir e a rli e s t
o

a c ti v e i n t e r e s t t h a v e b e e n i n bir d s tu d y t o w hi c h s t a g e i n
o -
,

th e ir m e n t a l d e v e l o p m e n t w e m y a ttribut e g o d p a rt of th a t
a a o

tr i n i n g s o i n v a lu bl e i n th e ir l a t e r m o r e s e ri o u s li n e s of w or k
a a .

I n t h e f o ll o wi n g s i m p l e d e s c ri p ti v e s m y m o th e r a n d I h a v e ,

tri e d t o h e l p a r o u s e a n d d ir e c t i n t e r e s t i n bir d s tu d y a m on g -

s c h oo l c hil d r e n a s w e ll a s p o ss ibly o l d e r f o l k s
-
, , It h a s be e n
, .

ou r a i m t o p r e s e n t a f a ir a m o u n t o f i n f o r m a ti on but d ilut e d ,

with e n ough o f t h e c om m on p l a ce s o a s n o t t o ba l k t h e m os t ,

ti m i d s p irit of i nq uiry W e w a n t t h e r e d e r t o fi n i s h e a c h
. a

c h a p t e r with a W i s h t o fi n d o u t m o r e t hi n g s fo hi m se lf by r

d ir e c t ob se r va tio n of th li v i ng bir d e

J O S EP H G INN ELL
.

R .

S TAN FO U N I V I T C A L I FO N IA
RD ER S Y , R ,

Fe b ru ar y9 . 1 90 3 .

1 0 759 0
 CON TE N TS .

T HE L INN E T
TH E M O U NIN G D OV E
R

TH E BL A CK P H B E (E

WOO D PECKE R S
TH E C R OW 43
TH E WE S T E R RIQ O B I N E

TH E S ON G S P A OW
-
RR

THE BELT E D K IN G F I H E S R

THE CA L I F O NI A J R AY

A U D U B ON WA B LE
’
S R R

THE M O CK IN G B I D -
R

THE A E I CA N C O O T
M R

K I LL DEE P L OV E
R R

THE W E TE N G U L L
S R

D I FF E E N T S P A OW
R RR S

THE B A N K S W A L LO W
- .

THE C L I FF S W A LL O W
-

C E DA WA WIN G
R !

THE R O AD R U NN E
-
R

O UR WE T E N W E N
S R R S

T HE S H I KE
R B U TCH E B I D
, OR R- R

T HE B O W N P E LI C A N
R

THE A KAN A G
R S S O L D FI N C I I

THE T O W H EE S

T HE B U O WIN G O W
RR L

T HE A NN A H U M IN G B I D M -
R

T HE BU H T
S -
IT

WE T COA T T
S S H R US I I E S
 I LL U S T R A T I O N S .

L INN E T ’
S NE S T
TH E M O U NIN G D V E
R O

TH E BL A CK P H CE BE

YO U NG PH B IE E

T H E CA L I F O NI A VV O D R O PEC K E R

T H E F L I CKE R
T H E W E S T E N R O B IN R .

S ON G S P A R O W S
-
R

TH E BEL TE D K IN G F I S H E R

T H E C A L I F O R NI A J Y A

A U D U B ON S VVA R ’
B L ER

Y O U N G YELL OW WA B LE R R

M O CK IN G B I D -
R

Y O U N G M O CK IN G B I R D -

C OO T ,
OR M UD H E N -

K I LL D EE RS

GU LL S WA I T IN G T o B F D E E

T H E F o x S P A R OW -
R

WHI T E C OWN E D S P A R R O W
-
R

Y O U N G C HI PP IN G S PA O W RR S

TH E R O AD R U N N E R -

V I G ORS WR E N
TH E S H R I KE O B U T C H E B I D ,
R R- R

T H E A K A N S A S G O L DF IN C H
R

TH E B O W N R CA L I F O NI A T O WH EE
R O R

Y O U N G T O W H EE .

TH EB U R OWIN G O W L
R

Y O U NG B US H T -
IT

B U S H T I T S NE S T
-
’

TH EV A I ED TH U S H
R R
 TH E L INN E T .

H E l i nnets are o u r n earest n eig h

bo rs Th e only reaso n w h y th ey
.

d o n ot li v e i n th e h ouse with u s
i s bec a u se th ey ar e shut out by
th e screen s We l ov e th em W e
. .

i nvite them to stay with u s W e plant .

m any thi ngs o n p urp ose for them .

We feed th em at th e gard en tabl e -

.

B ut m an y p eopl e d o n ot l ov e them Th e pr etty .

bi rd s are p ersecuted i n way s we d o n ot car e to

d esc ribe T h e y are sh ot p oi son ed sto n ed hated
.
, , ,

m ore than a n y oth er bird s i n th e S outhwe st And .

for W hat reaso n ? W hy ,

“
farm e rs sa y they eat th eir
fruit bud s i n th e spri n g
-
,

an d what fruit th ere i s l eft

”
i n su mm er tim e -
.

W ell it s tr ue t hat l in
,
’

n ets d o eat som e fr u it

bud s B ut the whol e truth
.

i s th ey n ev er take half as
,

m any as they ought It

‘
.
8 WES TE RN SER I E S O F RE A DERS .

w oul d be better for th e tree s and better for th e

“ ”
m arkets if fewer bu ds w ere all owed to s e t .

I n s o uthern California thi s year m any p each , ,

Orc ha rd s h a v e b e en l eft t o d r op th ei r fruit o n the

g rou nd Ther
. e wer e to o m any
-
p each es to th e
tree a n d th e Sam e w i th th e ap ric ots T h e frui t
“

.
,

Wa s sm all Fi v e d oll ars a to n and som etim es

.
,

th ree d ollars was th e pri c e offer ed It d id n ot

,
.

pay th e grower s to m arket th e fruit Had there .

bee n only a few d oz en p each e s o r apri cots o n a

tree these few w ould hav e b rought go od return s
,
.

S O w e r ead i n th e farm ers pap ers thi s ad vic e

’

”
Thin ou t y ou r fruit i n th e spri ng ! Th e ordi
nary farm er d o e s n ot thi n k i t pay s hi m to hi re a
m an at two d ollar s a d ay to pick th e fruit from
th e o v erlad en bran ch es S O th e ap ric ot and .

p each o rchards are l eft to th ei r own w a y T h i s .

way i s to rip en b ush el s to th e tre e and t h e Se are ,

l ittl e thi ngs th e m arkets d o n ot want Th e l es s .

fr u it o n a tree th e larger an d fi n e r it i s su r e to be
,

“
'

wh en rip e Th e li n n ets woul d d o th e thi n nin g

.

”
out for th e farm ers i f th ey were n ot p ersec uted
,

so . Th e bi rd s wo uld take th e b ud s an d s o pay ,

th e far i n e r fo r what fruit they m igh t cl aim i n

“
sum m er But the farm er hate s th e sight o f a
. ,

lin n et an d i f h e sees a d oze n of th em i n a p eac h

”
,

tree i n the sp rin g or any other ti m e h e picks u p

, , ,
 TH E L IN NET . 9

s t on es and call s th e d og s and sets hi s

, , ow n b oys
after the p oor bird s and s om etim es d oes wors e ,

thi ngs .

In som e parts of Cal ifornia the R u s s ian thi stl e

i s m aki ng its w a y i nto the field s and gard en s .

Th e farm ers ar e frighten ed T h e y are h old ing .

“
up th ei r hand s an d c ry i ng What s hall w e d o ? , ,

”
What shall w e d o ? Th e li n n ets stand ing ,

cl ose by are m aki ng an swer W e will d o ! W e

-
,
“
,

”
will do ! Th e farm ers h ear them an d t hrow ,

m ore ston es at them T h e y d o n ot u nd erstand .

th e li n n et s la nguage ’
.

You m ay i m agin e t h i s is what th ey are s aying !

W e m u st h av e seed s for food m ore than hal f of
th e w h ol e y ear W e hav e alway s liv ed o n seed s
. .

Before th e p eopl e cam e an d s e t ou t o rc hard s w e ,

ate n othin g but s eed s an d s mall wild fruits If .

you wil l l et u s li ve and hav e a l ittl e of y ou r fruit

i n s u m m er w e will eat u p all the thi s tl e seed s as
,
-

fast a s th ey rip e n An d we will go on eati ng al l .

t h e w e ed seed s as w e hav e al way s d one

-
,
W e will .

b e p artn er s y ou an d w e an d d o each oth er good

, ,

tu r n s f
’

In fall and winter yo u m ay ta k e l o n g w al ks into

th e c ou ntry and s e e fo r y o u rsel ves what the li n
n et s are d oing You will fi nd th em i n fl ocks i n
.

weed patch es swi nging o n the s tem s c hatting

-
, ,
10 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F RE AD ER S .

ab out th ei r w o rk shellin g th e seed s from big and

,

littl e plants and picki ng up wh at hav e fall en to

,

th e ground Happy g o l ucky bi rd s they ar e w hen

.
- -

th ey are o ut O f th e farm er s reach An d thei r ’

.

s ongs are Very sweet Th e li n n ets are am on g o ur

.

v ery fi n est si ngers Pl easan t of v oic e they n ev er

.
,

“ ”
sc old n or s c rap with oth er bird s T h e y l ove
,
.

our h om e s .

B efore we b rough t frui t trees to Cal iforn ia and ,

s o b egan to hate th e l i n n ets th e M exi can s were ,

v ery ki nd to th e s e bird s E arly trav el ers tel l u s .

they n e s ted o n wi nd ow shelv e s un de r c ornic es i n

-
, ,

th e tiles of th e ro ofs o n any littl e break i n th e

,

ad ob e h ou se wal l s and ev e n o n th e picket fen c es

,
.

Th e nativ e p eopl e were fo nd O f them an d n ot ,

a child har m ed th em T h e y were c all ed th e .

“ ”
ad obe bi rd b ecause th e y l ov ed to be around
-
,

th e ad obe h ou ses .

In th e citi es of California th e l i n n ets buil d i n ,

shad e trees al ong th e streets But th ey are shy

-
.
,

th e m al e keepi ng well out o f sight Their nests .

ar e r obbed and th e Ol d bi rd s p ersecuted ev e n ,

th ough th e re i s n o frui t for th em to steal .

If th e city ch ild ren kn ew all th e fun th ere I S I n

tami ng th e l i n n ets th ey would n ot m i ss it for the
,

world .

W e will tell y ou a l ittle of W hat we ha v e d on e .

 TH E L I NNE T . 11

We ha v e li v ed i n a Californi a city for m any years .

O ur gro und s ar e large en oug h to gro w all th e

c om m o n fruits W e h a v e i nvited th e l in n ets to
.

stay wit h u s sum m e r a n d w inter Ther e ar e a

, .

d oze n n est s und e r t h e e a v es as many i n trees and

,

L INN ET S N E S T
’
.

shr ub s and n o end of n esti ng m aterial placed

,
-

withi n S ight an d reac h o f th e bird s We nail .

cigar boxes o n th e S id es of th e barn an d wood

-

S h ed
,
and be rry —
baskets i n th e tree s and u pp er
balc onie s Li nn ets n est ev erywh ere an d th ey
.
,

S ing th e y ear rou nd for us .

“
T hey will build n est s to ord er of al m ost any ,
12 WE S TER N SER IE S OF R E A D ER S .

sort of m aterial we giv e th em and i nvite u s to ,

watc h h ow th ey d o it They bring all th e oth er

.

bi rd s to th e groun d s s o we hav e a s m any as

,

thi rty fi v e v ari eti es in th e gard en i n th e c ourse o f

-

a few weeks .

D on t they eat ou r frui t ? O f c ours e th ey d o

’
.

Th ey are wel c o m e to th ei r sh are An d w e can .

truthfully s a y th ey tak e n o m o re tha n th ei r own

share We ha v e littl e tri ck s w e play fo r th em
. .

W e s o w th e m a l ettuc e bed pl an t berry v i n es

-
,
-
,

pl ac e c ull o ranges c ut i n h a l v e s ab o ut th e gard en ,

and alway s hav e th e tabl e s e t fo r th em And .

they d o n ot eat u s o ut of h ou s e an d h om e ! Lin

n ets m ake s o m uc h n oi s e ab out thei r m eal s p eo ,

pl e thi n k th ey eat m ore than they really d o If .

th ey w oul d keep still th e farm e r would n ot kn ow

,

they ar e i n h i s fruit tree s n o r would h e m i ss

-
,

what they tak e I t i s th ei r c on stan t c hatter that

.

giv e s the m away B ut we l ike th ei r c hatter ! It

.

woul d b e a d reary plac e fo r u s withou t t h e l i nn ets .

Th er e ar e pl enty of bi rd s an d oth e r p eopl e wh o

d o n ot si ng These are al w a y s s a d o r c r o s s
. _ .

Th ey d o n ot c heer th e worl d any D id y o u ev e r .

n otic e that th e p eopl e wh o h ate l i n n ets ar e c ro s s

pe opl e ? They tur n s o ur l ik e wilted p eac h es
,
.

If yo u woul d b e h appy as l in n ets th e wh ol e

tim e be com rad e s of the li n n ets Learn W hat
,
.
 T H E L I NN E T . 13

th ere i s good to s a y ab out th e bird s of whatever ,

sort a n d tell i t at h o m e and ab road D o n ot

, .

c ov et w hat th e bi rd s eat C over u p y our share of

.

th e berri es i n the gard en with m o squito n etti ng -

,

o r stand guard at t h e strawberry bed wh en the lin -

”
n ets an d S parrows ar e talki ng abo ut berry ti m e -
.

Y ou c an ge t u p with th e bi rd s an d hav e th e best ,

ti m e i n th e d ay b efor e s u n u p Whil e y o u are

-
.

keeping O ff th e bi rd s y o u c an l earn what there i s

,

to k now abo u t th e strawberry plants S ee the -

.

l ittl e baby strawberry run n ers ! Th ey are c hil

-

d ren of th e Ol d pl ants Th ey are ti ed to thei r

.

’
m other s apron stri ng u ntil they a re abl e to get
-

th eir own l i ving O it i s a good thing fo r l in

.
,

n ets an d b oy s and gi rl s to b e al iv e i n California !

, ,

Th ey m igh t go to sch ool togeth er T here i s n o .

bi rd s o fitted to b e about th e sc ho olh ous e a s the

li n n et S upp o s e th e c hild ren of th e lower grad es
.

S p ent hal f an h o ur a day watc hi ng th em ? A nd

’

supp ose th ere was a lettuc e b ed o r a littl e straw

-

berry patch u nd er th e wi nd ow o n p urp ose for

-

both to study ? It would be a s good for th e c hil

d ren as playing m arbl es A n owl s n e st i n th e
.
’

bel fry and a l ettuc e bed u nd er th e wind ow ! Ah !

,
-

th ese w oul d m ake a kind ergarten i nd eed .

T h e wisest m en an d wom en an d th e smallest

child ren are taki ng m ore i ntere s t in bi rds than
14 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF R E A D ER S .

ev er b efo re Bi rd books fo r read i ng are fo u nd i n

.
-

n early all o u r sc h ool s i n A m e ric a Peopl e a re .

begin n i n g to u nd erstan d that bi rd s were m a d e

fo r s om ethi n g bette r th an to kill fo r s po rt o r to ,

eat o r to w ea r i n h o rri bl e s h ape s o n b on n ets

, .

E v ery bod y i s wan ti n g to fi n d o u t s o m ethi ng

n e w ab out ou r bi rd s Profe s s o rs fro m o u r u ni
.

v e r s i ti e s are goi n g to th e fa r O ff c o rn e rs Of th e -

w orl d t o t h e i sl and s to t h e p ola r an d th e to rrid

, ,

regio n s t o stud y bi rd s T hey wan t to fi nd o ut

, .

all th e re i s to k now a bout th ei r way s th eir n es t ,

i n g h abits th ei r p l u mage T h e sc h o ol c hild re n

,
.

o f th e W es t c ould b e a g re a t h el p to th e sci en ti fi c
wo rl d by l earni ng n ew thin gs a b out o u r c om m on
bi rd s T a k e t h e l i n n ets fo r i n s tan c e H o w m any
.
,
.

sorts o f w e e d s eed s d o they eat

- ? I t w ould give
th e b oy s a n d gi rl s m a ny a l on g tram p to fi n d thi s
ou t an d th ey s h oul d ma k e n ote s o f what they s e e
, ,

i n a littl e n ote boo k c ar ri ed i n th e p oc ket T h ey

-
.

c oul d b rin g h o m e s p eci m en s o f all th e see d s and ,

th e b otany teac h er c o ul d nam e th e m A n d by .

an d by e v en th e farm e rs wo ul d c han ge th ei r
m i n d s ab o ut th e l in n ets all o n ac c o u nt of w hat
,

th e c hil d ren hav e fo un d out An d th e l i n n ets .

will be l o v e d i n stead o f h ated a s c ertai n sp ar

, ,

r ow s i n th e N ew E n glan d S tate s are n o w lo v e d

fo r w h at th ey a re d oing fo r m an wh ere y ear s , ,

ago t h ey were d e s p ised a nd d ri v e n away

,
.
 TH E M O UR N IN G DO V E .

IK E
all the pigeon fam i ly th e m ou rn ,

i n g d ov e h as a v ery s m al l head ,

s e t o n broad sh ould ers A ny .

ch il d would rec ogni z e i t at a

gl an c e A s fo r i ts s on g i ts
.
,

nam e d esc ri be s i t a sa d ,
-

c oo o o v e ry l o w o r quite
-
, ,

l ou d an d stron g I t i s s o m eti m e s a s weet n ote

. .
,

with l e ss o f th e sad n e s s B ut i t i s tru e that th e

.

'

v oic e o f t h e m o u r n i n g d o v e n eve r c h eers a p er

“

son U
p,
l ik e th at o f th e fl icke r an d th e r obi n .

Th e n esti n g s ea s on of this d ov e i s fro m F eb

r u ar
y to S eptem ber T.h e n e st itsel f i s a flat
structu re with n o attem pt o n th e part of th e
,

build ers to S h ow skill o r beauty J u st a few stic ks .

an d straw s and i t i s d on e I t m ay b e o n the

, .

grou n d o r i n lo w bu s h es o r h igh er i n th e tr ees

, ,
.

An d th e eggs are o nly two ,

o f a sp otl es s white .

B ot h paren t bird s feed

th e y oun g by regurgitatin g
th e fo od th ey hav e th em
15
16 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F RE A D ER S .

sel v e s eaten and partly d ige sted Y ou will seld om .

se e m o urn i n g d ov es i n c om pac t fl ocks l i ke th e ,

blackbi rd s an d fi nch es Th ey ar e m ost Often i n .

pairs o r i n group s o f fou r o r s i x

,
Th ey are v ery .

fearl es s d urin g th e s ea s o n i n whi c h th ey are p ro

t e c te d by l aw and are so m eti m e s seen with th e
,

h en s i n th e barn yard s o r i n stubble fi e l d s cl o se

-
,
-

to th e farm h ous e Th ey a re grou nd bi rd s and

-
.
-
,

get th ei r livin g by w hat th ey pick p u — seed s ,

an d grai n s and p erhap s so m e fruits like grap es

,

an d berri es .

A pai r o f m o urnin g d ov e s are true and faithful

to e a c h o th er and are said to be m ated fo r l i fe
, .

Bu t th e life O f any d ov e i n th e W est m ay be v ery

S h o rt i nd eed F ro m A ugus t l s t to F ebr uary l s t
.

th ey are h u nted and sh ot with out m e rcy

D uri n g th e s um m er th ey were so ha ppy and s o ,

tam e ! T h ey wo ul d c om e to d ri n k at foun tain s

and stream s righ t i n y ou r sight and Often fly ,

past y o u s o n ear yo u c ould hav e touc h ed th em

, .

B ut o n e m o rn i ng th ere cam e a sud d en fright to

th e trustful littl e d ov es ; an d befo re th ey k n ew
w hat was h a p p en ing a d oz en s hots were i n th e,

ai r and a s m any flutterin g bi rd s fell d ead Mates

, .

wer e separated p aren ts and c hild ren were l o s t to

,

on e an oth er an d th ose wh o escap ed on that

,

m orn in g were h u nted th e n ext day It d o es n t .

’
18 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F RE A DE R S .

u s ually afraid and to refus e to be tam ed ev en

, ,

w h en th ey ar e p etted an d fed for a l o n g w h il e .

Ther e was s o m ethin g v ery w ond erful h app en ed

to u s a y ear ago W e w ere i n th e gard en talking
.
,

about th e th r ush es and th e p h oebe s an d th e l i n

, ,

n ets wh en th er e cam e th e whi rr of wi ngs an d a

, ,

m ou rni ng d o ve alighted i n a p ear tree c l os e to

wh ere w e we re stand i ng We looked at on e .

an oth er i n wond er when th e bi rd fl ew straigh t to

,

on e o f u s an d alighted o n hi s shoul d er F rom .

that d ay on and fo r n early a year th at mourn ing

, ,

d ov e was ou r h o u s eh old p et It wen t i n a n d o ut .

o n ou r h ead s o r sh o uld ers sl ept o n th e picture ,

fra m e s o r th e c u rtain p ol es or o n th e c up board-

,

d oors It ate only bi rd seed which th e canary

.
-

left w h e n it fl ew away and a v ery few bread ,

cru mb s We k n ew it to be a fem al e becau s e it

.
,

lacked the s hi ni ng ti nts and v el vety sp ots of th e

m al e .

It went away on e d ay but return ed after sev ,

eral week s and s eem ed glad to be bac k again

,
.

W e l earn ed to l ov e it v ery m uc h And s tran gers .

wond er ed wh e n th ey cam e to s e e u s Th e fi rst

,
.

thi ng a v isito r woul d kn ow wh en seated w a s a , ,

fl utter fro m th e n ext r oom and th e d ov e alighted ,

o n h i s or h er hat ( Thi s I s th e only bird on a

.

l ad y s hat which w e hav e ev er enj oyed l ooki ng at ;

’
 TH E M O U RN I N G D O V E . 19

an d the only on e we have ev er seen whic h had a

n atural l ook ) .

I f th e v i s itor wer e a ge ntl eman th e d ov e fl ew ,

straight to h i s bare h ead and p eeped over hi s

forehead a s i f to see wh a t c ol o r hi s eye s were
,
.

But D ov i e al way s preferred ladi es and girl s ; and

c hild ren s h e l oved flying bac k an d forth from
,

on e to an other as i f d el ighted to s e e th em In .

spring sh e began to peep i nto th e cl o sets a n d ov er

th e sh el ves an d i n th e baskets and hats and
,

pap er bags All th e tim e s h e w ould c oo —

.
“
oo

l ow to hersel f an d som etim es fl y to o ur should ers

,

an d rub h er pretty head o n o u r c h eek s and cares s

o ur fac es with h er beak .

O n e d ay on e of th e fam ily was m aki n g gi nger

co oki es an d went to th e cl oset fo r th e spic es
,
.

There o n tO p of th e spic e box w a s a hand ful o f

,
-
,

twin e and i n th e m iddl e of th e twi n e a white egg

,
.

Af t er thi s d uring t h e su m m er D ovi e m ad e

, ,

seven n ests a n d laid s ev en eggs Sh e n ever laid .

m ore than on e egg i n th e sa m e pl ace And th e .

n e sts were li g ht and l o ose j u st as th e n ests of the

,

m o urn ing d o ve ar e m ad e i n th e wi ld s N o a t .

tem pt a t buil ding u p th e sid es o r at soft li nings ,

.

S om etim es s h e took only bits o f white cl oth and

strings an d t w ic e S h e went to th e work basket
,
-

and sel ected pr etty bits of lac e and baby ribbo n .

20 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F R E A D ER S .

Thi s partic ularly n ic e n est s h e m ad e on t O p of th e

pian o i n th e parl or und er the brea s t s of a c oupl e
,

of stu ffed wh ite ptarm igan .

S h e m ad e o n e n e st o n th e l ibrary sh el f on e i n ,

th e crown o f an ol d hat on th e back sc reen p orch ,

on e o n th e sh el f i n th e cl othe s cl oset and on e b e-

,

tween two p egs wh ere cl oth es w ere han gin g .

Th ere happen ed to b e a d res s sl eev e caught aslant

of th e tw o p egs and on thi s s h e m ad e h er n est
,

an d l aid h e r egg .

Th e wh ol e sto ry o f our D ovi e w ould m ake s e v

eral c hapters W e hav e tol d e n ough ab out h er to
.

m ake y o u wi sh that yo u had a wil d d ov e c om e to

y o u an d liv e i n y ou r h ou se fo r a w h ol e y ear .

Wh en y ou are o ut i n th e fi eld s o r fo othill s an d ,

s ee th e d ov es pl eas e call
,
“
D ovi e D o vi e and
”
, , ,

p e rh ap s o u r p et will c om e to y o u But d o no t .

sh oot h er ! Ind eed n o h un te r c oul d h av e th e

,

h ear t to sh o ot h er for i f sh e saw h i m i n tim e she

, ,

wo u l d fly straight to hi s should er and s a y ,

C o o o o c oo oo
-
,
-
.
 TH E B LA C K PH CE BE .

T S nam e i s alway s Ph oebe old ,

or young mal e or femal e , .

An d th e bird nam ed itsel f .

F o r fear w e m igh t forget ,

an d call it S u san or Magg i e , ,

or Mary or Tom o r Charl es

, ,

“ ”
it keep s saying Ph oe be , ,

ov er an d ov er th e w hol e y ear
,
.

E ac h bird call s its m ate Ph oe be an d th e par ,

ents call all thei r y ou n g on es Ph oe be ; and th ey

”
al l together c ry Ph oebe wh e n they are h un gry .

You h ear it fro m th e bar n or h ou se roof from ,

l ow w eed s talks from th e top of the gard en h y

-
,

d rant from th e wood pil e anywh er e from any

,
-
,

l ookout point Th e plai ntiv e n ote c om es from

.

th e cl othe s li n e wh er e th e bird balanc es tiltin g

-
, ,

up an d d own u ntil it can

R E FE R E N CE T O P I C S
ca tch s ight of that in s ect
agai n Th h y i d t y e one n u s r .

L if hi t y f b
.

- s or o e e s
e .

P 9 0 P19 Wh O are n O t S i l d l it y i
oc a a n so a r n

c h eerful by nature d o n ot “ se e !

St t f ti g n
l i ke th e ph oe be s n ote
ru c u r e o s s .
’
.

21
 TH E BLACK P IK E B E . 23

But m erry fol ks wh o l ike to l augh at anything

, ,

will tel l y ou th ey l ov e t o h ear it e s p ecially on a ,

foggy m ornin g .

Th er e sits th e bird right before you on th e top

.

O f th e barn d o o r whi c h y ou l eft Op en ! Sh e is

-
,

turn i n g h er h ead to o n e si de i n th e familiar w a y

s h e has . Sh e ru ffl es h e r s m al l c rest and l ooks ,

all ov er as i f sh e had d ressed for breakfast i n a

h urry Her habit of li fti n g h er feath ers gives
.

on e th e I d ea that s h e i s a v ery c arel es s bird ,

al way s i n p oor d ress B ut it i s n ot s o ! Sh e is.

ti dy e v en when S h e i s on th e edge of th e puddl e

,

fo r m ud S h e m ay hav e a b e a k fu l b u t n ot a
.
,
'

sp eck i s o n h e r breast o r fac e or wings , ,

.

W e leav e th e gard en hyd ran t d ripping on pur

p os e for Ph oeb e from Marc h to August a s thi s i s
, ,

h er n esting ti m e ; and p h oeb e bi rd s m u s t hav e

- -

water at n esting tim e -

.

S h e m ay brin g off th ree b rood s d uri ng th e

S prin g an d sum m er With fo ur to a bro od that
.
,

woul d m ak e twelv e y oun g phoe bes a y ear for eac h

nest m ad e And yet ph oebe bi rd s are n o t s o v ery
.
-

c om m o n ab out our h om es W e hav e but on e or .

two pairs with u s th ough we tem pt them to c om e

,

by all th e ways we kn ow .

Th e phoe bes build und er th e eav e s i f they can ,

fi nd the l east sh elf fo r th e first l oad of mud .

24 W E S T E RN S E R I E S O F RE A D ER S .

With too s mall fou nd ati on s th es e n es t s u sually

,

fal l by th ei r own weight .

You m ay se e th e ph oebe s p eepin g about u n d er

all th e c ornic es al m ost any day i n th e y ear To
,
.
.

b e su re th ei r m ai n e rrand i s for food ; but th ey

,

YO U N G P H CE B E .

tak e n otes about th e good n esti ng n o oks an d r e -

,

m em ber wh en th e ti m e c om es .

W e n ail cigar boxe s u nd er th e barn ea v es for

-

th e p h oe b es W e hav e a p a i r whic h hav e n ested

.

i n o n e b ox fi v e ti m es It i s u nd er th e p roj ecting
.

g abl e of a l ow stabl e ro of on th e n,
o rth sid e .

Th ey s eld om c h o ose th e south or we st Th ey like .

26 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF RE A D E R S .

W ell th e p h oe bes are v ery fond of th es e big

,

d ron es M other p h oebe s natch ed o n e as i t w a s

.

boom in g back to th e h iv e An y on e even a bi rd .

, ,

can tell by th e s oun d wh en d ron e s ar e i n th e ai r .

Sh e b rought i t to th e trelli s an d ban ged i t agai n st

th e bar T h en sh e gav e i t to a y oun g ph oe be
. .

Y o u sh ould h av e s een th e fun ! G et you rsel f a

beehi v e an d you will s oo n ha v e th e ph oe be s ab out
,

y ou r pl ac e Th e li ttl e p h oe be n ext to the m oth er

.

too k th e d ro n e a nd th e n ext y oun g ph oeb e

,

snatc h ed at th e oth er end o f hi m E ac h pull ed .

a s h ard as i t c ould and of c our s e th e d ro n e cam e

,

i n two s om ewh ere B ut th e tail of th e d ron e h ad

.

n o sti n g and s o th e fel l ow that g ot th e h ead w a s

,

n o better off than i ts b roth er w h o got th e tail ,

.

D ron es n eve r d o hav e a stin g a nd that i s th e ,

reas on th e m oth er p h oeb e l ik e s to feed th e m to

h er y oun g o n e s And s h e taugh t th em early to
.

c h oos e th e d ron es w h en n ear th e hiv es And,

.

s h e w a s teachin g th em to sit still and watch A .

good l e s so n for anybody to l earn !

Ph oe b e d oes n ot catc h i n sects while s oari ng on
th e wi ng as th e swal lows an d swi fts d o Sh e sits
,
.

o n th e watc h and m akes a d i ve o r l un ge th rough

th e air j u st as th e kingfi sh er sits on hi s p erch
,

an d di ve s i nto th e water for fi sh .

S om eti m e s th e ph oebes see a s a w bug or s mal l -

 TH E BL AC K P H CE B E . 27

beetl e crawling o n th e ground and they m ak e a ,

d i v e fo r it n ot walki ng or e v e n standi ng o n th e
'

ground but sup porting th em sel ves by thei r W i n gs

,

whil e th ey s natch it Th ei r feet like th e feet of

.
,

th e h u m m ing bi rd s ar e m ad e for p erc hi n g n ot

-
, ,

for walkin g o r stand in g o n flat surfac es .

O n c e o u r p h oeb e w a s late i n relini ng her old

n est u n der ou r ea v es i n th e box an d li n n et laid ,

h er own eggs i n it Ph oeb e cam e and tol d her i n

.
,

a v ery m ou rn ful v oic e that th e n e st w a s hers ; ,

that s h e had built i t i n th e fi rst pl ac e and h a d ,

al ready occ upi ed it fo u r ti m es B ut li n n et .

“
would n t m ov e out S h e said s h e had rented
’
.

”
th e h ouse for th e season and p h oebe would have ,

to g o s om ewh ere el s e At l east thi s i s what we .

,

supp osed s h e w a s saying .

Ph oeb e pull ed at l in n et s sh oulder a nd sai d ’

harsh er n otes to her Th en S h e called father .

ph oe b e and they b oth tri ed to get li n n et o ut of

,

th e n est Li n n et p oked h er b eak out at them a s

.
!

i f to fi ght th em but cu ddl ed d own m ore fi rmly

,

i nto th e n est Then s h e called father lin n et and

.
,

h e a rgu ed An d they all four argu ed At last

. .

th e p h oebe s gav e it up and wen t off to a n eigh ,

bor s b arn But th ey watch ed th eir turn and

’
.
,

on e d ay a s soon as th e youn g lin n ets had tum

,

b l ed out of th e n est ph oeb e to ok her place no r , .

28 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF RE A D E R S .

did s h e gi v e it up wh en li n n et asked h er Twic e .

h as li n n et had that n est an d fi ve ti m e s has ,

’

ph oeb e had it E ac h bird rel i n es i t b e fo r e layin g

.

h e r eggs Th e s wall ow cla i m ed i t l ast s um m er

.
,

as y o u will s e e i n th e s wall ow chapte r .

Th e blac k p h oeb e i s o n e of o ur m o s t trustful

bi rd s and i s re sid en t all o ver Cali fo r nia It l ive s
,
.

o n i n sect fo od and s o i s a v ery go od fri en d to the

,

farm er an d th e h ou s ekeep er I t i s u p earl y fo r

. .

th e fl i e s o n th e screen s an d u nd er th e spouting ,

an d sits up l ate fo r th e i n s ects that l ov e t h e twi

l ight It has b een s een to catc h m oth s an d lac e
.

wi ngs by lam plight .

W e hav e n ot s een th e mal e as s i st at th e n e st

build in g but h e i s al way s cl os e b y to h ear th e call
,
-

o f hi s m ate He h el p s to feed th e y o un g a nd to
.

teac h th e m h o w to fl y Sh o uld th ey fal l i n a t .

tem ptin g to o l ong a fl ig h t for th e fi rst ti m e h e ,

fl i es str aight d own to them an d tell s u s exactl y

wh ere to fi n d th em Th e y oun g d o n ot l eav e th e
.

n e st a s early as oth e r b i r d li n gs whic h ar e hatch ed

from n e s ts i n bush e s and cl ose trees Th e ph oebe s .

are u sually high u p an d c an s e e n othi n g to tem pt

,

th em out of th e n est Y o u m ay s e e th em p eepi ng

.

ov er i n a hal f frighten ed way If they c atc h sight

-
.

o f y ou th ey will b ob th ei r h ead s d own behind

,

the n est rim If y ou cli m b to th e n est and p ut

.
 TH E BLACK P H CE B E .
’

29

u p y ou r hand exp ecti n g to fi nd out h o w y oung

,

ph oebes would l o ok and feel i n th e pal m o f y our

‘

hand yo u wil l b e d isappoi nted O ut will fly all

,
.

fou r of them b efor e you to uc h th em An d i t i s .

surpri s in g what a l o ng j ou rn ey thi s fi rst fl ight

u sually i s They m ust b e s urp ri s ed them selves
. .

How d id th ey kn ow th ey h a d win gs ? But y o u

frighten ed them an d th e wings of a scared bird
,

s ee m to gro w i n h alf a m in ute o r l ess .

Th ey hav e been seen far d own i n m i ne shafts -

.

Th e p hoe bes d o n ot n e st i n c ol on i es l i ke the ,

‘

swal lows W e hav e no t se en a ph oe be s n e s t n e ar

.
’

th e n est o f any of h e r p h oe be fri end s T h e y li k e

'

to b e al on e .

Th ere i s a l ittl e boy i n San Lui s R ey wh om we ,

hav e n ot seen but wh o writes u s letters about the

,

bi rd s h e sees aro un d hi s h om e He i s to o y oung.

to go to sc h ool and writes i n p ri nt O nc e h e

,
.

mad e th e p icture of a bird whic h h e told u s was

“
ve ry tam e about th e hou s e but l ov es to stay all
,

by him self ” “
v ery black with a white wa i stc oat
,
.

“ ”
An d would w e pl eas e tell hi m what it was ?
“
Had h e n ot tol d u s a word about th e white
waistc oat a n d th e bird s h abi t of sittin g all
”
,
’ “

alon e w e shou ld h av e rec ogniz ed th e ph oe b e by

its picture d rawn with p en and i nk Th e h ead .

i s l arge and slightly c rested an d th e l ong black

,
30 W E S T ERN S E RI E S OF RE A D ER S .

wings d roop well d own It i s a spl end id picture

.

of a p h oeb e Th e l ittle boy w h o c ould d raw it at

.

s ev e n y ears of age wil l so m e d ay m ake an Aud u

bo n o r a Wils o n .

I f c hild ren w ould m ore often m ake a pictu re

of th e bi rd s th ey s e e what a fi n e p hotograp h
,

al bum they would have by and by ! Lear n th e

expressi o n o f th e wh ol e b ody — h ow th e head i s
,

carried how l ong th e l egs are and what s o rt of

, ,

beak and feet t h e s ubj ect h a s A n ote book with

.
-

a p ictur e o n eac h page w oul d b e s o i nteresti ng !

Th e picture wo uld h ead th e p age and be neath it ,

woul d b e th e w ritte n d esc rip tion c ol ors habits , , ,

food and pl ac e of resid enc e T ry i t !

, .
 DP E C K E R S .

O U L D the wo od p ecker tell hi s

own s tory i t would b e worth ,

th e h earing an d t a ke h i m a ,

good Whil e to tell it .

It woul d n eed n o patie nc e on o ur

’

part to l i s te n fo r n o oth er bird has way s s o d rolly

,

i nteresti ng —‘

n o n ot even th e j ay o r th e c ro w
, ,

An d h e ought to b e abl e to tell a good story ‘

,

with suc h a tongu e as h e has i n hi s saucy h ead .

.

N ot that h e u s es hi s ton gue to tal k o r to si ng

with ; but h e d oes str a nger thi ngs with it .

If y o ur ey es are sharp an d yo u are abl e to ,

stan d quite still am ong th e oak s s o n obody will ,

kn ow y ou ar e ab out yo u may chanc e to catc h a

,

gli m p se of wo od p ecker s ’

tongu e N ot that h e w a s
.

“
e v er k n own to put out
”
h i s tongue fo r anybody
to s e e ,
n ot h e !
-
He
thr usts it o ut s ud denly ,

and i nto crevic es of bark ,

and c racks anywhere ,

31
34 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

w ood p ecker you might ask th e teac her to di ssect

,

th e h ead s o all th e c hild ren i n th e r oo m c ould

,

se e exactly h o w th e to ngu e w orks Y o u w ould .

fi nd that i t i s d ivid ed i n th e thr oat i nto a pai r of

slend e r gri stl e bo n es Th es e bon e s p as s cl ear
.

ov er th e back of th e skull c o mi ng d ow n i n front

,

to b en eath th e n o stril s A n arro w strip of .

m u scl e goes al o n g with them to h elp t h em m ov e ,

back an d forth S o wh en a wood p eck er pl ea s es

.
, ,

h e i s abl e to str etc h his tongue far b ey ond hi s

beak .

And th e bird has us e en ough fo r suc h a ton gue .

It d oes i ts best wo rk i n the d ark It i s so sen si .

tiv e w e m ight al m ost c on cl ud e th e bi rd sm ell s

,

with i t If i t fin d s a n i n s ect to o sma ll fo r th e

.

barbs to get go od h old of th e wo od pecker wets th e

,

ti p o f its tongue with sal i va from i ts m outh O f .

c ourse th e i n s ect sti cks an d c om es ou t o f its

,

hid ing plac e j u st as th e w ood pecker would have

-
,

it It i s o n th e sam e p ri n cipl e that y ou w e t th e

.

end o f you r fi nger to pick up a v ery small flat

seed .

Th e saliv a of th e wo od pecker i s ma d e after a

s ticky fashi on ; and th e m ore th e i n sect kicks
”
agai n st th e tangl ef oot paste th e cl o s er it stick s ,

to th e tongu e of th e bi rd .

But th e tongue would be of littl e s ervic e with

 W OO D P E C KER S . 85

out th e beak behi nd i t Th e beak i s s trong and

.

hard It i s ham m er an d auger and ax and

.
, , ,

wed ge .

A few feet from th e wi nd o w wh ere w e are

writi ng i s on e of th ose great black wal nut trees w e
hav e m entio n ed b e fore Thi s v ery m i nute a .

woodpecker i s h am m ering away with all hi s

m ight Hi s big h ead b obs u p a n d d own as i f it
.

were a ham m er head d ri vi ng a n ail i n to th e tree

-
.

He i s h old ing o n by hi s toes an d partly bracing ,

him self by th e tip s of his p oi nted tai l feath ers -

.

His toes are n ot like tho s e of m o st bi rd s .

Th ere are t w o of them that p oi n t forward and ,

two that p oi nt bac kward o r d own ward wh en h e , ,

i s o n th e tree trunk H e has n o fear of fallin g or

-
.

slipping H e m ight take a nap i n th e selfsam e

.

p ositi on wer e w e n ot goin g to op en th e d oor at

‘

thi s partic ular m om ent .

W e go out to w ard s th e tree sil e ntly and sl owly .

W o od pecker ob s er v e s u s and take s a hitc h

‘'

arou nd th e trunk in a fashi o n o f hi s o w n He .

would ha v e u s thi nk h e h a s go ne away to th e

wood s W e Wait ! W e kn ow hi s tricks ! N ow
.

hi s big round h ead app ears slyly from b ehind th e

tree and h e takes a hu rried lo ok o ur w a y N o w
,
.

h e takes an oth er h itch an d s o we foll ow hi m ,

quite ar ound the tree He s te ps to hamm er b e

.
36 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F RE A DER S .

twee n sp ell s and thi s gi ve s us tim e to walk cl oser

, .

O u r g r e a t Am erican bi rd stud ent Au d u bon tell s

’

, ,

thi s story of the woodp ecker as h e kn ew th e

bird
“
W h en alighted o n a fenc e stake by th e r oad -

o r in a fi eld an d on e app roac hes th em th ey

, ,

grad ually m ov e sid ewi s e out o f sight peepi ng n o w ,

and th en to d i sc ove r y ou r i n te nti on W he n y o u .

are q uite cl o s e and opp osite th e bi rd s wil l l i e still

,

u ntil y o u h av e p assed w he n th ey h O p to th e top

!

of th e stak e a n d rattl e up o n i t wit h th ei r bill as i f ,

well pl eased wi th th ei r trick S h oul d y o u a p .

p roach withi n arm s l en gth which y ou m ay often

’
-
,

d o th e wo od p ec ke r fl i e s to th e n ext stake be nd s
, ,

hi s h ead to p eep and rattl es agai n a s i f to i n vite

, ,

you to go o n wit h th e gam e H e alights o n th e .

roof of th e h ou s e goes along it beats th e shi ngl e s

, , ,

utters a c ry and d iv es d own i nto y our gard en to

,

”
h el p h i m sel f to y our b est strawberri es .

Whe n ou r wo od p ecker fli es h e l o oks as i f h e ,

wears a wh ite gown with a bl ack cloak thrown

,

o v er h i s shoul d ers an d a c ri m so n cap o n hi s

,

head A s for hi s ey es th ey are white o r pi nk

.
, ,

and th ey l o ok s o d rol l s om ethi ng l ike th e ey e s of

,

th e blac kbird s o n the lawn .

N ow h e i s run ni ng up and d own an d all around

a p epp er tree i n th e fro nt gard en We s h ould .
 W OO D P E C KER S . 37

say that h e ru n s up an d backs d own th e tree ; for

,

h e d o es n ot ru n h ead d own as th e c reep er and ,

som e of its rel ation s d o .

He i s m aking littl e r oun d h ol es i n th e bark of

th e p epp er tree H e has al ready m ad e thi s tree
.

l o ok v ery od dly m arked a s if it wer e d on e on

,

p urp os e to show u s what a fi n e w ood carv er h e is -

.

S o m e of th e hol es are i n r ows an d oth ers scat ,

te r e d o r i n im p erfect ri ngs Many of th em were

.

m ad e s om e ti m e ago and ar e full o f white s a p

, ,

n ow d ri ed i nto wh ite g um o r resi n Wood p ecker .

pick s thi s gu m out but h e has better m an n ers

,

than to c h e w it i n c om pany I nd eed h e n ever .

,

d oes c h ew i t at all W e supp os e it m elts or soft

.

en s after it i s s w all owed an d d ige sts,

.

S om e of th e littl e h ol e s i n th e bar k are ol d and

black and th e bi rd fi nd s n othi n g i n them He
,
.

sim ply p eep s i nto th em a s h e goes around ,

m aki ng fresh h ol e s and taki n g gum fro m oth ers

,
.

He m ay i magi ne i t was h im self that stored th e

white gum i n th e h ol es a s h e i s kn own to store
,

other thi ngs T h e truth i s h e si m ply bored th e

.
,

h ol e and th e tre e sec reted th e gu m for him

,
.

F i rst i t was j uic e an d th en i t c on geal ed i nto wax

,
.

You can taste it fo r yoursel f You will won der .

what woodp ecker wants of s uc h gu m a s that .

S om e wo odp eckers ar e thrifty They hav e a .

38 W E S T ERN S E R I E S O F RE A D ER S .

“ ”
way of savi ng som ethi ng for a rai ny day whic h ,

other p eopl e w oul d d o w ell to im itate O n e ki nd

, .

“ ”
of woodp ecke r call ed th e flicker w a s seen to
, ,

d rop ac orn s i n to a h ol e i n th e roof o f an old barn .

A S ofte n as h e d ropp ed th e n u t i n h e p eeped d own ,

to s e e it b ut it wa s o ut of sight U s ually h e can

, .
,

TH E F L I CKE R .

se e what h e i s hidi n g and j udge i f it i s pr op erly

,

d on e N ot s eein g h i s ac orn h e w en t o n d roppi ng

.
,

m or e into th e h ol e as i f h e w ere b en t on filli ng it

,

to th e b ri m But it was m or e o f an un dertaki n g

.

th an h e supp osed H e gav e i t u p after a few d ays

. .

I t w oul d h av e taken m or e ac orn s th an a h und red

wo od p eckers c oul d fi n d to fill that em pty old
barn That w a s a good j oke !
.

W o odp ecker s make th ei r n est s at th e en d of

 W OO D P E C KER S . 39

l ong d eep h ol es i n tre e trunks A boy see s a

, .

h ole far u p th e si d e of an old tree an d h e thinks ,

” “
n ow i s h i s c h a nc e
'
Has n t h e wi s hed h e
.
’

c oul d fi n d a wood p ecker s n est fo r many a day ? ’

After a whil e after breaki n g h i s sus pend ers and

, ,

teari n g h i s cloth es an d gettin g sm ut from last,

y ear s fore st fi res all ov er h im sel f h e reach es th e

’
,

h ol e It i s m uc h d eeper th an b e supp osed Hi s

. .

arm seem s sh orte r than i t ought to be an d h e ,

tri e s th e other arm S h oul d h e reac h th e bottom

.

of on e n e s t out o f hal f a d o zen that h e i s l ucky ,

en ough to fi n d h e m ay wi s h h e h ad n t ; for
,
’

snake s v ery often m ak e thei r h om es i n suc h pl ac es

after th ey ha v e been d eserted by thei r origi nal
o w n ers Po s sibly th e bi rd h as tol d th e boy ex
.

a c tl
y wh ere to fi n d th e n est by d roppin g a pi l e o f ,

chip s at th e foot Wo odp ecker s an d carp enter

.

bee s ha v e a w a y of scatteri ng th ei r c hip s abo u t at

th e b ase of t h e tre e they are w orki n g in Th u s .

”
are th ese w orkm en kn own by thei r c hips a s ,

says th e old ad age .

Th e eggs o f th e wood pecker are from fou r to

Si x
. Th ey are w hite and gl ossy l ike the c hina ,

eggs u sed for n est eggs i n a p oultry yard

- -
.

Besid es in sects und er l ea v e s u nd er bark and , ,

i n d ecayed w ood som e woodp ecker s catc h m oth s

,

and fl i es o n th e wi ng alm ost a s wel l as th e true

fl y catch ers
-
.
40 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D E R S .

“
I n fruit an d n u t tim e th ey li ve high and ,

th i s i s wh en th e farm er wi she s th ere w ere n t any ’

wood p ecker s an d h e sets hi s b oy s to s h o e i n g

,
“

th e bi rd s away .

I f th e b oy s s urp ri se a wood p ecker i n th e o r

c hard a t a late ap pl e tree h e will pl unge hi s beak ,

i n to a sam pl e an d fly o ff to c ov e r wi t h it as m uc h ,

“ ’
a s to s a y I ll h av e o n e ou t o f y ou r hu nd red s
, ,

”
any w a y! F oll ow m e an d get i t !
W o od p eck e r kn ows a c o rn fi e ld fro m a m ar sh -

m ead ow o r a n o range o rc hard ; an d h e l ove s to

stri p d ow n th e c o rn h u s k s H e li sten ed o ut s id e
-
.
,

cl ingin g to th e tall stal k an d h e h eard th e fat ,

worm gn awi n g i ts o wn b reak fa s t i n sid e In .

takin g th e w orm h e i n cid entally tastes o f th e

,

m il ky sweet j uic e o f th e c o rn an d s m ack s h i s

, ,

m outh fo r m o re T h e farm e r thi nk s h e c om e s

.

fo r th e c orn w h e n i n truth h e i s after th e w or m s

, ,

that a re th ere befo re h i m Bu t wo od peck e r an d .

M r F arm e r h av e a m i s und e r s tand i n g ab o ut th e

.

m atter N O Od pe c k e r i s waiti ng with m any oth e r

V
.
,

bird s fo r th e boys to tell th e farm ers th ey are

,

m or e go od than harm .
42 W E S T E RN S E RI E S O F R E A D E RS .

stov epip e as fo r a c row o f a ny oth e r c ol o r than

black .

Pe rhap s i t i s bec au s e th e c row i s blac k and h e ,

k n ow s i t that h e s h u n s th e op e n c ou n try as m uc h
,

a s h e can H e l ov e s be s t th e d ark w o od s H e re
. .

h e i s n o t s o ea s ily s een H e h a s l ea rn ed to b e .

wary All h i s fo re fath ers an d fo re m o th er s h av e

.

bee n d espi s e d an d th e i n sti n c t to k ee p o ut o f

,

reac h i s bo rn i n hi m E s pec i a ll y d oe s h e k ee p
.

at lon g ran ge wh e n a h un te r i s i n sight .

B ut wh atev e r m a y b e said again st th e c row s ,

th ey hav e a v i rtu e w hi c h s h ould c o m m en d th em

to W estern p e o p l e I t i s said t h at a p ai r o f .

c rows on c e m ated n ev e r s eparate a s l o n g a s they

, ,

l iv e T h ey ta k e eac h ot h e r fo r bette r or for

.
“

”
wor se An d i f l eft u n d i sturbe d th ey u s e th e
.
,

sam e n esti n g site y ear afte r y ear

-
.

T o b e su re i t i s n o t m uc h of a n e st only a few
, ,

stic k s l aid u p l o osely o n th e b ra nc h o f a tre e .

T h e eggs a re fo u r to six green i sh d otted wi th , ,

b ro wn s I n th e l o w l a nd s th e n es ti ng seas o n i s
.
-

i n A p ri l a n d M ay .

Th ough th e c rows d o n o t n es t i n ou r gard en s ,

th ey ar e kn own to V i s it o u r fa rm y ard s a n d fi el d s -

wh e n th ey a r e h u ng r y l ik e an y tram p T hey are ,

.

se en to foll ow h un te rs wh en th ey ar e o u t c am p
ing like th e j ay fo r what c r um bs a nd sc rap s th ey
, ,
 TH E C Row .
43

m ay fi nd They are acc used of taking eggs from

.

th e n ests o f sm al l e r bi rd s and flyi n g off with

th em to eat the m at th ei r lei sur e That i s n o
, .

m o re tha n w e all d o i s it ? D o n ot w e all h un t

,

egg s an d th in k w e h av e fi n e l uc k i f we ch anc e
, .

up on a hatful i n th e m o w ? C ro w c an t a ke but
on e at a ti m e s inc e h e wear s n o h a t
, .

C row s a re r eal ly u s e f u l bi rd s and th e farm ers ,

sh ould n o t d e s pi s e th em s o Th ey take thou .

s an d s o f i n s ec ts that are wo rs e en e m i e s to the

,

farm e r t h a n th e c row s th e m s el ve s Won d er i f .

th e farm ers will bel ie v e thi s ! Th e boy s m ight

watc h an d s e e i f thi s i s tru e Th e boy s m ight .

form boy s fa rm ers cl u bs o n pu rp o se to rep ort

’ ’

for th e bird s w h o are u n abl e to sp eak fo r th e m

selves I t w ould b e great fun a s well as a us eful
.
,

wo rk fo r th e i n te re s t s o f agric ul tu re .

P erh a p s y ou wil l n ot s e e th e c row s i n large

fl ock s but o ften e r i n pai r s o r i n autum n i n fam i
, , ,

l i es o f fi v e o r six Th ey s ee m to b e h old ing c on

.

fe r e n c e s togeth e r a t ti m e s sitti ng o n bare l i m b s

,

of tree s and c hatteri ng i n th ei r o w n d ial ect .

Tam ed c ro ws m ake i ntere s tin g p ets Th er e was .

on e i n o u r fam il y o n c e for a whil e ; b u t o n a c

,

’
c ou n t o f h i s habi t o f hid i ng grand m oth er s sp ec
’
ta e l e s an d si ster s thi m bl e s an d father s p en ni es
,
’
, ,

h e w a s excu s ed fro m livi ng with u s v ery l ong .

44 W E S T ERN S E RI E S O F R E A D E RS .

He h ad a s ly way o f h untin g th rough c oats and

V ests that hap p e n ed to b e l eft i n h i s sight H e .

kn ew h ow to fi nd th e p ockets and s tol e w hat h ap

,

pe n ed to be i n th em C u n n in g fel l o w ! and a
.

thi ef a s well !
 TH E WE S T E R N R O B IN .

L W AY
th e r obi n i s th e robi n
S ,

fo r y o u k n o w th e bird by its
red b rea s t unl es s i t happ e n to
,

be v ery y oun g wh en th e breast

,

i s sp eckl ed T h e robi n i s a
.

l ittl e wan d erer but n o tram p ;

,

h e works fo r h i s liv i ng w h e r
ev e r h e goes and s o d o es hi s wh ol e fam ily
,

T hey c om e s o uth i n large fl oc ks i n wi nter ti m e -

,

goi n g bac k i n to th e m o u ntain s to th e n orth of u s

wh e n S p ri ng c o m es to n est an d rai se th ei r y o u ng
,
.

Th e n est o f th e r obi n i s th e sam e o n whi ch ever

sid e o f th e R ocki e s yo u m ay fi n d it — i n th e,

c rotc h of a tree m ad e o f stic k s a nd m ud l in ed

, ,

with hai rs A nd th e eggs ar e ev er th e sam e l ittl e

.

greeni sh bl u e gem s T hey m ay b e fo u r an d

-
.
,

th ey m ay b e fiv e .

J u st as o u r fi rst rai n s of
wi nte r ar e d ri p pi ng from
th e tre e bo ugh s th e r e,

c o m e s a fam il iar c ry fro m

“
som eb ody ,
Th e r obin s
45
R O B IN o
 T H E W E S T E R N RO B I N . 47

”
h av e c om e ! Th e robin s hav e c om e ! and we ru n
to see Th ere they are i n th e p epp er trees
. .

O u r p epp er tree s seem to ri pen thei r cl u s ters of

red be rri es o n p urpo s e fo r th e r o bin s ( and t h e
waxwi ng s ) a n d these bi rd s n ever l eav e u s u ntil
,

th ey h av e stripp ed th e boughs Th ey swall ow .

th e frui t wh ol e and th ro w u p th e bare hard s eed s

, ,

after th e s weet p ul p has d ige s ted Yo u c an h ear

‘

th e patter o f th e s eed s o n r oof an d S id ewal k .

O ur l ittl e fri e nd fr o m San D iego writes that th e

robi n s an d waxwin gs p ut p eppe r seed s i n the -

wate r trough s H e say s

-
.
“
Th e bi rd s m ust bring
,

th e m a go od way s as t here ar e n o p ep p er trees

,

n ear th e trough s ”
I f h e Watc h es thi s wi nte r h e
.
,

will n otic e that j u st before th e r obin s c om e to

d rin k th ey are i n th e p ep pe r tre e s an d of c o urs e
, , ,

wh e n t h ey d ri nk they spi t o ut the seed s as they

, ,

hav e n o u s e fo r th em .

O n e wo ul d thin k they m ight s top l ong en ough

to ea t thei r m eal s p rop erly and rej ec t the k ernel s
,

i n th e fi r s t plac e ; but i f y o u try ta s tin g the

p e pp er berri e s fo r y o ur s el v es y o u will s e e that
-
, ,

th e m eat i s o n th e outsi de O f th e s hell i n s tead of ,

bein g withi n th e s hell like a n u t A n d th e sweet

,
.

m eat stic ks to th e p ep p er seed s o th e bi rd m u s t

-
,

S wall ow i t to s oak i t o ff There i s al w ay s a good

.

reason for what bi rd s are d oing i f on e can only ,

get at it .
 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D E R S .

E ve rywh ere th e robi n go es h e c ar ries hi s

c h eerful son g with h i m , a nd y o u m ay som eti m es
i m agi n e a fl ock are h old i n g a l o w c o n v ersati on
with eac h oth er Th ei r red b rea s ts an d bl ack
.

h ead s m ak e o u r l awn s v ery beautiful o f a Jan

uary m orn i ng befo re th e angl eworm s h av e
,

gon e bac k i nto th e g ro un d U p all night a nd .

,

out to get a b re ath o f ai r th es e earth w o rm s hav e ,

l eft l ittl e r oad way s all ov e r th e t o p o f th e grou nd ,

esp eci ally i f i t happen e d to rai n i n th e night .

A ngl ewo rm s are l ik e water bi rd s ; th ey li k e a -

l ittl e o f th e wate r but too m uc h o f i t would ,

d rown the m R obin s se em to kn o w all about

.

thi s s o th ey too a re o ut brigh t and early to l o ok

, , ,

o v e r th e situ atio n .

Al ways i n any c o u ntry the robi n and the

, ,

an gl ewo rm a re b osom fri end s W e d o n ot kn ow .

an oth e r bi rd o n suc h i n tim ate term s with th e

bar e s m o oth angl ewo rm s T he m ockers will n o t
,
.

touch th em .

R obi n s a re s upp osed to li ste n to th e w orm s

w h e n th ey ar e about thei r bu sin e s s bel o w the
i

l awn a n d t h e p oo r l ittl e fell ow s ar e s napp ed u p

,

b efo re th ey s e e d ayl ight If i nd eed th ey d o s e e .

anything ! H owev er a n earth w orm h a s s om e ,

p ri v ilege s th e robi n has n ot b e h i s breast ev er s o ,

red.
50 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A DER S .

youn g robi n s a lm ost as well as fresh eggs and i n ,

hi s walk s about th e wood s h e l i sten s Chipm unk .

gets v ery h u gry

n — al m o s t as hungry a s a b oy
,

wh en sc hool i s out — and w h o can blam e hi m for

,

eatin g th e fi rst thi ng h e c om es acro s s ?

B ut c hip m unk takes n ot all th e r obi n s any ,

m ore than r obi n takes all th e angl eworm s an d

grasshopp e rs an d gard en fruits E n ough y oung .

robin s a re l eft i n th e n e s ts fo r a nother y ear ; and

late i n the fall an d wi nter th e ol d r obin s an d the
ol d c hipm unk s m a y b e s een talki ng o v er their
tr ouble s whil e they sun them sel ves o n a for est
l og .

We plac e food al l about ou r groun d s fo r th e

robin s Th ey l ik e bread an d butter and cake
.
,

an d pi e Water sweeten ed with m olass es i s th ei r

.

d elight wh en onc e they hav e foun d it o ut

,
.

Bird s a re lik e oth er s en si bl e p eopl e — th ey d o ,

n ot j um p at c on cl usi on s If y ou p ut o ut a d i sh
.

of food fo r th em whic h th ey hav e n ev er s een b e

for e th ey pas s i t by with a gl anc e o r sam pl e it
, ,

with great c are Th ey want to b e quite su re i t i s

.

good e atin g An d th e bi rd s watc h o n e an other

.

at tabl e ! If a robi n s ees a sparr ow o r a m ocker

eating a n ew s ort of fo od it takes right h ol d itself
, ,

as i f it had bee n u sed to such a d i sh all its life .

It seem s as th ough th e sam e robin s c om e back

 T H E W E S T ERN R O B I N . 51

to our gard en tabl e eac h wi nter for th ey go

-
,

straight to th e plac e wh ere th ey ate th ei r last

breakfast as i f they rem embered
, .

F arm ers think th ey rem ember to o an d they

, ,

accu se th e r obi n s of steali ng thi ngs Th ey d o .

n ot s t e p to thi n k that every y oun g robi n i s fed

its own weight i n in sects ev ery d ay it l i v es And .

m o st of thes e in sects are en em i e s of th e farm er s ’

c rop s
.
S ON G PA OW
-
S RR S .
 —
TH E S O N G S P A RR OW .

O U would kn ow th e song S par -

row by its v oic e anywh er e j ust ,

as y o u kn ow th e m ember s of
y ou r o w n fam ily w h o S peak
i n th e n ext room They are .

am ong ou r sweete st singers True .

th e so ng i s n ev er l ong but it i s ,

h earty an d full of c h ee r Yo u l ike to hear it on

.

a foggy m orni n g o r i n th e d rip of th e rain If .

s om ethi ng has troubl ed y ou a n d you are too sad ,

to s e e an y of y ou r other fri end s y ou wel com e ,

th e s on g sp arrow and li sten to what h e h a s to

-
,

sa y.

He si ngs wh erev er th e n otio n takes hi m on —

,

th e groun d i n a shrub on a l og S pread out fl at in

, ,

th e su n s hi n e on th e ri m o f th e water di s h y ou s o
,
-

ki ndly keep for h l m I n th e gard en He S i n g s at -

.

h i s m eal s between m outh

,

ful s b efor e d aylight after

, ,

d ark at high n oon an d

, ,

we hav e h eard hi s n ote i n

th e n i ght as if like many
, ,

53
54 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F R E A DE R S .

an oth er bird h e wer e tal king i n hi s S l eep E v en

, .

hi s c hi rp i s n ot u n m usi cal .

Whil e h i s m ate i s pati ently sitting u p on h er

four o r fi v e sp eckled eggs th e S in ge r s eem s n ev er
, .

to q u i t h i s s ong H e rem ai n s n ear h er a s i f th e

.
,

soun d of hi s v oic e would c h eer h er u p And .

wh en o nc e th e eggs h a v e hatch ed th e tw o ol d ,

bi rd s are s een al way s togeth er p ecki n g i n th e ,

m u l c hin g ben eat h th e trees s cratc hi ng i n th e ,

d ead leave s or h u nti ng a mid th e foliage of l ow

,

shrub s All th e ti m e th ey ar e h unti ng fo r food

.

fo r th eir littl e on es th ey keep u p that c on stant

,

chatter as if it were th e happi est thi ng i n th e

,

worl d to b e obliged to sc ratch fo r a livi ng .

Al way s th ei r tail s stick straight up v e ry m uc h ,

lik e th e tai l o f a wren A n d th ey hav e a w a y of

.

j erk i ng thei r tail s i n a sociabl e w a

y as i f i t h el ped ,

on th e c on versati on .

W e h av e th e s ong sparrows al w ays with u s i n

-
,

su mm er an d wi nter You s e e th em i n pairs th e

.

y ear r ou nd n ot i n fl ocks Th ey l ov e th e gr eat

,
.

bun ch es of pam pas grass s o com m o n i n th e gar

-

d en s O f Cali fornia AS you wal k past th e wavi ng

.

grasses th ere i s a r ustl e and a chi rp and out fl i e s

, ,

a s ong sparrow -
An d th ey l ov e th e cl osely
.

cl ipp ed h edges as well W e hav e fou nd m ore .

n ests i n th e p am pas gras s and th e h edges than

-
,
 TH E SO N G S P A RR O W
-
. 5

any wh er e el se It i s d ark and sh eltered h ere

.
,

an d th e bi rd s hav e a way of creeping i nto pl ac e s

n ob ody el s e wo uld thi nk of And th eir n ests are .

alway s d ark i n c ol or suiti ng th e shadows where ,

th ey are plac ed Th e base i s of grass es or l ittl e

.

twigs b ut th e i n sid e i s l i n ed v ery thickly w ith

,

black h o rsehai r We hav e got i nto th e habit of

.

picki ng u p th e c o mbi ngs wh e n th e hors e i s

groom ed all th e year round and tying i t about
, ,

l o w tree l im b s o r sticki ng i t i n th e c rack s of the

-

wo od sh ed S ong sparrow fi n d s it i n d u e tim e

.
-
.

We hav e had light bay h orses but c om bi ngs from ,

th es e th e sparrows n e v er c h oose Th ey l eav e th e .

red hai rs for th e lin n ets wh o build wh ere th e su n ,

shin e s m ore than i n th e S had ows Ligh t c ol ors

,
‘

are n ot s o readily seen i n th e bright li ght a s i n

dark er p l ac es An d it wou ld n e v er d o fo r the
.

song sparrows to bu ild t h eir n ests i n plai n sight

-
.

Th ey plac e th em to o l ow S o th ey hav e their .

own way of hi d i n g them Som etim es th ey n est .

i n ou r bambo o thickets Wh en th e y oung are .

h al f fl e d g e d th ey sl ip out of th e n est and S lid e

-
,

d own th e sm ooth bam bo o stalks to th e cl ose

growth below wh ere th ey are safe from cats and
,

oth er en emies .

Th e w a y th ey hav e of s lipping out of the nest

before th ey are abl e to fly gets them i nto m any
56 W E S T E RN S E R I E S O F RE A D E R S .

troubles W e hav e fou nd a baby s ong sparro w

.
-

hanging to th e n est by o n e toe quite u n abl e to ,

hel p i tsel f out of th e d i ffi c ulty Ho rseh ai r m ake s .

goo d stout r e p es an d can b e d ep en d ed u p on to

,

h ol d o n to wh e n th e bird gets i ts toe s tangl e d u p i n

it Thi s d oe s n ot often hap p en O n c e w he n it
. .
,

d id happen th e ol d bird s fed the y oung on e u ntil

,

it was grown th e p o o r p rison er n ot b ein g abl e to

,

get away W e s a w th e p aren ts takin g food to th e

.

bam bo o l ong after w e had s ee n th e y oung o nes

fly out By c a reful searc h w e found the p ri son ed
.

bird an d c ut th e h ai r th at h el d it .

T h e spar rows eat alm ost a n ythin g from tend er ,

sh oots o f plan ts an d s oft b ud s to i n s ects of m any

sorts and e v en to c o oked foo d W e al way s keep
,
.

s om ething out fo r th em W e som etim es thi nk .

they hav e th e s en s e of sm ell for th ey will fi n d a ,

sl ic e of bread a nd butter hidd e n anywh ere i n th e

,

gard en al m ost as soon a s w e ar e o u t of th ei r way

,
.

N o n eed of al way s m akin g c rum b s for th e

bird s ; th ey l ik e good fat slic es as well as a nybody
d oe s A nd th ei r str on g beak s s ee m m ad e on
.

pu rp o s e fo r breaki ng u p c ru sts O ur far m ers .

m ak e a m i s tak e s om eti m e s when th ey thi n k th e

sparrow s ar e eati ng u p th ei r grai n Th ey are .

m ore Often h untin g th e weevil s that eat h ol es i n

the grain and other i n sects that like th e n u tty
,
58 W E S T E RN S E RI E S O F R E AD E RS .

S ong sparrows s eem n ever to kn ow whe n th ey

-

hav e a beakful W e hav e seen th em go o n p ick

.

i ng up th e sam e grub s that h a v e fall e n out o f

th ei r m outh s o ver and o v er again An d we l augh .
,

as wh o c ould h el p it !
O ur s on g sparrows n e st two o r th re e ti m e s
-
,

from April to J uly Then c om e s a sorry ti m e for .

th e ol d bi rd s Th ey begi n th ei r y early m ol t
. .

Th ey s eem to kn ow h ow d roll they l ook an d k eep ,

well out o f sight i n th e bu s h es W h en th ey v e n .

ture o ut fo r fo od y ou will n oti c e h ow ragged ,

th ei r feathe r s are and h o w h al f d res sed th ey a p

,
-

p ear Still th ey c hi rp c h eerily a s i f sure of a

.
, ,

n ew suit i n go od tim e A n d wh en th e n ew suit .

i s al l d on e s om e ti m e i n S eptem be r i t will b e all

, ,

d ots an d d ash es li k e b utto n s and l ac e edgi ng

, , ,

and b rown an d white ri bbon s .

T h e s ong sparro w s eem s fitted to b e a sc h ool

-

h ou se bi rd becau s e i t i s al way s o n han d wh en

-
,

sch ool ke ep s A pil e o f tree c utti ngs u nd er th e

.
-

wind ow an d bran ch es o f an y b us h o r S hrub

, ,

woul d m ak e j u st th e s h elter th ey l o v e Th e spar .

rows d o n ot slip u nd er b oard s o r behi nd boxe s

an d barr el s wh en th ey ar e startl ed Th ey like .

a r ti a l sh elter like th e twigs S O th ey m ay s e e out

p ,

between th e sti ck s an d fol iage an d l ook aroun d

without b ei ng s een th em sel v es You might try .
 T H E O N G S P A RR O W
S -
. 59

s owin g l ettuc e s eed s i n th e loosen ed groun d b e

-

for e you plac e th e pil e o f twigs You c ould .

sprinkl e through th e bough s i n su m m er and keep

th e plac e m oi st s o th e l ettuc e c ould grow A
,
.

“
row of c hildren c oul d s i t around thi s sparrow s ’

”
c o rn er and study thei r w ay s .
 TH E B E L T E D K IN G F I S H E R .

HI S b eautiful bi rd i s call ed the

’

ki n g of th e fi s her s It i s resi
.

d en t i n al l Cali fo rn ia It m ay .

b e s ee n aroun d in l and stream s ,

esp ecially m ill rac e s a n d al on g

-
,

th e s e a c oa s t Its h ead s eem s to be

-
.

m uc h too l arge fo r i ts b ody But .

th e kin gfi s h e r has u se fo r its h ead ,

as th e wo od p eck e r has good u s e for hi s Th e .

’
wo od pecker s h ead i s hi s h am m e r fo r d rivi ng hi s
beak i nto th e trees Th e h ead of th e kingfi sh er
.

d rives its b eak into th e wate r fo r th e fi s h up on

whic h i t liv es Th e bill o f th e kin gfi she r i s i ts
.

pike with whi ch i t captu re s its food It i s th e

, .

bird s sp ear and it go es straig h t to th e un lucky

’
,

fi sh sp orti n g i n th e water A n d th e ki n g fi s h e r s
.
’

ey e i s as S harp an d strong
as its beak for it i s abl e
,

to s e e its food through

d ark and m udd y water ,

as well as i n th e cl earest
stream s .

60
 T H E B E L T ED K I N G F I S H ER . 61

I n n o other way can th e ki ngfi s her get a l ivin g

but by fishing You m ay be o u t for a walk with
.
,

eyes and ears Op en a n d y ou will see th e fi s h er

,

S itting s ilently o n th e l im b of a tree by th e edge

of th e water H e d oes n o t stir a feather He

. .

TH E B EL T E D K IN GF I S H E R .

scarc ely blinks hi s ey e s He might be a stuffed .

bird s e t up o n a bough S udd enly quicker than

.
,

y ou r eye can foll ow h e darts straight i nto th e

,

water head forem ost

, .

N ow i f th e ki n g h a d a h ead like a thrus h o r a

,

warbl er h e would m ak e a fail ure at fi shing But

,
.

h i s strong thick skull foll ow s th e tip of h i s b eak

,
62 W E S T ERN S E R I E S O F RE A D E R S .

wh erev er it goes an d wh e n n ext yo u s e e him a

, ,

fi s h li e s c ro sswi s e i n hi s m outh Th e fi s h s trug .

gl es to get away It ha s n eith er beak n o r claw s

.

to fi ght its o wn battles an d c an onl y s qui rm h elp ,

l es s ly Y o u are s orry fo r th e fi s h w h o has its

.
,

own good ti m es free i n th e water ; but y ou kn ow

,

th e l ittl e bl u e kin g i s v ery h ungry an d m u st be ,

exc used fo r getti ng hi s d i n n er i n hi s own fashi o n .

Straigh t to th e tree h e j u s t l eft fl ie s th e king ,

and y ou n oti c e th e water ru n s off fro m hi s sl eek

h ead and back N ever a bit wet gets th e ki ng
.

fi sh er His pl umage i s thi ck an d wel l oil ed

. .

O n c e o n th e tree th e fi sh erman b eats h i s fi sh

,

a gain st a bran c h a s th e p h oebe bi rd an d the

,
-

m ocker beat th e gras s h opp e r and th e butterfly .

“ ”
W e c all i t a n atu ral d eath fo r both fi s h and
i n sect Th e kin g i s c ertai n ly a m or e m erciful
.

fi sh er than th e m an wh o strin gs hi s fi sh an d car

ri es the m ab out u ntil th ey d i e by sl o w d egrees .

Wh en th e fi s h l i e s l i mp ac ros s hi s beak th e fis h er ,

gi v es it a toss an d d own it go es wh ol e by w a y of
, , ,

th e bird s thick n eck Later the b on es will c om e

’
.
,

u p i n hard l ittl e p ell ets .

A k ingfish e r al way s m anages to d i v e straight

‘

d own i nto th e water n e v er at a S lan t H e m ay

,
.

b e obliged to fly out a littl e w a y to d o s o but h e ,

c om e s down straight W e supp ose thi s i s to a v oid

.
 T H E B E L T ED K I N G F I S H ER . 63

m akin g a s had ow on th e water F i sh are quick .

and s h y Th ey ar e afraid of a shad ow You

. .

may s e e thi s for y oursel ve s by walking al ong th e

bank wh er e m i n n ows are sun ning them selve s i n
th e cl e ar water If y ou ar e betwee n th e fi sh and
.

the s u n you r s had ow will frighten th e fi s h and

, ,

they will scu rry u n d er th e n earest rock If y ou .

approach from th e oth er b ank y o u d o n ot disturb ,

them .

I f th e ki n gfi she r i s a ki n g th en hi s wife m ust ,

b e a queen though sh e goe s by h er m ate s n am e

,
’
,

j ust as a pai r of p h oebes are eac h kn own by th e

nam e of Ph oe be .

Both bi rd s take a hand at th e n est building or -

,

r ather at th e n est d iggin g Th ey s el ect a s uit

-
.

abl e plac e o n th e fac e of a cl ay o r sandy bank ,

and di g with thei r beak s Her e th ey m ake good .

us e of thei r l arge h eavy h ead s again AS they

,
.

dig th ey p us h th e l oose earth out an d d own b e

,

hi nd th em If y ou hav e th e good l uck to c om e

‘

on a pai r at w ork y o u will s e e th e d i rt rattli ng

,

d own th e cli ff sid e O n e bi rd d igs until i t i s .

tired an d then its mate l end s a hand o r we

, ,

sh oul d sa y a b eak I n thi s way a tun n el six o r

.

eight feet l ong i s mad e i n th e earth wall Ju st .

h o w l o ng it i s hard to s a y
,
It i s safe to s a y it i s .

s om e l onger than a b oy s arm as th e boy wil l fi nd ’

,
64 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

out sh ould h e attem pt to m eas ure it with th e i n

tenti o n to steal th e eggs or y ou ng on es The boy .

will hardly reac h th e n est c hamb er b ut h e will -

,

go far en ough to W i sh h e had n t tri ed K ing ’

.

fi s h e r s ofte n li n e th eir tu n n el s an d th e n est

c ham bers with bon e s an d thi ngs they hav e s w a l
l owed whi c h th ei r sto mac h s hav e n o u se for O f
, .

c ou rse th ese thi ngs d ecay an d m ake a v ery n u

, ,

pl easant od or a s w el l as d i sagreeabl e stuff to

,

han dl e .

Th e ki n g fi s h e r s d ig th ei r tunn el s sl oping u p
ward so th e rai n from ab ov e s oaki ng d own
, ,

through th e soil will r u n o ut and n ot d row n th e

,

y o ung bi rd s Wh en th e tun n el i s l on g e n ough

.
,

th e m oth er lays a s m an y eggs a s th e s pac e at the

en d will h old the re m ay b e six o r eight
,
and ,
-

h ere th e b i r dli n g s are hatch ed quite naked ,

.

Th ey are fed o n th e best fi sh to be caught and ,

grow rapid ly I n a few d ay s th ey get th ei r fi rst

.

c oats of feath ers M ost swi m m i ng an d d ivin g

.

bird s h av e a c oat of d own all their liv es und er ,

th ei r o utsid e feathers It k e e p s th e m warm . .

K i n g fi s h e r s are said to keep th e sam e n esti n g

pl ac e fo r y ears where th ey a re n ot d isturb ed O f
,
.

c ourse th ey m u st ha v e a h o u se cl ean ing at ti m es

,
-
,

el se th e tu n n el s would get fill ed with l itter As .

to thi s w e n eed n ot b oth er o urselve s for th e king

, ,

fi sh ers kn ow their ow n busi n ess .

66 W E S T ERN S E R I E S O F RE AD ER S .

sa yth e breast o f th e bi rd al way s tu rn s to m eet th e

wind O f c ou rs e an y bi rd stu ffed and d r i ed and
.
, ,

h ung by its beak to th e rafte r w oul d tu rn b rea s t

,

to th e wi nd I t i s o n th e sam e p ri n ci pl e th at
.

you r wind m ill s e t u p o n th e wo od s h ed turn s fac e

to th e wi nd .
 TH E C A L I FO R N I A J AY

V E R Y BO D Y
i s ac quain ted wi th
th e blu e j ay an d a j ay o f a fel
,

l ow h e i s W h en y o u m e et a
.

m an that i s sly c u n n i ng i n q u i s
, ,

i ti v e ab o u t m atte rs th at d o n ot
c on c e rn h i m that m an i s call ed
,

”
a j ay H e i s l i ke th e bl u e j ay
. .

T hi s bi rd i s n eith e r S h rike n or c row n o r wood

, ,

pecke r an d yet h e i s l ike eac h o f th e m i n m any

,

way s But h e i s m ore l i ke hi m s e lf than anyb od y

.

el se I n s pite of all w e shall h a v e to s a y agai nst

.

him w e are v e ry fond of hi m Let any body

,
.

w h o liv e s o n th e ed ge of th e wo od s tak e to study

i ng th es e strange bi rd s a nd th ey will get b oth

,

profi t an d pl easure A nd th e m ore on e fi nd s o ut

.

ab o ut th e j ay th e m ore will h e l earn abou t som e

,

other bird s an d l ittl e c rea

tur e s .

T h e v oic e of th e b lu e
j ay i s often soft an d m u s i
c al th ough h e h as t h e
,

nam e of bein g harsh of

67
 T H E C A L I F O RN I A J AY .
E a t“ 69 x

to n e Th e fact i s h e can b e bot h har sh and ten

.
,

d er a s th e m o od stri ke s hi m H e m ay s h ri ek
, .

like a hawk o r whi n e l ike a l ittl e h u rt bird He

, .

l ov es to m i mi c all th e oth e r bi rd s i n d i stre ss an d ,

ofte n s ets u p quite a pani c am ong th e m .

O n ac c ou nt of h i s v oic e th e bl u e j ay i s n ot
,

l iked by th e h u nters Th e m om en t th e h u nter

.

c o m es i n sight bl ue j ay giv e s th e al arm It i s of

, .

n o u s e fo r th e hu nter to thin k h e can S li p al o ng

th rough th e tree s an d n ot b e h eard o r se en ! J a y '

ha s a sharp ey e and ear H e i s th e p olic e man

.
,

an d th e fi r e b el l an d th e sign al whi stl e an d th e

-
,
-
,

“
al ar m cl ock an d th e call to arm s
,
A l on e m an .

with a gun i s c reepi ng th rough th e b rush Jay .

giv e s a c ry o f L ook o ut th e re ! D anger ah ead

“

”
and all arou nd ! I n sta n tly th e towh ee s a nd ,

road r un n er s and quail sli p u nd e r th e bu sh es and

-

li e a s stil l as m ic e ; whil e th e fi n c h es an d wren s , ,

an d warbl ers s e ek th e c o v e r of thic k topp ed trees -

.

N o o n e i n sight bu t th e bl u e j ay wh o s its o n ,

h i s tr e e an d l ooks i n n oc e ntly at th e h unter ! O f

c ours e th e h unte r takes a go od ai m at th e telltal e
, ,

’
but h e d oe s n t hit hi m o n c e i n a d o zen ti m e s .

Bl u e j a y kn ows th e m u z zl e of a gu n from th e butt

of it and whic h way th e two p oi nt ; an d h e i s u p
,

and o ff befor e th e hu nte r c a n p ul l th e trigge r

‘

Back go es th e d i sap poi nted h unter to cam p with ,

70 W E S T E RN S E R I E S O F R E AD E R S .

n o b ird fo r brea k fast s o h e sits d own to c an n ed

,

c od fi s h o r c hip p ed be ef T en to o n e th e j ay i s
.
,

there be fo re h i m hid d e n i n th e tre e abo v e h i s

,

h ea d a nd wai ti n g fo r th e c ru m bs Blu e j ay s a re
, .

v e ry fo nd o f th e c om pany o f h u n ters T h ere are .

sc rap s o f food al way s a bou t t h e c am p .

It i s a fac t t h at w h e n i n cam p t h e a v e rage

h u n te r d o e s n ot S h o ot at th e j ay H e l i k e s to .

ha v e t h e bi r d a bou t i n t h e l o n el y w o od s fo r c o m
p any T h es e c u ri o u s bi rd s ar e s ee n to sl i p u n d e r
.

th e fl a p o f t h e ten t an d c ar ry o ff c rac ke rs o r ,

m eat o r c h ee se A n d o n e j ay w a s s e e n to s te al
, .

t h e m us h fro m t h e k ettl e w hi l e i t w a s c o o k i ng ,

n o r d i d i t s ee m to bu rn i ts m ou t h S om eti m es .

t h ey ta k e thi n gs th ey h av e n o u s e fo r an d hid e ,

th e m a s i f fr o m p u re m i s c hi e f
,
.

I t m a y n o t be all i n k i n d n es s to t h e bi rd s that t h e
j ay w arn s th e m o f a n i n trud e r T h e fac t i s h e .
,

l ike s to h a v e th e s mall e r bi rd s ab ou t h i m to su p
pl y h i s n e ed s J a y l ike s eggs an d h ow c o uld hi s
.
,

m ar k et b e s u pp l i ed with o ut th e bi rd s ? N o o n e
k n ow s j u st h o w m any eggs th e j ay eats fo r h i s
breakfas t u nl e s s i t h e h im s el f Probably h e d e
,
.

stroy s a s m any as h e eats T h e h el pl e s s s p u r red

.

tow h e e s ta nd s by and l i fts its beautiful w i ngs and

“ ”
plead s w ith bl ue j ay to l ea v e j us t o n e ; bu t to
n o p urp os e W hen h e i s d o n e h e fl ie s a w ay
.
, ,
 T H E C A L I F O RN I A J AY . 71

l ea v ing th e p retty fragm ents all over th e ground .

Yo u m ay s e e th e m w he n y o u are taki ng a w al k i n
th e wo od s a nd w on d er h o w th ey c am e th e re
, .

I n j u stic e to bl u e j ay w e S h oul d sa y that h e i s

,

’
n o wo rs e than th e r e st of u s wh o l ike bird s eggs
fo r breakfast T he d i fferen c e i s w e tak e eggs
.
,

“ ”
fro m th e n est o f a bi g ta m e bi rd w e call h en ,

an d c o ok th em J ay tak es h i s egg s fro m sm all er

.

bi rd s an d eats th e m u n c ooked
,
.

T h e bi rd s that hav e be e n r obbed u sually hav e

ti m e to m ak e an oth e r n est an d lay m ore eggs b e
,

fore win ter ; an d th ey hav e better l uc k l et u s ,

h O pe Mo st o f o u r bi rd s d o n e st s e v e ral ti m es i n
.

a s eas o n to m ake up for l os se s y o u s e e S ly littl e

,
.

c h i pm u n k ev en s u p m atte rs with th e j a y wh e n he
’
c om e s ac ros s a j ay s n est i n a tree H e to o like s .
, ,

eggs fo r b reakfa st .

W h en n e stin g seaso n i s ov er an d there are n o ,

m o re eggs for eati ng c hi pm un k a n d gray s qu i r

, ,

rel and bl u e j ay turn farm ers fo r th e p u blic good

,
.

Th es e th re e frie nd s o f th e G ol d e n State pl ant

m ore s eed s i n a ye a r th an a hu n d red m e n c oul d
p l ant i n twic e th e ti m e An d th ey d o n ot ask a
.

p en n y of wages fo r th ei r tr o ubl e Th ey S i m ply .

wan t a go od ti m e wh e n t h e fru it and grai n are

“
ri p e It i s as i f th ey say to ou r farm e rs
. If yo u ,

will l et u s h a v e s o m e o f y o u r c rop s — j u st o ur ,
72 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D E R S .

little s har e y ou kn ow — w e will s e e that th e

, ,

m ou n tain s th at w er e burn ed bar e l as t y ear are

all repl anted An d th ey d o s e t to work i n go od
earn est .

Two bl u e j ay s hav e b een s een to d ig h oles and

pl an t fi rm l y an d wel l fi fty ac o rn s and othe r for
, ,

e s t n uts i n l es s than o n e h o ur .

Bl ue j ay watc h es fro m h i s tree w h e n c hi p m un k

an d S qui rrel are d oi n g th e pl anti ng an d a s s oon ,

as th ei r back s a r e tu rn e d h e scam p ers t o the ,

pl ac e an d d igs th e seed s a nd n uts all u p Th en .

h e plan ts th e m ov e r agai n to h i s ow n l iki ng i n ,

an oth er pl ac e I n thi s way d o ou r bi rd s a n d lit

,
.

tl e ani m al s keep th e fo rest gro und p l ow ed and -

raked a nd pl an ted a n d we sh oul d than k th em

, ,

on e and all .

Bl u e j a y d oe s a go od turn for the farm e r i n eat

i n g a s m any g ras shopp e r s a s h e can sto w away
j
.

W h e n h e ha s had hi s fi ll h e s pen d s w h ol e d ays ,

c h uggin g m ore gras sh op p er s i nto h ol e s an d c rac ks

fo r hi s futu re u s e W e s up p o se i t i s fo r h i s futu re
.

u se ! B ut i t i s d o ubtful i f h e ev er s e e h i s savings
agai n It i s m or e fro m hi s natu ral l o v e of hidi ng
.

th i ngs that h e store s away anything S u rely th e

,
.
,

n uts a nd s eed s pl anted by h i m are n e v er hal f

eaten .

True h e m igh t h av e n e ed of th em we re th ere

, ,
 A U DU B O N S W A R B LE R
’
.

M E TI M E S thi s b eautiful bi rd i s
call ed th e W e ster n yell owrump ,

o n acc ou n t of th e bright yell ow

patc h j u st ab o v e th e tail Yo u .

will n otic e i t wh e n th e bi rd
i s flyin g Lik e m any an oth er
.

s on gste r A ud ubon s warbl er

,
’

m u st b e ob ser v ed both i n flight an d at rest woul d ,

y o u b e c e rtai n a s to its tru e c ol ors ! And th e ti m e

o f y ea r m akes a l ittl e d i fferenc e I n th e S pri ng
.
,

th e y ellows and black s are cl ear er and brighter i n

th e m al e I t i s on e o f th e large st o f al l th e war
.

bl er fam il y and w e hav e i t e v e ry wh ere i n C a l i fo r

,

nia i n wi n ter ti m e -
.

It i s fearl es s c om i ng an d going wi th its c h eer

,

ful c h i rp m akin g th e
,

dull est d a y full of s u n

beam s . It i s u p b efor e
y ou an d whil e y o u are at
,

br eakfast l o ok s fo r its own

,

m eal o n th e wire sc reen

outsid e y o ur wi n dow .
76 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF R E AD E R S .

Y esterd ay i t warm er an d th e h ous e fl i e s

w as ,
-

t h ought sp rin g had c om e and they fo rgot t o go ,

to b ed i n th e wo od s hed o r bar n l oft S o th e war .

h l er s c atc h th e m n appi n g o n a c ol d m orni ng o n

t h e h ou se sc ree n s T h e fl i e s a re s o c hill ed they
-
.
,

d o n ot feel th e c old n or th e snap of th e bi rd s ’

beak s .

T hi s v e ry m o rn i ng a c oupl e o f wa rbl er s a re
,

s natc hin g fli e s fro m th e wi nd ows h old in g to the ,

wi re with o n e fo ot w hil e th ey stop to l o ok about

,

th e m Ban g th ey go to a n o the r wi r e sc re e n !
.

W e s o m eti m e s l eav e th e wi nd o w u p i n th e a fter

n o o n o u p u rp os e fo r th e fl i e s to feel th e warm th
fro m t h e i n sid e S o w e tem p t th em to remai n all
.

n ight \Va r ble r s c an n ot l i v e w itho ut m eat

. .

Peopl e a re o ften pu zzl ed wh e n th ey s e e th e

warblers fly i ng agai n s t th e sc ree n s W e are .

“
ofte n a s k ed What i s th e n am e of th o s e l ittl e
,

bi rd s that try s o hard to get i n th e wi nd o w e v e ry

”
m orn i ng ?
S om eti m es ou r c old s pell lasts a l ong whil e ,

an d the fl i e s are n um b i n thei r h id in g plac es -

.

Th en warbl e r ha s hi s wits abo ut him and sh o ws ,

y ou w hat a go o d h u n ter h e i s Th er e a re l o os e .

S h i n gl e s o n th e ro ofs and s hr un ke n ti m bers

,

about th e gables H er e i s j u st wh ere S pid ers an d

.
,

flies and m oth s are hidi ng th em s el ve s i nten di ng

, ,
 A UD U BON ’
S WA R B L ER . 77

to c o m e o ut wh en th e weath er gets warm er A nd .

there ar e eggs to o — spid ers eggs d on e u p i n ’

, ,

n ic e p ackages waiti ng fo r th e warm d ay s of

,

spri ng to hatc h th em out Warbl e r d arts al o ng .

,

at h om e al way s o n hi s cli ngin g to es and p eep s ,

i nto ev ery s ec ret n o ok p ecki n g with hi s sharp ,

beak and bri ngin g o ut th e hid eaway s again st

,

th ei r will .

Th e ti n sp outing u n de r th e eav e s i s hi s great

e s t d el ight Leav es an d su m m e r dust an d litter
.
, ,

fro m ev ery wh er e hav e bl own i n to th e r oof gut -

ters an d h a v e n ot y et be en wa sh ed o ut by th e
,

rai n s I nd e ed n o rai n i s abl e to wash them

.
,

qui te away ; i t si m pl y pack s th e l itte r i nto a nic e

warm bed fo r i n sects th at l ik e to be c ov ere d u p
thi s w a y N atu re i s v ery ki nd an d m oth erly !
.

S h e c ov ers u p h er c hild r en Warbl er thin king .

,
.

onl y of hi s app etite go e s al on g n o w on fo ot and

, ,

n ow o n wi n g an d c hi rp s w hil e h e fi nd s o ut
,

thin gs .

W h en th e ea v es an d sp outi ng an d wi nd ow
, ,

screen s ha v e be en i n qu i red i nto a w ay go e s th e ,

i nv estigator to th e orc hard O f c o urs e w e l eft .

th os e y ell ow p ersi m m o n s a n d rosy apples o n the

top b ough s o n p urp o se fo r th e bir d s Warbl er .

spi es th e m a n d clings i n h i s u sual fashi on with

'

, ,

on e s e t of toe s while h e l ooks at the land scap e

,
78 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F R E A D ER S .

arou n d hi m He bites agai n a nd agai n n o r d o es

.
,

th e last ta ste p uc ke r hi s m o uth H e kn ow s bette r .

than to take p uc ke ry p e rsi m m o n ri nd To b e .

s u re h e d i d tear o ff a bi t at fi rs t bu t i f v o u were
, ,

watc h i n g y o u wo uld s e e h i m tos s i t away and

, ,

p ec k o ut th e s oft ri p e i n n e r p art exactly a s y o u ,

d o y ou rsel f Bi rd s d o n ot eat frui t rin d s T hei r

. .

beak s ar e m ad e o n p u rpos e to tear h ol es i n to ugh

skin s a s well a s to c rac k see d s a nd hard sh ell ed
,
-

b eetl e s .

Y o u s o m eti m e s w o nd e r why th e bi rd s d o n o t
fi ni s h eating a fig o r a p eac h o r a p e rsi m m on b e
fo re t h ey bi te an oth e r T h e tr ut h i s th ey d o e a t
.
,

t h ei r fill at fi r st a nd fl y a way NO s oo n e r are .

t h ei r bac k s tur n e d tha n al o n g Co m e t h e h on ey

,

bee s w h o fl y i n Califo rn ia th e wh ol e y ear N o w

,
.
,

th e b e e can n o t tea r o p e n th e ski n of any fruit .

Its ton gu e i s m ad e to s i p with n ot to d ig o r bi te , .

S o th e b ee s s m el l th e j uic e o f th e f ruit th e bi r d s
h a v e l eft and take p o ss e s si o n sippi ng all around
, ,

t h e e d ges a s you m ay s e e
,
W h e n th e bi rd s r e
.

tur n to t h e tre e t h ey p ic k a fres h fruit an d i n a

, ,

m o m en t th ey l eav e that o n e fo r t h e bee s Y o u .

will n ot s e e bird s an d bee s eatin g th e sam e p eac h

o r fig at th e sam e ti m e .

W h e n warbl er i s d on e with hi s p ersi m m o n h e ,

fli e s to th e al fal fa patc h an d swi n gs o n th e wi nter

-
 A U D U B ON ’
S WA R B L E R . 79

seed stem s Th e weed s hav e grown sin c e l ast

-
.

f a ll s m owin g a nd gon e to n oth ing but wri nkl es

’
,

an d e m pty see d p od s Th e s eed p od s ar e gaping

-
.
-

Op en m akin g s n ug littl e hid i ng plac es for i n sects

,
-
.

Warbl er turn s s om e rsaul ts p ecki n g i nto th es e ,

tin y rifts an d w ri n kl e s fo r the in s ects .

Th e n y o u m ay c atc h h i m eati ng th e bel ated

c h eeses o f th e m all o w whic h ev ery Cali for ni an
c hil d has ta s ted fo r hi m s el f F ro m th e c h ee se s .

h e goe s to th e banan a stalks T h e wilted ed ge s .

of la st y ear s l eaves are keepi ng i n sect s warm and

’
,

h e h un ts the m out H e h u n ts i n th e narrow

.

l ea v es of th e carnation s fo r l ic e fol k A nd then .

h e fl i es to th e tall bl u e gu m tree s an d m ak es a -

su p pe r o n th e t e nd e r w hite stam en s o f th e bl o s
’
som s Aud ub on s warbl er s ar e fond of swe et p re
.

serv es fro m o u r tabl e W e fed th e m m an y a .

sauc er of qui n c e last wi nte r an d th ere i s m or e i n ,

th e c ell ar fo r thi s wi n ter I nd e ed i t i s seld om .

,

th at a j ar o f p re s e rve s i s op e n ed at o u r h ou s e that ,

a good p orti o n i s n ot s e t out fo r th e bi rd s .

Audub o n s warbl ers a re fri end s of th e C al i

’

fo r n i a n farm er Thi s v ery m orni ng w e s a w a

.
,

c oupl e o f th e m take th e blac k sc al e from a p ep

per bough that hu n g ov er th e p ath l ifti ng th e
-
,

d ark S h ell s v ery c arefull y to get at th e p oi n t .

U n d e r th e black sh ell s o r scal e s are eggs an d ,

80 W E S T ERN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

young in sects an d old on es all of whic h ar e good

, ,

eati n g for warbl er s W e exam in e d th e bran ch

.

wh en th e bi rd s had taken th ei r l eav e an d n ot a ,

S i ngl e l i v e scal e w a s l eft .

If th e bi rd s o f winter were better un d erstood ,

th e ran ch ers o f Cal iforn ia w ould wel c om e th em .

Many o f th e titm ou ses as well as th ese warbl ers, ,

l i v e o ccasi on ally up o n th e scal es that i n fest the

orange tr ees .

’
Aud ubon s warbl ers ar e s om etim e s seen with
th e blackbi rd s on th e groun d i n c orral s and bar n
y ard s Th e bl ackbird s d i sturb grub s and other
.

good thi ngs whic h th e warblers l ove to get h ol d

of I n fact th e warbl er s ar e al way s o n th e l ook
.
,

out fo r thi ngs t o b e d i stu rbed A n old h ouse .

w a s bein g torn d own Th e S hingl e s an d th e

.

boardi n g w ere d ecay ed an d th ey parted at th e ,

’
touch of th e workman s ham m er Th e hamm er .

d ropp ed and th e workm an w ent d own th e l add er

,

to get it I n hi s sh ort abs e nc e as i f they had

.
,

b een o n th e watc h fo r th e Opp ortunity th e w a r ,

bl e r s took p ossessi on of th e torn ro of an d feasted

o n i n sects Th e m an stood o n th e l ower r un g of
.

th e ladd er and watc h ed th e h urri ed breakfast .

Th ough thei r feet are n ot form ed for l ong

wal ks thes e bird s ar e often o n th e gr ound ;
,

al way s h owe v er with wings atilt ready to snatc h

, , ,

th e n earest gnat i n th e ai r .
82 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F RE A D E R S .

It d oes n ot fear to b uil d n ear h om e s th o u gh it ,

frequently c ho ose s a site far fro m habitation s .

Th e n est i s l arge an d firmly m ad e u sually s e t on ,

th e bran ch of a tree six o r te n feet from th e

ground It i s said to b e v e ry hand s om e wit h its
.
,

twigs a n d e v erlasti ng weed and h a i rs an d r oot

-
,

l ets Th e eggs a re u sually four greeni s h white

.
, ,

with d ots an d da sh e s of red brown or la v end er , , .

Th e old bi rd s are said to S har e th e habit of m a n y

parent bi rd s i n d raggi ng th em selv es along the
,

gro und and m aki n g b eli ev e they are wo u nd ed

wh en th e n est i s app roach ed After all i t may .
,

b e but l ittl e l oss to u s that th es e warbl ers d o n ot

liv e with u s th e y ear rou nd as w e n ow ha v e th e m ,

i n winter wh e n m any oth er bird s h av e l eft u s

,
.

A n d th ey a r e am ong th e m ost pl easing of all th e

bi rd s T h ei r habits ar e a n i nteresti ng study
. .

W hat w e owe to th ei r s harp littl e blac k beak s an d

to es n obody can quite tell With out th es e bird s
,
.
,

ou r best tre es m ight b e rui n ed by th e beetl e folk

w hic h l iv e between th e bark an d th e wood bu r ,

rowi n g l on g tu n n el s i n whic h to hav e a good tim e

of th ei r own N ote h ow warbl er ru n s u p and
.

d own p eepi ng u nd er th e l oose bark clinging to

, ,

“
d ead littl e stem s an d p eckin g at n othing as
, ,

far as w e m ay s e e B ut h e kn ows hi s own trad e

.

full wel l an d his ear i s as S harp as hi s eye He

,
.
 A U D UB O N ’
S WA R B L ER . 83

can h ear a b eetl e sawi ng away at its bu s in e s s b e

n eath th e tree bark as easily as y ou hear a kn ock
o n y ou r d o or A s to th e song of Aud ubon s w a r ’
.

bl er it i s s h ort an d pl eas ing th ough rath er weak

, , .

Perhap s th e bird i s to o eager to snatch fli e s i n

m i d ai r to quite fi ni sh any song it begi n s
,
.
 TH E M O C K IN G —B I R D .

H E M O C K IN G B I R D i s called
-

th e pri nc e of C alifornia n bi rd s .

H e i s rath e r l o rdl y an d s om e
,

thi n k hi m a ty rant H e sc ol d s
.

w h en h e h as to but m ore to h ear hi s

,

ow n v oic e than to h ar m an y on e He .

”
li k e s to l ook c ros s at th e oth er bird s and s e e
“

th em d od ge i nto th e bu sh es He d oes n t u sually

.
’

”
“
m ean anythi ng by it ; for th ey c om e out of th ei r
hid ing pl ac es and eat from th e sam e tree o r bu sh
-

o r gard en tabl e with that s el fsam e m ocke r that

-

sc old ed th em .

A s s o on as h i s l ittl e fit of tem p er i s o v er away ,

fli es th e m ocker to th e
c him n ey top and m akes
ap ol ogi es i n hi s sweetest
n ote s to all th e bird s h e
sc ol ded s o An d i f a d og
.

or c at o r h awk puts i n an
app earan c e h e i s th e fi rst
,

to gi v e th e al arm foll owi ng

,

th e en emy with out fear for

,

84
 TH E MO C KI G B I RD
N -
. 85

h i s own safety . D ogs an d cats s om etim es mak e

beli ev e th ey d o n ot care for th e m ocker but really ,

th ey d o hate hi m m ore than any bird He i s .

m or e than a m atch for them .

W e k n ow of a p et hous e c a t wh ose back was

-

m ad e v ery s or e by repeated attacks of the m ock

ers whos e n est was i n th e v in e abov e the d oor .

M O CK IN G B I D
'
R

If the cat v en tured out by daylight though e v er ,

s o slyly th e parent m ocker s fl ew at him with such

,

c un nin g rage that h e s ought th e fi r s t c ov er i n

,

sight O n e bird attacked th e e a t o n on e side

.
,

whil e its m ate s l i pp ed up o n th e other and ga v e

a p ull a t th e fur I n d ue tim e th e cat wit h a
.
, ,
86 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

Very sor e back c oncl ud ed it was n o m atc h for th e

,

m ocker s an d w a s sati sfi ed to lick its m il k u nd er

,

th e kitch e n tabl e with j u st a gl an c e out of d o ors

’

-
.

Yo u will n otic e that m ost d ogs r u n i n a c ow

a r dl fashi o n fr om a m oc ker as if fou r feet an d a
y ,

wid e op en m outh w ere n o m atch fe r a pai r of

-

win gs and a beak that can cl ose v ery sud d enly

over a pin c h of hair .

We hav e had ou r own hai r p ull ed many a tim e

by th e m ockers a nd it h urts Th e bird s ha v e a
, .

way o f sl ipping u p from b ehi n d on e givi ng th e ,

h ai r a tweak and d od gin g out o f r eac h Th ey

,
.

n ev er d o attack an i ntrud er fro m b efo re .

Perh ap s i t i s o n ac c ou nt of th ei r watch ful n e s s

abou t th e ground s that oth er bi rd s p ut u p with
,

s o m uc h sc old in g fr om th e m oc kers They see m .

to l ov e th ei r c om pany and are sur e to n est i n any

,

gard en wh ere th e m ocker s l i v e T h e y o ung of .

oth e r bi rd s are n ot m olested n o r sc old ed by th e

m ocker s ev en i n thei r c ro sse st m ood s and for
, ,

thi s rea s on i f for n o oth e r we l ov e th em To be

, ,
.

s ur e i f a l i n n et brin gs h er y oung on es to th e
,

gard en tabl e befor e m other m ocker has fed h er

-

own l ittl e o n e s a s m uc h gi n gerbread as th ey can

”
swall ow m ocke r s ays G o away ! i n p retty l oud
, ,
’
ton es Bu t s h e n eve r harm s h er n eigh bors c hil
.

d ren .
 TH E M OC K I N G B I R D
-
. 7

I n the S p ring y ou m ay trac k th e m ockers to

any bu s h or tree i n whic h th ey are building th ei r
n e s t N ot by th e print of th eir feet i n m ud by
.
,

an
y m eans for m ockers
,
d o n ot wal k i n th e m ud ,

n or hav e anything to d o with m ud at n esting

t i m e l ike th e robi n s and s wall ow s We track them
, .

by the white twi ne they d rop from th ei r beaks as

they go to th e n est If th ey get a pi ec e too l ong
.
,

it tangl es i n th e s hrubbery an d i s l ef t there ,

.

Th e m ocker s n e s t i s begu n with stick s o f c oar s e

’

straws and fi ni sh ed with twi n e o r soft r oots and

gras s es W e pl ac e stri ngs all about for th em i n
.

our gard en whic h th ey l earn to exp ect B ut w e

,
.

c an n ot i nd uc e th em to take c ol ored twi n e They .

will u s e only white j u st a s th e towh ee will u s e

,

only white rags Th e reason for thi s i s explai n ed

.

i n th e c hapter o n th e towhee .

Two pai rs of m ockers ha v e n ested i n o u r

ground s for several years T hey are with u s .

s um m er an d wi nter ; i n winter b ecause we d o n ot ,

forget to set th e gard en tabl e -

.

Y oun g m ockers will n ot r em ai n i n th e n e s t

l onger than th ey can s e e ov er th e brim T hey .

climb out and d rop i n a hel pl es s way to th e

,

grou nd Th en they b egi n to c ry an d that tell s

.
,

all th e cats an d bad boys an d th e good l ittl e

girl s i n the n eighborh ood The cats catc h what
.
88 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F R E AD ER S .

th ey d eserv e i f we s e e th em i n ou r gard en ; as
for th e b oys w e try to teac h th em b etter o r take
, ,

up thei r attenti on s om e w a y u ntil th e go od littl e

YO U N G M O CK ING B I D
-
R .

girl s h av e a chan c e to pick u p t h e c rying y ou n g

bi rd s
.

Y Ou n g bi rd s c an b e tr usted to th e gi rl s and
s om e b oy s . Y ou c an plac e them u p i n a tangled
shrub n ever back i n th e n est for th ey wil l tum
, ,

bl e ri ght out agai n Th e b est w a y i s to keep an

.

ey e o n th e li ttle thi ngs by d ay and p ut th em out

,

of reac h at night i n y ou r own h o use p erh aps

,
.

Y ou n g m ockers get th ei r feathers v ery early ,

and are s oo n abl e to keep out of harm s w a y ’

.
90 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F R E A D ER S .

wake yo u c ryi ng i n th e treetop and y ou m ay ,

catc h th e sou nd of a squeaking wh eelbarrow o r ,

th e p ostm an s whi stl e o r ev en a y oun g rooster

’
,

j ust l earn i ng hi s fi r st c row A bi rd i n ou r g a r .

d en h as l earn ed to m imic th e graph oph on e v ery

well gi v i ng th e m etall i c ring
, .

O f c ours e thi s nightly s erenad e an n oy s n er

,

v ou s pe opl e w h o want to sleep and th ey s a y ,

harsh things ab out th e bi rd behin d h i s back ,

.

B ut m ocke r goes o n with hi s son gs j u st a s if ,

e v eryb od y sp oke well of him If he thi n ks about .

th e m atter at all h e m ay c on cl ud e that a p erson

,

m ight as wel l go o n with hi s d uty and pl easure

witho ut s te ppi n g to car e what oth er folk s thi n k of
hi m .

Th e food of th e m ockin g bi rd s i s m ostly i n -

sects Th ey ar e expert fl y c atc h ers and wil l take

.
-
,

a butterfly o n th e wing or a grassh opp er on th e

j um p qui cker than a wi nk They hu nt fo r grub s .

u n de r th e tre e s and fo r fruit i n th e trees

,
Th ey .

get u p early i n th e m o rnin g befor e our great ,

s trip ed J er usal em c rickets hav e gon e bac k i nto

th ei r h ol es It i s of n o u s e for c ricket to turn
.

ov er o n hi s back wh en h e sees a m ock er c omi n g

al on g ; h e m ay strike out hi s s i x l egs and toe s i n
a v ery sa v age m an n er after th e c u stom of sand
,

c ric kets but h e c ann ot frighten th e m ocker

,
.
 TH E M O C K I NG B I R D
-
.

Mocking bird s are fon d of c ricket s claws They

-
’
.

are al so fon d of l izard s tail s In d eed lizard s’

.
,

grow s everal ne w tail s d u ring t h e sum m er on

pu rp os e for the m ockers to eat Li zard i s chas ed .

by a bi rd an d run s u nd er th e n earest l og forget

, ,

ting to tak e hi s tail i n after him Th e ti p of that .

nic e ta i l j ust sti cki ng fro m un d er th e l og i s al l

the cun n i n g bi rd Wa s after anyway a n d o ff it , ,

goes i nto i ts beak N ot that m ocker pull s i t O ff

. .

O n o ! Th e li zard l ets go of its tail w hen it feel s

“ ”
a pi n ch a s i f to say
,
Take it if yo u want it
,
.

’
Li zard d oes n t mi nd th e l os s and i n th e c ourse ,

—
of a m on th hi s n ew tail ti p will be r eady fo r
an oth er supp e r for th e m oc ker o r th e robi n .

O ur l ittl e fri en d from San D i ego write s that th e

m ockers watc h fo r th e n ew m ilk to be brought i n
at night and h e set s a c upf u l u p o n a p ost for
,

th em They d rin k it with as m uc h r eli sh as a

.

kitten .We h av e al so fed them m ilk but th ey ,

l ik e it best with sugar i n it All th e bi rd s we .

”
feed ha v e a s w eet tooth Th e way to any bird s
.
’

heart i s by his l ittl e stom ac h an d any child or ,

p ers on m ay hav e th e m ocker s n ear th e h ous e i f

th ey will but feed th em well To b e su re ou r .
,

m ocking bird s are n ot seen aroun d San F ra n ci s c o

-

Bay for reas on s of thei r own whic h w e d o n ot

, ,

u nd erstand Bi rd s ar e m uc h like p eopl e wh o

.
92 W E S T ER N S ER I E S O F RE AD ER S .

prefer c ertai n parts of th e c ou ntry to l iv e i n .

And th ey d o n ot al way s explai n th ei r reas on s .

Th ey l ea v e m any things fo r u s to fi n d o ut W h o
-
.

will fi nd Ou t th e r easo n why m ockin g bi rd s d o -

n ot l ike to l i v e ar ou nd San F ran ci sc o Bay ? But

e v erywh ere i n th e s outh ern an d in teri o r parts of
th e state th ey are c om m on .
 TH E A M E R I C A N COOT .

EW
p eopl e call this i nteresting
bird by its c o rrec t n am e It .

“ ”
has bee n d ubbed m ud h en -

for s o long that w e forget it

,

h as an othe r a nd better n am e to
an swer to Howe v er it seem s to
.
,

hav e earn ed th e n am e fo r itself

by its p referenc e for m uddy p l ac es A n other .

n am e by whic h th e bird i s kn own i s crow d uck -

.

It i s n early a s black as a c row wh e n s ee n i n th e

S had ows of a swam p an d i t swim s l ik e a d uc k
,

when on a p o n d B ut you m ay s e e th e d ifferenc e

.

between a m ud l i en and a d uck by l o oki ng at th e

-

feet of both Th e c oot i s n ot w e b footed i n t h e

.
-

S am e fashi on a s th e d u ck and th e goos e E ac h .

to e i s separately w ebb ed Littl e S h ort scall op s of

.

web ru n arou nd th e wh ol e l ength of eac h l ong toe .

Thi s i s su fficient w e b to R E F E RE N C E T O P I C S
aid th e bird i n s wi m min g C n b k d k
,
a vas a c u c .

but d oes n ot prev en t its w nd d k g m u c s a s a e .

b ei ng a g OO d walker a s F t f w i m m
e e i ng b l d
o s r s .

O t h m h bi d e r a r s -
r s
well
.

.
94 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F R E A DER S .

W eb fo oted bir d s can n ot

-

“
ru n rapidly ; they j u st
”
waddl e a s y o u kn ow w el l
,

en ough by watchi n g th e
d uck s i n you r yard B ut th e .

m ud h en run s l ike a p artrid ge

-
,

and s h e take s to h er l egs i n

p referenc e to flyi ng or swi m ming 0 0 0 1 3 0 12 M UD H E N
,
-

i f y o u s urp ri s e h er i n th e m arsh es wh ere S h e ,

l ov es to sp en d h e r ti m e Th e m arsh i s he r .

“ ’ ”
h om e h er c hild ren s n u rsery h er nativ e l and
, , .

O n o u r c oast th e c oot n ests i n Ap ril and May

, .

Th e n e sts are u su al ly fl oating rafts i n th e reed s

’
o r o n th e wate r s ed ge .

S om etim e s large settl em ent s of c o ots take up a

l ow boggy m arsh and rear th ei r famil i es The
,
.

bottom of th e n est i s o f reed s and sticks whi c h ,

m oth er c oot breaks with h e r beak an d lay s c ri s s

c ros s Th e platform o r bottom of th e raft n est i s
.
-

strong an d thi ck AS th e wo rk goe s o n th e n e st

.
,

i s h oll owed i nto S hap e an d th e reed s an d grass es ,

ar e w ov en sn ugly togeth er S om etim e s a n e st i s .

pl aced i n th e protecti o n of r eed s o r will ow stem s -

,

s o t h at i t m u st r emai n i n on e plac e l ike any ,

bird s n est S om eti m es i t i s plac ed o n th e water

’
.

and m oored o r fasten ed to l on g reed s o r tul es

be n t o v er I n th i s c as e th e y oung coots ar e b orn
.
 TH E A M E R I C AN C OO T .

i n a h ouse boat When the wi nd bl ows t h e

-
.
“
,

c radl e will rock and ri se and fall with m other

, ,

c oot sitting calmly o n h er treasu re O n c e a n est .

w a s s een to break fro m its m o orings an d fl oat off

with m other m ud h en still o n it It w a s as i f s h e

-
.

had n o oth er th ought than to stay with her c hil

d ren And of c hild ren sh e has a pl enty ! Sh e lays
.

as m any eggs a s you r o w n bid dy hen lay s i n the

’
hay m ow Th e eggs are sh aped like h en s eggs
-
.
,

but are m udd y white d otted o r splas hed with ,

brown A s soon as th e y oung are hatc h ed th ey

.
,

are ready for a s w nn and away th ey go with the ,

m oth er l eaving th e h ous e boat to tak e care of

,
-

itself an d to tell th e boy s exactly wh ere to fi nd

,

n ext y ear s c oots Th e y oung are v ery beautiful

’
.

i n th ei r thick c oats of bl ack d ow n p encil ed with

bright orange Th ei r beaks are r ed tipp ed with
.
,

black They s oon l earn to hu nt o n th eir own a o

.

c ount for sl ugs an d sn ails a nd to catc h littl e ,

skaters an d water spid ers i n th e m argi n o f th e -

m arsh It i s thi s habit o f fi ndi n g th e m ost of

.

thei r food i n m ud and fresh water m arsh groun d - -

that has giv en th e c oot th e popular nam e of m ud

h en N o m atter i f i t i s a ro oster w e call i t m ud
.
,
”
h en exactl y a s we call th e ph oe b e bird Phoe be
,
-
,

be it m al e or femal e old or y oun g ,

.

Sh ould you get v ery h ungry out hunti ng an d ,

96 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

c om e ac ro ss a good fat m ud h en y ou n eed n ot b e

-
,

afraid to c ook i t for supp er Still m o st p eopl e

.
,

p refer other bird s fo r eating A hu nter w h o .

brought i n a brac e of c oots w ould wi sh th ey w ere

duck ; th ough at ti m es wh en i t eats m ostly
, ,

watercres s and wil d c el ery a m ud h en i s d e cla r e d

,
-

“
to be j ust as go od as can v asback .
 K I LL D E E R P LO V ER . 99

If you fin d th ei r feed i ng gro u n d s and s i t p er

-
,

fe c tly s ti ll i n th e early m orni ng y ou m ay hav e

i

th e killd eer c o m e v e ry cl o se to y ou O n e c ould .

watc h the m a l on g whil e every day and n ot grow ,

ti red You will n ot see them i n l arge fl oc ks but

.
,

in fam il y group s o r pai rs .

Th e food of thi s pl over i s sm all anim al s suc h ,

a s sn ail s a n d sl u g s a nd water bugs an d worm s

, ,
-
, ,

— i h fac t any l ittl e in sect o r oth er an im al that

,

live s i n m oi st ground Th ey h ave a queer way .

of l i sten i ng with th ei r beaks when th e c reature s

th ey wi s h to eat are u nd ergrou nd Littl e n erves .

run d own i nto th e tip o f th e bill s o th at i t i s s e n ,

s i ti v e W h en a killd ee r wants to fin d out i f a

.

w orm i s any w h ere withi n h eari ng i t rests its ,

beak li ghtl y o n th e groun d a s i f l i steni n g It i s

,
.

abl e to foll ow th e s o un d i t b e a r s an d th e beak ,

goe s straigh t to th e worm o r i n sect .

If the bi rd i s u nc ertai n as to any food bein g i n

th e ground ben eath h er s h e has an origin al way ,

of stam pi ng h e r fo ot as hard as s h e can when ,

up c om e s th e obj ect s h e i s after O n thi s a c .

c ou n t c ertai n pl o v ers are s om etim es call ed

,

“ ”
stam p ers Why any c reature c om e s up to th e
.

surfac e of th e ground wh en k i ll d eer stam p s its

foot n obody k n ows Perhap s it i s from th e wi sh
,
.

to b e h ospitabl e as wh en a p erso n an swers a

,

kn ock at the d oor .

1 00 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF RE A D E R S .

T h e n est o f th e kill d ee r i s v ery s im pl e It i s .

only a l ittle d ep ressi on i n the grou nd li ke a s a u ,

c er.

Th ese b i rd s l i ke old d riftwo o d and S hore rub

bi sh Th e re a r e m any i n sec ts w hic h killd eers
.

l ov e to hu n t i n old w o od o f any ki nd .

Th e eggs are th ree c ream y white d otted with , ,

brown T h e v ery d ay th ey are o u t o f th e s hell

.
,

th e y oun g bi rd s ar e read y fo r a r un al on g th e
wate rc o u rs e s o r th e i rrigatin g d i tch e s They are -
.

c o v e red wit h thic k d own th e c ol o r o f the gro und , ,

s o i t i s n ot ea s y fo r a p e rs o n to c atc h S igh t o f

th em I f yo u c o m e n ea r o n e o f th e m i t will
.
,

sp read i t s el f flat o n th e groun d an d k eep still !

S udd enl y y o u m ay s e e th e ol d m oth er kill d ee r a
,

“ ”
r o d a way S h e s eem s to b e havi ng a fit o f
.

s om e s ort S he fl utte rs and d r a gs h e r win gs on

.

th e gro un d o r h old s o n e wi n g ab ov e h e r bac k a s

, ,

if i n d i stre ss S h e also c ri e s and p ants as i f

.

wo und ed .

N o o n e can fin d i t i n hi s h eart to h arm a

w oun d ed bi rd s o of c ou rse y o u will s tO O p to
, , ,

“ ”
pic k u p th e p oo r thi ng thi n ki ng y o u m ay b e ,

abl e to d o s o m ethi ng fo r h er — wh e n o ff s h e
go es T h e n yo u l augh at y ou rs elf ! An d y ou
.

wand er bac k to th e pl ac e w h ere y ou fi rst s a w h er ,

and y ou h u nt th e gro un d al l o v er fo r th e y oung

 TH E W E S T E R N G U LL .

,H I S iou r c om m o n C alifornian
s

gull ou r o wn famili ar bird w h ic h

, ,

“ ”
t h e l aw say s y ou shal l n o t kill !
“
j u s t a s i t say s y ou s h a ll n ot kill
”
the turkey b u z zard -
.

T h e two bird s are S im i lar i n

on e respect ! they ar e p ubl ic ben e
facto rs Th ey seld o m catc h an d kil l thei r own
.

“
food . Becau s e i t i s th ei r b usi n ess to cl ean u p
after oth er folks t h ey are p rotected at al l ti m e s
,

o f th e year .

O ur s e a gull s are al w a y s on th e watch for a

-

j o b i n th e cl ean i ng u
p b
-
usi n ess B ut y o
. u m u st
n ot thi n k fo r a m om en t that th ey ar e d oing thi s
wo rk fo r o u r sake s or b ecau se th ey care a s traw
,

wh eth e r o r n ot a ny p l ac e
l o ok s tid y Th ey ar e thi n k
.

i n g o f th ei r own h unge r ,

an d th e quickest way of
sati s fyi n g i t afte r thei r
ow n fashi on Wh en th e
.

se a go e s away from th e
1 03
1 04 W E S T ERN S E RI E S O F R E A D E R S .

beac h i n th e m o rni n g i t al way s l eav es its c rum b s ,

o n th e sh or e — l ittl e s hell fi s h an d b roke n bi ts o f -

, ,

any thi ng i n clud in g n e w an d th en fragm e nts of

, , ,

’
s om eb od y s l un c h to s sed th e ev en i ng before in to
,

th e wate r .

S o th e early m o rn i n g i s y our b est ti m e to

,

watc h th e gull s G o a nd s i t stoc k still by a boat

.
-

o r h eap o f sand a nd y o u w il l n o t be n otic ed by

,

th e bi rd s Al on g w ill c om e th e gull s b e fo re i t i s
.

b road d ayl i ght to pic k u p th ei r break fast Th ey

,
.

ar e b eau ti ful and grac e ful o n t h e w hi te sand s ,

pec k in g as th ey go n ow an d the n fl yi n g out i n to ,

th e s u rf to s natc h s om e tid bi t that i s bei ng

was h ed away .

Th e gull s a re a l way s s p otles sly c l ean th ei r ,

l ov ely white h ead s gl i s ten in g wi th th e s ea water -

bat h T hey l ike to p erc h o n th e li ttl e boats a n

.

c h o red i n th e bay .

Y o u to ss th em a pi ec e of bre ad an d th ey watc h ,

fo r an oth er G ull s h av e l earn ed that n obod y

.

h arm s th em ; an d th ey a re tam e expectin g food ,

o f strange rs T h ey are sai d to b e v e ry fon d o f

.

c h ees e an d h av e been k n ow n to retu rn d ay afte r

,

day to a pl ac e wh ere th ey hav e r ec eiv ed th i s

c h oic e m o rsel .

W h er e farm s c om e cl o se d own to th e sea th e ,

gull s are kn own to foll ow th e pl ow and to s natc h ,

1 06 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D E R S .

watc hed th e bit o f fi sh as we to ss ed it out It fell .

o n th e sand Th e gul l p ush ed it o ut i nto the

.

water b ut kept an ey e o n it J ust as it w a s

,
.

goi ng out with th e tid e th e gull ran i n an d ,

brought i t back It d ropped i t o n the san d and

.

th e n p u sh ed it d own s o th e fi ngers o f th e tid e

c ould j u s t reac h it Th en th e bi rd ran i n after it
.

again Th e bi rd kept u p thi s appar en t sp ort for

.

a l on g whil e an d o th ers j oi n ed th e pl ay Th ey
,
.

acc epted seve ral pi ec e s o f fi s h w hic h w e gav e

th em an d am u s ed th em sel v e s u ntil th e m or sel s
,

were wor n and torn i nto l ittl e sh red s Thi s sp ort .

o f th e gull s w a s v e ry i nteresti ng and sin c e th en ,

we h av e Often given th em sc rap s of food to play

with .

It i s only wh e n th e fi sh erm en brin g i n thei r

n ight s catc h h owe v er that gull s s e em to ha v e
’
, ,

m ore than en ough o f anythin g to eat .

O f c ou r s e gull fl e s h i s n ot v ery go od for eating ;

,
-

still s om e o f th e s e a beac h p eopl e wh o l iv e far

,
-

from m arket d o u s e th e bi rd s for fo od and d e ,

“
cl are th e m eat better than n othin g It has th e .

bl end i n g of fi s h and fl e s h fl av o r n ot to on e s
- -
,
’

li king .

O ur Western gull n ests on th e San ta B a rbara

and F a r a ll o n e i sla n d s an d at Catal ina they ha v e,

take n p o s s es si on of a l arge roc k i n th e surf ,

 TH E WE S T ERN G UL L . 1 07

w hic h n obody else care s for It i s call ed G ull .

R ock .

Th e eggs are three placed on th e bare rock or

,

ground Parent gulls hav e a shrill harsh c ry at

.
,

n e sting tim e T hi s c ry i s an swered by a whi n e

-
.

from th e y oun g on e s Young gull s d o n ot get

.

th ei r full pl um age u ntil th ey ar e two o r three

years of age but are d u sky brown all ov er O n
,
.

thi s a c c o im t wh e n y ou a re watc hing a n um ber of

,

gull s o n th e beach y ou m ay think som e of the m

,

ar e an other Sort of bird .

N oti c e h ow lightly th e gull s swim o n the water !

Alm o s t th e W h ol e bird i s i n S ight whil e m any ,

other water fowl swi m w ith o nly th e n eck abov e

-

th e su rf a c e Thi s i s becaus e th ei r feath er s are

.

v ery thic k an d th e b ody v ery s mall R eally gull s .

,

ar e m o re than hal f plu mage Thi s m ake s th em .

s o light of w eight they s i t j ust touch i ng th e

, ,

water ridi ng i n th ei r own boat

,
.

I t i s a p retty S i ght to s e e th e gull s fl oati n g

aroun d th e pi er cl os e to th e bobbing bu oys .

They ar e watc hin g for th e c racker y ou are eati ng ,

ready to s natc h i t wh en y o u d rop i t ; and n o

d oubt th ey are watc hin g th e fi s h ben eath them ,

havi ng a good tim e o f thei r o w n j u s t out of reac h ,

of th e gul l s wh o are n o d i v er s
,
.

Shoul d an h on e s t O l d p elican happ en al ong on

1 08 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

its w a y h om e with a fi sh h an ging out of its

,

m ou th an d ac cid entally pass a gull th e gull

, ,

would m o st lik ely steal th e fi sh O ld p el ican

.

w oul d hav e to go fi s hi ng agai n But that i s hi s

'

bu si n ess It i s gull s bu sin ess to get fi s h w h e r

.
’

ev e r fi sh m ay b e fou nd o u t o f d eep water .

1 10 W E S T E RN SE R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

are b o rn and grow up i n th e far n orth and are in ,

full pl um ag e w he n we fi r s t s e e th em a
Th e gold en c rown s ar e n ot s o n u m erou s a s th e
-

wh ite c rown s but alway s w e hav e a few of them

-
, .

TH E FO! -
S P A RR OW

Th ey d o n ot si n g s o c on stantly w ith u s as th e
w hite crown s
-
.

T h e fox sparrow and th e gold en c rown s d o n ot

- -

app ear i n l arge fl ocks as d o th e white crown s

,
-
.

O f a ll th e wi nter sparrows that c om e to u s we ,

l ove th e white c rown s b est S om e autum n m orn

-
.

ing i n th e gard en before th e s u n i s well o ut of

,

hi s bed we h ear a sweet song j ust fiv e or s i x

, ,
 D I FF EREN T S P A R RO W S . 111

“ ”
n otes a n d w e c ry T he w h ite crown s are h ere !
, ,
-

Bu t there i s only on e Th e m ain fl ock i s o n the

.

w ay .

Wit h m ost of our m igrato ry bird s S ingl e i ndivid ,

W HI T E C OWN E D P A OW
-
R S RR .

u a lsappear ah e ad of th e rest for what p urp ose —

,

we d o n ot kn ow Y o u will n otic e thi s with the

.

sparrows an d ori oles and bl u ebird s and robi n s

, , ,
.

Perhap s it i s tw o o r th ree d ay s before th e fi rst

fl oc k of white crown s ar e seen Th e n th ere i s a
-
.

sudd en gl ad song ev erywh ere and y ou feel l ike

, ,

staying out of sch ool j ust to l ook and listen It .

Would s eem a s i f these bird s are glad the long

1 12 W E ST E RN S ER I E S OF RE A DER S .

j ou r n ey i s ove r and th ey are h om e again fo r the

wi n ter .

T hi s y ear ( 1 9 0 2 ) th e white crown s arrived i n -

southern Cali forn ia S eptem ber 2 5 th Th e sc out

,
.

w h o cam e o n ah ead went straight to th e gard en

tabl e as i f h e kn ew h e would fi n d i t read y s e t

,
.

An d s o h e d id W e were l o oki ng fo r hi m !
.

Alway s th e white cr own s are fearles s an d m ay be

-
,

see n o n ou r d oor step s If yo u l eave th e d o or

-
.

Op en i n th e m orni ng th ey will c om e i n T hey

,
.

wil l l ook y o u i n th e fac e and s i ng Th ey are .

said to s in g al l night i n Alaska Here of c ourse .

'

, ,

w e n ev e r h ear thei r be st songs .

T h e c ro w n e d s parrows make thei r n ests i n th e

frosty gras s i n th e far n orth a few in c hes abov e ,

th e eternal ic e o n th e c old m ead o ws E ven there .

i n sect food i s abund ant th ough th e warm su n of ,

sum m er d oes n ot thaw th e groun d m an y i nche s

ben eath th e surfac e B eetl es an d oth er i n sects
.

wake u p like th eir E ski m o n ei ghb ors an d c om e

'

out to s e e th e d aylight It i s th en that th e spar

.

r ows get th em Be s id es th e i n sects ther e are

.
,
‘

fruits and s e e d s for sparrow food Last year s

-
-
.
’

c ran b erri es ar e j u st thawin g o ut of th e m ossy

m ead ow s wh e n th e sparr ows arriv e fro m Cali
fo r n i a som e tim e i n April o r M ay These berrie s .

are all th e sweeter for thei r l on g wi nter u nd er th e

1 14 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

dip fi rst th e beak a n d th e fac e and wh ol e h ead in

th e water and S hake it O ff u ntil all th e tabl e i s
well sp ri nkl ed .

Yo u can n ot enj oy th e wi nter sparrows without

a gard en tabl e A s c h ool h ou s e wi nd ow S h el f
-
.
-

woul d d o fo r th em plac ed high o ut of reach but

, ,

i n sight from th e i n sid e B ut th er e i s d anger of

.

our turn ing th e sch o olh ouse i nto a n avi ary i f w e

go o n B etter plac e th e tabl e i n th e ground s and
.
,

re spect th e rights of th e bi rd s to that particular

c orn er .

Th ere i s on e s parr ow that has n ot y et c om e

farther s outh i n California than F resn o W e d o .

n ot want to s e e hi m Sti ll sh ould h e c om e w e

.
, ,

will try to m ak e th e b e st of it It will be o f n o .

us e to obj ect to hi s c ompany ! It will d o n o good

“ ”
to start o ut to kil l hi m off ! W hen h e c om es ,

h e wil l c om e to stay That i s th e E ngli sh S par

.

row .

S carcely any on e had a good word to s a y for

th e E ngli sh sparrows u ntil i t w a s d i sc overed that
,

they wer e fon d of th e sev enteen y ear l oc usts -

.

Th en th e farm ers began to p rai s e th em T heir .

go od app etites were talked ab o ut a s i f th ey were

v irtues an d th e boy s quit r obbing th eir n ests
,
.

But th e l ocu sts w er e so o n go n e and th e farm ers ,

hav e forgotten w hat th ey owe the sparrows S o .

th e bird s are p ersec uted agai n .

 D I FF EREN T S P A RR O W S .

It d oes n o good to any on e for a person to

”
hate any bird Hate m akes th e h eart hard
.
,

an d before y ou k n o w it y ou will be hating other ,

bir ds than th e E ngli sh sparrow T o m ake the .

best of a bad bargain and to turn th e li ttle E ng

,

li sh sparrow to s om e acc ount i n th e world l et u s ,

“ ”
eat hi m all u p I n thi s way we S h oul d c om e
.

to l ov e hi m i n spite of oursel ves B ut by n o .

c ruel m eth od s m ind ! G iv e him a quick sh ort cut

,

t o th e Lan d of N owh ere and all will be well We

,
.

are som ethi ng l i ke sparro w s oursel v es ; w e thi nk

w e m u st hav e ou r m eat ! A nd sparrow roa s ted , ,

broil ed o r ste w ed i s a di sh for a ki ng It i s j ust

, ,
.

th e d iet for S ic k p eopl e and babi es Little chil .

d re n w h o d o n ot take k indly to oth er food thriv e

on sparr ow b roth and eggs .

Sp arrow s eggs ! Wh y y ou can c oax a s parrow

’
,

h en to lay right al o ng j ust l ike an y bid dy hen i n

,
-

the barn yard -

.

Y ou m ust quit scari ng the bi rd s to th e high

roof gabl es a n d o ut of reac h plac es Pl ac e straws
- -
.

about th e balcon i es and d oo r and win d ow sil ls ,

and watc h what happ en s Th e S parrows will take .

to egg lay i n g fo r all summ er l ong an d stay right

-
,

i n o n e place You can gather th e eggs every

.

d a y a l way s l eavin g a n est egg and th e m oth e r

,
-
,

bird will su pply the hom e m arket Y ou c an .

116 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

easily s e e that by thi s m ethod th ere will b e v ery

few y oung bird s a nd th e s parrows will bec om e
,

m ore d om est i c ated y ear by y ear .

Th e c usto m of d rivi ng th em i nto d i stant and

high pl ac es to n est i s all wr ong W e had a fri end .

i n th e E ast wh o m ad e a beauti ful p orti e re o r cu r ,

tai n fo r h er parl o r o f E ngli sh S parrow s eggs

, ,
’
.

They were bl own and str ung o n sil k c ord

,
.

Th e ch il d ren of th e c ity str eets w h o hav e s o

littl e S p ac e for h om e and s e e th e d ark sid e of
,

e v ery day li fe c ould get b oth p rofit and pl easu r e

-
,

from th e sparr ows City h ospital s c ould c o n v ert

.

thei r hi gh win d ow l edge s i nto littl e farm yard s

- -

for th e ben efit an d pleasure o f th e sick O n e .

c oul d hav e eggs for breakfast by j ust Openi n g th e

wi nd ow F o undl i n g h osp ital s c oul d b e suppl i ed
.

with th e m ost n ou ri s hing fo od fo r th e littl e o r

phan s It woul d b e better for sch o ol child re n to
.

se e that suc h p rovi si on s are m ade than to be ,

ston i ng th e sp arrows for n othing but hate .

“ ”
Si n c e m an m ust l iv e m an m u st eat an d we
, ,

m a y eat th e E ngli sh sparr ows But s e e th at we

.

d o it with a though t o f th ei r go od qualities and ,

a regret that th ey ar e n ot better n eighbor s to

oth er bird s .
 WE S TE RN S ER I E S OF R E A DER S .

fl ight so high and s o fast it was tol d of them t h at

, ,

th ey sp ent th e wi nter u nd er th e i ce at th e bottom ,

of po nd s an d stream s with th e snappin g turtl e ,

an d th e eel s Again it w a s rum ored that th ey

.
,

c rept i nto rat h ol es o r away d own to th e b ottom

-

of h oll ow trees wh ere th ey h ibern ated like th e

,

bear s an d sl ept th e win ter away

,
.

It i s well kn own n ow that s wall ows m igrate to

a warm er cl i m e at th e app roac h of win ter As .

th ey trav el th ey d o n ot s te p for m eals They .

feast up o n su c h d elicaci es a s c om e i n th ei r ai ry
way Th e beak o f th e swal l ow i s a sc o op m ad e
.

o n p u rp os e to catc h fl ie s ; and s o th es e i n sects ,

that ar e h a v i n g a go od tim e i n th e u pp er ai r ,

n ev er kn ow what b ri n gs th em s o s ud d enly to th e
en d of th ei r caree r .

At n e s ting tim e yo u m ay s e e th e ban k swallows

- -

s o a r i n g a b o v e th e steep banks sel ecti ng a suitable

‘

l oc ati on fo r th ei r s um m er work F lyi ng sl owly .

ben eath th e c rest o f th e ban k th ey tap the earth ,

to ascertai n th e b est sp ot to c om m en c e i n D own .

tu m bl e l ittl e Ston e s and sand S plashing right ,

i nto th e s u rf o r d roppi n g on th e h ead s of stroll

,

er s al ong th e b eac h S upp ortin g th em selv e s by

.

th ei r wings th ey d ig with th ei r cl aws straight

,

i nto th e bank at a S lightly upward slant l ike th e

, ,

k i n gfi s h e r s. W hen the tu nn el i s two or three

 TH E B A N K SWA L L OW
-
.

feet i n len gth th ey make a l ittle chamber i n

,

whic h to lay th ei r eggs .

When a swall ow i s app roachin g its h ol e i n th e

ban k y ou will n otic e it fold s its wi ngs and dar ts
,

right i n with out s o m uc h a s touching fo ot o n its

own d o or step At th e en d of th e p assageway i n
-
.

th e l ittl e n urs ery chambe r j u st out of reac h o f a

-
,
’
boy s arm the l ittl e swall ows gro w and gradually
, ,

l earn to ru n d own th e l on g l an e an d p eep ou t of

th e d oor It i s n ow that th e c row th e h ungry
.
,

rascal that h e i s i s obs e r v ed to keep strict watch

,
.

Many a child s w all ow i s m et at th e Op en door

with a v ery tragic en di ng of its S hort li fe .

Pe r hap s yo u thi nk th e y ou n g swal lows stand a

good c han c e o f tum blin g off fro m their d oor step s -

i nto the ri v er But suc h a catastrop h e n ever

.

occu rs A baby swall ow s wings ar e d e v el op ed

.
’

v ery soon an d the li ttl e bird i s m u c h at hom e i n

,

th e air o n hi s first flight a s an y on e m ay s e e by ,

watc hi ng a c ol ony of n estin g h ol es only you -

,

would hav e s om e di ffi culty i n rec ogni zing th e

youn g fro m th ei r pare nts for th ey l ook j us t alike ,
.

Th e t w i tterin g of th e swall ows i s m usical ,

though they hav e n o rea l s ong They are a bless .

i n g to all m an kind for th ey n e v e r take our fru it

,

or grain l iving enti rel y up on i n sect life and of

,
-
,

c ourse taking many harmful sp eci e s .

 W E S T E RN S E RI E S OF RE AD ER S .

O n c e a h ungry h unter w h o had fou n d bad luck

,

i n plac e of gam e cam e upon a c ol ony of swall ows

, ,

and th ought h e w ould breakfast on swall ow fry ,

o r stew or pi e
,
.

He S h ot a n u m ber and th ough t they l o oked

,

good eat i ng lyi ng lim p i n hi s hand suggesti v e of

, ,

blackbi rd o r sp arr ow o r q uail on toast Th e .

breakfast s m ell ed all right c o oki ng i n th e cam p

.

skill et and th e hu n te r sm acked hi s l ip s after th e

,

m an n er o f hu nters wh en th ey ar e h un gry Alas ! .

at th e fi rst m outhful h e tu rn ed th e c ontents of

th e frying pan i n to th e fi re Th e taste of the
-
.

fl esh re s embl ed that of th e tu rk ey bu zzard as -

,

n ear a s hi s i magin ati o n c oul d h el p h i m out .

What el s e c oul d a p ers on exp ect of a bi rd whi ch

eats only i n sects ? A s well c o ok a c row o r a bl u e
1 22 WE S T E RN SE RIE S oF RE A DE R S .

fer th e h o use ea v es whic h w e offer th em

-
S om e .

ti m es th ey build u nd er bridges .

It i s a p retty sight wh en you c om e upon th e

S wall ows fl utteri ng ab ov e th e m ud p uddl es after a
-

rain o r foll owi ng th e water wago n about th e

,
-

streets for th e l eakage that c oll ects i n littl e u n

even pl aces of th e road S ee h ow th ey work u p
.

th e m ud in to p ellets partly swall owi ng as m a ny

,

a s th ey ca n carry at o ne l oad By lo okin g cl osely

.

at th e n e st s yo u s e e th ey are j u st a c ol lecti on
,

of th es e l ittl e p ell ets of d ried m ud It i s really .

arti sti c S kill i n clay m od el ing It i s su p po sed

-
.

that th e early nativ es of ou r W estern c oast watc h ,

ing th e swall ows an d ph oebes at th eir n est build -

i ng got th e id ea of m aking m ud i nto bric ks and

,

s o buildi ng ad ob e h o uses .

Y ou will n otic e that som e of th e n ests have

littl e bal c oni es o r v erand as on th e S id es N ow it .
,

was supp os ed th e bird s m ad e thes e on p urp ose

for a restin g plac e whe n c omi ng to th e n est or
-
,

fo r th e y ou ng to fi nd safe fo otin g on ; b ut w e ha v e
watch ed th e s wall ows a l on g tim e an d ar e su re ,

these l ittl e v eran das ar e n e ve r m ad e o n p urpos e .

AS th e nest p rogress es n ow and th en a laye r o r

,

b unc h of p ell ets weaken s and fall s S om etim es .

thes e fal l to th e grou nd and often they only tip

,

ov er and ad h ere to th e rest of th e n est i n that

 T H E C L I FF -
S w A L L ow . 123

shap e Th e old bird s c ontinu e build in g above

.

the broken bits and when th e n est i s fi n i shed it

, ,

has the appearan c e of an ad ob e with p orc hes .

W he n a c ol ony o f swall ow s ha s take n p os ses

sio n of a barn l oft o r th e sid e of a barn u nd er the
-
, ,

eav es i t s eem s as though al l tak e a han d i n th e

,

build i ng n o partic ular pai r at any c ertai n n est

,
.

B ut wh en n early fini sh ed a singl e femal e takes ,

p osses si on and lay s h e r eggs .

W e h av e not s een th e eggs l eft al on e for a S ingl e

m om ent Wh en eith er bird i s O ff th e n est th e
.
,

m ate takes its plac e If a c ol ony b e d istu rbed

.
,

all th e bi rd s fly anxi ou sly ab out sn appi n g th ei r ,

beaks an d beggin g to be l eft i n p eace Th e s w a l .

’
l ows to ok p os s e s si on o f a p h oebe s n est l ast y ear , ,

un d er o u r barn eav es I n thi s sam e n est the

-
.

li nn ets h a d reared two bro od s .

S om e p eopl e obj ec t to having swall ows about

th ei r h om es but w e l o ve th em
,
A littl e fresh .

pai nt w ill m ake th e S id e of a stabl e l ook as good

a s n ew an d on e can endu re th e untidy app ear
,

an c e fo r j u st a few w eek s for th e fu n th ere i s i n

w atc h i ng th e bi rd s N othi ng i s m ore i nterest
.

i ng o n a war m d ay than to li e o n on e s back o n ’

th e hay m ow and watc h th e swallows Lacking

-
.

th e hay m ow on e can li e i n a ham m ock or on th e

-
,

gras s and watc h a c ol ony o n th e n orth sid e of th e

 W E S T E RN S E RI ES OF RE AD E R S .

barn Th e bird s so on c om e to kn ow y o u will n ot

.

harm th em an d pay n o atten tio n to y ou ev e n

, ,

th ough y o u are v ery cl o s e to th em .

There i s a harml es s s up erstiti on am on g th e

c ountry p eopl e i n s om e parts of th e world that ,

“
i f y o u are good to th e swall ows th e lightni ng ,

”
wil l n ev er stri ke y ou r barn .

A go od story i s tol d of a farm er w h o th ought to

frighten th e swall ows away fro m h i s barn by
hanging a d ead owl to th e rafter w h ere i t swu n g ,

i n th e wi nd W hat sh ould th ey d o b ut plac e th e

.
,

v ery fi rst p ell et of m ud th ey b rought i n righ t o n

th e h ead of th e o w l ! An d th ey k ept On with th e
n e st u n ti l on e egg w a s l aid wh en n e s t egg a nd
, , ,

ol d bi rd sw u n g i n th e wi nd Th e far m e r th ought
.

i t s uch a c u ri osity that h e took th e stuffed owl

,

wi th th e n e s t on i ts h ead and gav e i t to a great

m u seum s o th at oth er p eopl e c ould ad m ir e it
,
.

Th e n h e put a s e a shell i n its plac e i n th e barn

-
,

swi ngin g i t by stri ngs p ut th rough littl e h ol e s h e

had d rill ed i n th e edges o f th e sh ell and ti ed i t to ,

th e sam e rafter Th e swall ows b uil t an othe r n est

.

right i n th e sh ell an d b rought o u t th e i r bro od .

What i nteresti n g thi ngs a p erson can find out w h o

l ov e s th e bird s and has th e pati en c e to s tudy
them !
126 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF R E A D E R S .

U nl ike th e ori ol e s th e waxwings al way s c om e

,

to u s i n fl oc ks u s ual ly with t h e r obi n s i n wi nter

,
.

Th ey a pp ear sud d enl y i n th e p epp er tree s o r th e

sy cam o res Pepp er berri e s a nd m i stl eto e berri es
.
- -

m ake a m id win te r feast fo r th e waxwi ngs T he .

’
waxwi ngs s hare th e robi n s way s of th rowin g u p
th e s eed s afte r a m eal o n th ese berri es Pep p er .

trees ar e s ee n growi ng i n d i s tan t m ountai n

wash e s wh e re n ev e r any m a n pl anted th e seed s
,
.

Thi s i s th e w ork of th e waxwings .

Th e ro bi n s an d waxwi ngs s eem fi rm f rie nd s ,

i

and wand e r about togeth e r a s m e r r y a s ca n be ,

.

Th e real c au se of th ei r fri end s hi p li e s i n th e food

whic h th ey S hare togethe r T hei r tastes are .

si m il ar
.

W axwi ng s a re bi rd s of l o ng fl ight The re i s a .

c om m o n b eli ef that th e waxwi ng gathers a supply

of fo od i n its l u nc h baske t o r c rop and carri e s it
-
,

on l on g j o urn ey s d ige sti n g i t at n eed a s th e

, ,

cam el i s kn own to carry a supply of water fo r i ts

d es ert j ou rn ey Thi s m ay b e on ly a sto ry as w e
.
,

are n ot c ertai n ab out it .

W e m an age to ha v e food ready fo r th e wi nter

bi rd s i n ou r grou nd s I f w e giv e th e raspb erri e s
.

a l ate su m m er wateri ng th ey will bear berri e s i n

,

m id wi nter — n ot a large c rop to b e su r e b ut

, , ,

e n ough fo r th e waxwi ngs It i s great fu n to s e e

.
 T H E C ED A R WA ! WI N G . 1 27

th e bird s c hatter ab o ut th ose berr i es and ben d ,

th e can e s to th e gro und w h er e they h old th em

,

unti l th e stem i s r obbed o f al l th e rip e fruit .

Alway s a fearl es s bird th e waxwings l ear n to,

b e v ery tam e with u s wh ere th ey are sure of ki nd

,

treatm en t an d pl enty to eat We s upp o s e ou r .

read er s wi ll begi n t o thin k w e d o l ittl e el s e but

feed th e bi rd s and yo u m ay m or e than suspect
,

that w e ar e eaten out of h ous e an d h om e by the

feath ered Vi sitors Th e truth i s it take s on ly an
.
,

idl e m om ent to plac e fo od i n th e way o f th e bird s ;

and i t d o e s n t take s o v ery m uc h fo od a s yo u
’

m ay i magin e to sati sfy all ou r fri end s I n retu rn .

,

w e h av e s on g and a good m an y things to thi nk

,

about — better than idl e th ought

,
.

Th e waxwi ngs lan guage i s an end les s chatter

’

about th e th ings th ey s e e o n thei r j ou r n ey s .

True th e farm ers are n ot partic ularly fo nd o f

,

th em o r th ei r c hatter Would th ey tak e th e ti m e

.

to fi nd out th ey w ould kn ow t h at th e waxwin gs

,

eat o nly m an y h arm ful w orm s m oth s an d fli es , ,

d uri ng two o r th re e m o nth s i n th e y ear A S they .

ar e al way s h ungry it takes a go od m any c ater

,

pillars to eac h m eal Th ough c om e to thi nk of

.
,

it a waxwin g d o es n t h av e regular m eal s Most

,
’
.

of its ti m e seem s to b e m eal ti m e -

.

Probably ou r robin s and waxwin gs n est i n th e

1 28 W E S T ERN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

sam e l oc al iti es farther n orth As m ates the wax .

,

wings ar e v ery m uch attach ed to eac h othe r .

O n c e a bi rd was taken c aptiv e an d i ts m ate r e ,

fused to l ea v e it all owi ng its el f to b e caugh t that

, ,

i t m ight be with th e o n e i t l ov ed s o m u ch A .

y oung o n e fell fro m its n est i n a storm and was ,

taken i nto th e h ou s e to be c ared for un til it s h ould

rec over Th e parent bi rd s fed i t betwee n th e
.

cage bars as w e hav e kn own the m ockers and

-
,

ori ol e s to d o .

Y ou m ay kn ow if a waxwing i s happy or m i s er
abl e by th e way i t wears i ts c rest If happy and .

free i t li fts th i s b eauti ful bl ack c rest and i f i n

, ,

c on fi n em en t o r oth erwi s e u n happy i t keep s it ,

d epre s s ed .

Waxwings n est i n tree s o r bush es The eggs .

are fou r to s i x slate o r ol iv e c ol o r s plash ed with

,

br own s Th e paren t bi rd s d o n ot tell a stran ger

.

wh ere th e n est i s plac ed a s S O m a n y o f o u r bi rd s

,

d o but ar e said to keep v ery qui et s c a r e ly w h i s

, ,

e r i n g t o each oth er d uring th e whol e p eri od of

p
n esting .

W e h a v e taken wou nd ed waxwi ngs i nto th e

h ou s e i n win ter and n ursed th em u ntil well agai n
an d abl e to fly away with th ei r folks Waxwin gs .

fl y swiftly and are s o bu sy ad miri ng th e c oun try

, ,

p erhap s that t h ey d o n ot s e e our tel egraph wi re s

,
 TH E R O A D —RU N N E R .

I S nam e d esc ribe s hi s c haracter .

An d h e has several other nam es ,

whic h d esc ri be h i m equal ly a s

“
well as road ru n n er -
He is .

call ed gr ou nd c ucko o C haparral

-
,

c ock a n d snake kill er H e will

,
-
.

an swer to eith er nam e i f yo u hav e th e l uck to fi nd

him at h om e i n s om e d es ol ate arroy o th rough
whi ch a narrow road wi nd s am on g th e ston es and
cacti .

Probably th e bi r d will s e e y ou b efore y ou catc h

sight of it and take to its l egs Yo u thin k y ou
, .

will catc h u p with it and yo u wil l r u n at th e top

,

of y ou r sp eed AS well try to o v ertake a n o stri ch

. .

Were yo u o n a good saddl e h ors e y ou woul d m ake

-
,

l ittl e b e tter p ac e A s it ru n s o n ah ea d of y ou th e
.
,

strange bird k eep s a keen

ey e behi n d hi m N ature .

has l eft a spot bare of fe a th

er s al l aroun d th e road
run n er s eyes on pu rp os e
’

that it m ay s e e behi nd it .

1 30
 T H E R O A D R U NNE R -
. 131

If y ou are cl os e en ough to hi m you will n otic e ,

that hi s wings are v ery s hort i nd eed W hat need .

ha s h e of win gs with s u c h l egs ? And h i s feet !

,

Th eyare large an d strong en ough to r un all da y .

B ut n otic e hi s tail partic ularly It i s v ery l o ng . .

TH E R O A D U NN E
‘
R R .

As the bird run s h e h old s hi s tail straight out

behi nd n ot touchi n g th e groun d with t h e tip of
,

it v ery m uc h a s hi s n eighbor fox hol d s hi s brush

,

wh en h e i s o n th e run I f you s te p sudd enly

.

and h id e i n th e bus hes road run n er thi n

,
-
k s you
are gon e for go od , and h e c oncl ud es to S l ow U p .

It is n ow that h e m akes us e of hi s l ong tail U p .

it goes lik e a sail i n th e wi nd an d s o m aybe , , ,

h elp s its own er to c om e to a sudd en stand still .

1 32 W E S T ERN S E R I E S OF RE A DE R S .

R oad run n e r w ears a beautiful c re s t o n hi s

-

head an d as h e stand s o n tipto e a few rod s ah ead

,

of yo u i n that d esol ate ca non road y ou think hi m ,

th e fi n est bi rd y ou hav e e ver seen You w ould .

rath er catc h h i m tha n get h om e i n ti m e for

s upp er B ut i t tak es a gen i u s to catch a road
.

run n er They h av e bee n caught h owever and

.
, ,

tam ed I n h om es that are buil t o n the road r un

.
-

’
n er s bord er l and th e bi rd h as been see n i n
-
,

c hicken h ouses hu ntin g spid er s am ong th e ro osts

-
, .

It eats l ike a c hicken an d n ests like a h en and ,

lay s n earl y as m any white egg s .

Th e re i s n o tellin g h ow m any egg s a hen road

ru nn er d oes l ay fo r a s ettin g fo r i n the s am e n est ,

are fo und fre s h eggs an d y oung bird s j ust ready

fo r th ei r fi rst run Th e n e s ts are c oars e like .
,

’
biddy h en s i n l ow bu she s j ust ab ove th e grou nd
,
.

What c ares m other road r u n n er i f a s nake m akes -

u p its m i n d to pay h e r a v i s it and ask h o w it ,

fare s with h er large fam ily ? S h e i s a m atc h for

an y sn ake and s te ps n ot to ask que sti on s wh en
,

o n e i s i n h er pat h A s fo r lizard s they ar e her

.
,

d elight S h e c om es up on o n e of th es e n um er ou s
.

n eighb ors of h ers ba sking i n th e su n o n an ar roy o

rock — and that id enti cal l i zard i s n ev er seen any
m ore Th e road run n er s l ong strong beak w a s
.
-
’
,

for m ed on p urp os e to capture s nakes an d lizard s ,

 O U R W E S TE RN W R E N S .

T R ANG E R S wh o c om e to Cal ifornia

“
o ften sa y W hy d o n t y o u h a v e
,
’

th e w re n s h e re ? ”

W e d o h a v e som e twel v e o r
fi fte en s orts of w ren s all with ,

th e fam iliar feature s of th e w ren

fam ily ,
c h un ky littl e bod y ,

stic k u p tail s stout l on g toes slightly c u r v ed beak

-
, ,
.

Bu t n on e o f ou r w ren s h a s yet l ear n ed to n est

ab out our h om es l ik e th e c om m o n E aste rn wren
,
.

Stranger s c o m in g h e re l ook out o f thei r wind ows

o r stan d o n th e bal c o ny a n d s eein g n o wre n s
,

abou t th e gard en c on cl ud e ,

w e d o n o t h av e thi s c o n fi d

i ng l ittl e bi rd .

I f o n e w oul d s ee ou r
Western wren s h e m u st go
,

to th e w o od ed fo othill s o r ,

can on s o r i nto th e d reary

,

ar roy os and wash es .

Many c om m o n bi rd s
that n o w n est and liv e
1 34
 O UR W E S T ERN W RE NS . 35

n ear human d well in gs ha v e l ear n ed to d o s o m ore

from n ec essity than from c h oic e We ha v e culti .

v a te d th e m ead ows an d hill s an d cu t d own th e ,

forests an d cl eared out th e m arsh es u ntil th e bird s

, ,

whi c h o nc e l iv ed i n th es e plac es wer e d ri v en away .

Th ey w ere obliged to m ake ou r ac qu ai ntanc e an d

l iv e with u s o r b e c ro w d ed i nto th e sea or to the
,

bl eak m o un tain s .

O ur w ren s ha v e stil l th ei r n ati v e wild s i n th e

We st but by an d by wh e n w e ha v e c ulti v ated all
, ,

th e l and they will n o d o ubt c o m e a nd l i v e with

, , ,

us an d c h an ge th ei r habits to suit W e S hall .

hav e th em i n o ur w ood s h ed s a nd balc on i es and ,

th ey wil l ac c e p t th e littl e b oxes w e S hal l p ut up

fo r th ei r n e sts N ow an d th e n w e d o s e e s om e of
.

th e w ren s i n o ur gard en i n wi nter ti m e s earc hi n g

,
-
,

about th e tree s and s hrubbery with th eir c ou si n s

th e titm i c e an d c h i c a d e e s an d b ush tits It seem s -
.

a s i f th ey ar e lo oki ng th e grou nd over to s e e h ow

th ey wil l lik e it wh en th e tim e c om e s for th em to
stay We sh all all be glad to s e e th em with th ei r
.
,

lively way s and p retty s ongs .

Perhap s th e m ost i nteresting wre n we ha v e

with u s all th e year r ou n d i n parts o f th e S outh ,

west i s th e cactu s wren It i s s o nam ed o n a o

,
-
.

c ount o f its p referen c e for th e d ry d esert l ike ,

-

arr oy o s an d wash es wh ere h ardly any plant grows

,
1 36 WE S T E R N SE R I E S OF R E A D E R S .

sav e th e bri stly cactu s Here with th e rattl e .

,

sn ake s fo r c om pani on s and p lenty o f tiny i n sects ,

fo r fo od th e c actu s wren bu il d s i ts n e st an d rears

,
-

its fam il y It i s well k n ow n th at rattl esn ak e s are

.

fon d of y oun g bi rd s be fore th ey a re o ut o f th e

n e st O f c ou rs e after i t i s o ut of th e n est and on
.
,

th e wing any bi rd i s m ore than a m atch fo r a

,

sn ake .

Sn ake s ees th e paren t wren s fl itti ng abo ut the

bru sh a fter th e i nsects and h e th i n k s to hi m sel f ,
.

Th ere are n o trees fo r yo u to build i n l ittl e bi rd s ; ,

”
I will watch an d s e e w h er e y o u p u t y ou r eggs .

Bu t th e w re n s tro ubl e n ot th em s el v e s abo ut s nake

and h i s breakfa s t N atu re has tol d th em j ust h ow
.

to keep th ei r y oun g fro m s o s ly a n en emy .

S o m e tim e i n Marc h o r Ap ri l y o u m ay tak e a

wal k ou t i n to th e m ou ntai n washes w h ere th e
c ac tu s grows an d watc h fo r th e wren s I f y o u
,
.

k eep stil l u nd e r c ov e r of a sc rub oak o r a big -

r oc k y o u m ay s e e h o w th e w ork i s d on e an d h ow
, ,

m oth e r w ren m anage s to get ah ead o f s nak e .

Th e n e sti n g m ateri al i s g ras s a n d slend er s tick s

-

an d p lan t fi bers T he s e ar e w ov e n i nto a p o uc h

.

n ot u n like a bu sh ti t s n est l aid o n i ts S id e Th e

-
’
.

n est i s sec ured to th e fork o r bra n c h of th e l o w

cactu s I t i s thic kly l i n ed with fe athe rs Then
. .

a l on g pa s sageway l ike th e entranc e to an E S

 WE S TE RN SE RIE S OF RE A D E R S .

n ests i n h ol es i n trees or i n th e ground I n wi n

, .

ter it c om es d own to th e v all ey s an d m esas They .

l o v e th e v ici n ity o f hal f d ecayed l ogs an d thick -

und ergrowth wh ere l oo s e ru bbi sh m akes a good

,

feed i ng ground T h e eggs ar e fi v e o r S i x m ottled

-
.
,

W hite. Th ey n est i n A p ril an d May

Th e s on g of th e V igors wren i s v ery sweet and
v aried O n thi s ac c o un t thi s bi rd i s s om etim e s
.

cal led th e m ocki n g w ren B ut i t i s alway s th ei r

-
.

own s on gs th ey ar e S ingi ng I n wi nter tim e th ey .

-

are v ery tam e all owi ng on e to al m ost touc h th em

, ,

m erel y keep i ng at arm s l e ngth away T hi s h abit

’
-
.

o f bei ng s o fearl es s i n wi nter tim e i s shared by -

m any of ou r wr en s an d titmic e T hey ar e inten t .

u pon gettin g th ei r food Thi s food c on s i sting of

.

’
v ery sm all i n sects th e bird s ey e i s s upp o sed to b e
,

adj u sted to s h ort focu s to s ee thes e i n sects and ,

are n ot suited to m or e d i stant and larger Obj ects .

Th e Parkman wren i s an oth er o f ou r re sid en t

bi rd s But it c om e s i n s ight m or e c om m only i n
.

sum m e r than i n wi nter O n thi s acc oun t i t i s .

often called th e su m m er wood wren It n est s i n -

.

h oll ow trees anywh ere fro m fiv e to forty feet

,

abo v e th e grou nd A S usual with th e wren s the

.
,

n est i s built of bark an d fi ber an d gras ses wi th ,

pl enty of twigs for a ba s i s and th e li ni ng i s ,

thickly m ad e of feathers Th e n est i s d eep with .

,
 O UR W E S T E RN WR E NS . 1 39

nar row entran c e s o that it seem s al m ost i m pos

,

si bl e that th e ol d bird can squ eeze h ersel f i nto it .

O f c ou rs e it i s n ot easy for th e l ittl e bird s to

get out as th ey m u st i n so m e cases c li m b m any
, , ,

feet It i s supposed that th e ol d bi rd s h el p th e

.

you n g i n getti ng ou t i n to th e w orld wh en i t i s

”
tim e Th ey m a y boost from behi nd as th e
.
“
,

bl uebi rd s are said to d o o r th ey may build a ,

ladd er o r foot rest of twigs If ou r m ockers and

-
.

towh ee s an d oth er bird s in th e gard en s would

m ak e such p rovi si on for k eepin g th e youn g at
h om e u ntil they are r eady to fly th ere woul d n ot ,

“
be s o m any falling o ut of th e n est before th ey
”
ar e rip e .Th e eggs of th e Parkm an wren are
fiv e to n i n e of a pi nki s h white c ol or D r Park
,
. .

m an for wh om th e bird was n am ed fou nd a n est

, ,

’
i n an old h ors e s S k u ll that had been plac ed on
top of a fenc e .

Th e s e wren s are said to be e v en n ow changing

th ei r habits to thos e of th e E astern hous e w ren ; -

for th ey h av e been kn own to acc ept cigar boxes -

nailed i n a tree and m ay even c om e to a house or

,

barn i n whi ch s n ug l ittl e hol es off er attracti v e

n e sting pl ac es
-
.

Th e wren family i s s o large i n C alifornia it ,

wo ul d take a whol e book to d escribe th em and

th eir ways Chil dren wh o care to study bird s for
.
1 40 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

what pl easu re and i nform ati on th ey can get wil l ,

fi nd th e w ren s v ery i nter esting E sp ecially if .

y ou l i v e i n secl ud ed sp ots i n th e foothil l s o r n ear

, ,

mar sh es yo u m ay h av e th e wre n s for c om pany

,

th e y ear roun d . Th ere i s th e tul e wren whi ch -

,

l o v es the s wam py regi on s Y ou m ay fin d th ei r

.

gl obe S haped n ests i n May fasten ed a m ong the

-
,

u pri ght stalks of ran k gras s o r tul es Th ey l o v e .

’
to feed i n d am p weed patc h e s Bu t d on t mi s
-
.

take the wre n s for thei r rel ati v e s the titmic e and
warbl ers .
 TH E S H RI K E ,
OR B U T C H ER B I RD -
.

n ow and th en wh en he can g e t n oth ing el se ; and

,

h e i m pales what h e d o es n ot eat o n s om e th orn .

Probably th e oth er bi rd s hav e caught hi m at

“
thi s n aughty busi n es s a v ery few ti m es an d onc e ,

”
d etected al way s su sp ected
,
T hey hav e n ever .

forgi v en hi m .

S o p erhap s thi s butc h er ha s c om e h o nestly

, ,

by hi s n am e But it i s n ot s o v ery bad to b e a

.

butch er ! Let u s l earn s om e l esson s from his

m erciful way of d oing hi s w ork Th e S hrike kill s .

its v icti m by a blow o r by i m pal i ng it o n a th orn

, .

In eith er c a s e it i s a quick d eath S om etim es h e .

kill s it before hanging it If he d oes han g it o n a .

thorn before giving th e fatal stroke h e im p al es i t ,

by th e bac k of th e S kull o r n ec k Th ere i s n o .

play i ng before killin g as with th e c o m m o n cat

,
.

W hy th e S hrike hangs its p rey o n thorns or

’

weed stalks o r barbed w i r e fe n c e s n o on e kn ows

- -
,
.

H e seld om r eturn s to eat it Yo u m ay fi nd the .

l ittl e ghosts of grassh opp er s and crickets and m ic e

and oth er c reature s swin ging i n th e win d as d ry
as a bon e Ind eed th ey are ofte n n othing b ut
.
,

d ry bon es with j ust e nough S ki n to h ol d th e bon es

togeth er. It i s well kn own that tree s qui rrel s -
,

and j ays an d wood p eckers d o n ot retu rn an d eat

,

all the food they stow away i n sec ret plac es Per .

hap s all thes e littl e c reatures have a v ague id ea

1 44 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

th at th ere m ay be a fam i n e and th ey would d o ,

w ell to save so m ething It i s a go od id ea . .

Butc h e r bi rd s hav e bee n s een to catc h gop he rs

-
,

an d th ey are v ery partial to th os e great J e rusal em

c ri ckets w hic h eat hol es i n th e farm ers pota ’

to es M o st farm er s a re o n fri end ly term s wit h

.

“ ”
Bu tc h y Th ey have an id ea that th e bi rd eats
.

m ore o r l e s s l i n n ets an d th e av e rage fa r m er c an

,

end u re the c o mpany of al m o s t a nythi ng that

m akes war o n th e l i n n ets Th e l i n ne ts c o ul d tell .

hi m that n ot thre e ti m e s i n a sea s o n d o e s Bu tc h y

m ol est a li n n et Bu tc h y p refe rs a li zard any d ay
. .

A n d i t i s h i s greates t d el igh t to c has e b utter fl ies .

F arm e r see s Bu tc h y d arti ng ac ro s s th e gard en !

Th e l i n n ets fl y to c o ve r and fa rm e r c huckl es ,
.

Bu tc h y wa s n t afte r th e bi rd s at all but that

’
,

great red a nd bl ac k butte rfly th e farm er d id n ot

- -

se e .

W h en on c e any c reatu re i s picked up by th e

-

b utc h e r bi rd i t i s of n o u s e fo r it to squirm
-
,
.

Bu tc h y i s p rovid ed with a p retty good s e t of teeth

f or a bi r d Th e tip o f the beak i s n otc hed
. .

“ ”
T h es e n otch es are call ed teeth Th ey h old o n .

to a goph er o r a l i zar d o r a beetl e with a tight

, ,

grip Howe v er S h oul d th e butc h e r sei z e a l i zard

.
,

by th e ti p o f i ts tail th e b ird woul d ha v e tail an d , ,

n othi n g e l s e fo r i ts b r ea k fast as its c ou si n th e

, ,
1 46 W E S T E RN S E R I E S O F RE A DE R S .

and fi rm Perhap s th e butch er m oth er ch ooses

.

thi s sage to keep th e m ites fro m i nvad ing th e

n est You kn ow Ou r bi rd s m u st h a v e a seri ou s
.
,

tim e wit h th e m ites at n esti ng season s If th e .

S wall ows an d p h oe b es an d l in n ets wh o rai s e th eir

brood s two o r th r e e ti m e s i n th e sam e n est wo uld
l earn a l es so n from th e butch er bi rd th ey w ould -

d o well A few pi ec es of wild sage or p en nyr oy al

.

woven i n with th e gras s o r m ud would be a pro

te c ti o n .

Th e eggs o f th e butc her are u sually S i x grayi sh ,

b rown with d arker m arki ngs By thi s n u mber of .

eggs y ou m ight c on cl ud e that b utc hers are v ery

n um erou s i n th e W e st But th e tr uth i s th ey are .
,

n ot often s een N ev er i n fl ocks ! Th ey are soli

.

“
tary bi rds al way s keepi ng still o n th e watc h
, ,

like a cat at a m o us e h ol e -
.

O f cours e th e S hri ke s are n ot c om m o n i n ou r

,

g ard en for th
,
e reason w e supp ose that th e food , ,

w e p r o v id e for th e oth er bird s i s n ot to Bu t c h y s

’

liking W e s eld o m s e e a S h rik e i n our grou nd s

. .

But we ha v e track e d hi m ! W e fou n d a l ittl e

m ock er i m pal ed o n a cactu s l eaf th e th or n ,

stuck straight th rough th e S kull at th e base of ,

th e brai n H owev er as w e started out with s a y

.
,

i ng w e hav e a war m plac e i n our h earts for

,
.

Bu tc h y He i s n t s o bad as h e m ight b e !
’
.
 TH E B R O W N PE L I C A N

STR AN G E
bird is the pelica n and ,

quite worth o n e s whil e to kn ow ’

It m easures th re e feet fr om the

tip of th e beak to the tip of th e
tail Th e tail d oe s n t am ou n t
.
’

to m uc h but th e wi ngs when , ,

sp read m easure fro m sev en to n i n e feet Th e

,
.

sh ort stout l egs ar e s e t well back s o it would

, ,

seem l ittl e tro ubl e fo r th e great bi rd to stan d u p

right l ike a man Th e beak i s sev eral ti m e s a s
.

l ong a s th e h ead O n th e tip of th e bea k i s a

.

S harp h ook whi ch bend s o v er the l ower m andibl e

,

wh en th e beak i s c losed Th is c u ri ou s beak sug

.

g e sts a fi s h h ook and suc h it r eally i s Th e busi

‘

-
.
,

n es s of th e pelican i s to catc h fi s h That i s th e .

reas on w e fin d it alway s al ong th e s e a S h ore -

.

Could th e p el ican sin g like a thrush and were ,

its s ong i n keepi n g with its si z e w e S h ould ha v e ,

d eep gran d m u si c i nd eed

, .

B ut n o thru sh i s th e p eli
can an d n o song d oe s it
,

sing .
1 48 W E S T ERN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

Al ong with hi s fi s h h ook th e p elican always car

-

ri e s with hi m a fi s h basket N o r was h e ev er -

.

kn own to forget i t an d l eav e it at h om e Thi s

,
.

fi s h basket m ight b e a tra v eling bag or a reticul e

- -

s e w ed to th e un d e r l ip T h e beak op en s and .

cl o se s li ke th e cl asp handl e of a satch el o r vali s e

-
.

T hi s p ouc h o r bag o r Saratoga tru nk or wh at

, , ,

eve r y o u m ay cal l it h old s w h en well packed , , ,

s everal quarts o r p ound s It i s capable O f stretch .

in g al m o st i n defi n itely when n ec essary and c ol ,

lap sing wh en em pty .

Th e b row n pel ican pl u nges into the water for

fi sh l ike th e ki ngfi sh e r Th e bi rd s carry th e fi sh
, .

i n th ei r bag u ntil it c an h old n o m o re wh e n th ey ,

fly to s om e c on v en i ent plac e o n th e sh or e op en ,

th eir basket and take a l u nch Wh en fi s hi ng th e .

,

p elican h as an od d way o f thr owi n g th e h ead

back s o th e water m ay r un out of th e c orn e rs of
,

t h e m outh . It i s i nc on veni ent to ca rry as m uch

water a s fi sh W h e n a bro wn p el ican i s o ff o n a
.

fi shi n g exc ursi on it fl i es abov e th e water with its

,

h ead turn ed to on e sid e l ooki n g i nto th e bri ny ,

d eep with o n e eye as y ou ha v e seen a m ocki ng

,

bird o r S hrike d o from i ts p erc h It makes a d rol l .

p ictur e
Th e basket th roat of th e p elican i s n ot unl ike
-

th e p ouc h c h eek of a s qui rrel or a goph er E ac h

-
.
1 50 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F RE AD ER S .

h er own breast Thi s story i s a s tr u e as l egend s

.

u sual ly are ; and y ou shoul d always ta k e a l egend

with a pin ch o f salt Th e truth i s th e p elican .
,

p res ses th e food u p out of h er own full c r0 p

with th e tip of h er great beak At tim e s a p el i .

’
c an s b eak i s tipp ed with red s o th at a p erson ,

l ookin g fr om a d istanc e wo uld thin k it a d rop of

bl o od .

It l o ok s as though a p elican would m eet with

som e d i ffic ulty i n p reeni ng an d cl eani ng itself
with s uc h a great u ngai nly beak as it has to work
,

with B ut a p el ican kn ows v e ry well h ow to u s e

.

i ts fe et to r eac h th o se parts th e beak i s u nabl e to

m eet Im agin e a p eli can tryi ng to p reen th e bac k
.

of its n eck wi th its bill as oth e r bi rd s d o W hat .

a d rol l S ight !
Wh en p el ican i s an n oy ed it i s said to ha v e an ,

origi nal way of op eni ng its beak wid e an d S lap

pi ng i t togeth er Thi s m ake s a great n oi s e and
.
,

m ay well scar e any bod y wh o i s easily frighten ed .

Th e p ou c h c ollap ses w h e n th e beak sud d enly

S h uts with a l ou d r ep ort as wh en a pap er bag i s
, ,

bl own out an d th en pu n c hed .

Wh en a p elican has rem ai n ed l ong stand ing in

th e edge of th e water and feel s c old an d ti red it
, ,

has a way of wal ki ng up o n S h or e stand ing ,

straight like a m an and flapping i t s wi ngs as a

,
 THE B ROWN P E LI C A N . 1 51

p erson S lap s hi s arm s to warm h im sel f Th e .

pelican has rath er a s a d fac e wh en y ou l ook right

i n to it A nd h e h a s a way of standing still a l ong
.

whil e after m eal s as i f dr owsy an d stupid

,
.

Any o n e with a sum m er v acati on at th e sea

sh ore will fi nd an i nteresting in di v i dual i n th e
brown p elican .
TH E A R K A N S A S G O L DF IN C H .
1 54 W E S T ERN S E R I E S O F RE A D ER S .

Al ways th e sun fl owers are i n bl osso m an d s eed

at th e sam e tim e an d th e green of th e l ea v es i s
,

’
lik e th e gre e n of th e can ary s back Th e gold .

fi n c h m ight p rop erly b e cal l ed th e s u n fl ow e r bird -

.

’
Th e black patc h o n th e top of a m al e canary s
h ead m akes o n e thin k of a skullcap pull ed d own
to t h e br ows An d thi s bi rd with th e black S kull
.

cap i s th e S inger of th e family Hi s song i s n ot .

p rol onged bu t i t i s v ery sweet whi l e i t lasts

, ,

th oug h s om e p e o pl e thi nk i t to o plain ti v e to

enj oy T h e femal e h as th e sam e pl ai nti v e n ote
.
,

e sp ecially at n esting ti m e It i s with th e m oth er

-
.

can ari es as wit h m any oth er fem al e bi rd s wh o d o

n ot m ake a c om m o n p ractic e o f S i ngi ng — at ,

n estin g ti m e th ey a re h eard to resp on d to thei r

-

mate s and to twitter o r S in g l ow l ullabi es We .

are abl e to l ocate th e n est by thi s call n ote of th e -

fem al e w hic h sh e utters al m o st c on stantly whil e

,

sittin g .

T h e Arkan sas g old fi n c h and hi s wi fe are n e v e r

far ap art Th ey an swe r eac h oth er i f separated
.

e v en for a few feet an d s eem n e v er to gr ow weary

,

of eac h oth er s c om pany ’

.

Th ey l o v e our o range and lem on orchard s th e ,

l oquat tree s th e cypr es s h edges th e wal n ut

, ,

gro v es an d esp ecially l ow branching appl e trees

,
-
.

They build thei r b eautiful n ests i n any of th ese ,

 TH E A RK A N S A S G OL D F I N C H . 1 55

som etim es a s l ow as y our elb ow Th e n ests a re .

v ery carefully mad e Th e wall i s thickly m atted

.
,

c om p osed of p lant d ow n fiber s an d lich en s an d

-
, ,

bits of d ri e d l ea v es Th e n est i s pressed i nto

.

shap e by th e m oth er s breast s h e r e v ol v i ng i n’

,

sid e th e c up until it i s p erfectly r ou nd Th en .

sh e li n es it with h or seha i rs thread s bits of , ,

feath ers and spid er web Whe n c om pl eted the

,
-
.
,

n est i s abo ut th e si z e o f an after di n n e r teacup -

.

W e like to tempt th e g ol dfi n c h e s to buil d ab out

ou r ground s ; s o We pl ac e twin e i n sh ort l en gth s
o v er a twig an d h ors ehai rs an d soft rav elings
,

from cl oth W e pi n ch bits of f u rz e fro m t h e

.

w ool en rugs and fu r from th e ski n s i n th e hous e

, ,

and plac e th es e i n S igh t of th e bi rd s W e ti e .

c otton battin g i n bun c h es to th e bu sh es and ,

stick p ampas pl um es in th e h edges .

W e h a v e kn own th e g old fi n c h e s to ac cept eac h

o f t hes e tem pting offers esp ecially th e pam pas ,

pl um es w h i c h t h e y p ul l i n l ittl e tufts and s catter

,
‘

to t h e wi nd a s they fly W e h a v e tracked them .

to th e n e st by these l ittl e tufts and by t h e bits of ,

white c otton whic h th ey l o v e b est of anything for

l i n i n g thei r n ests i n o ur gr ound s Wh en c otton
,
.

i s u sed h orsehai rs ar e m ixed with it s o th e

, ,

young bird s m ay have s om ethi n g to cli ng to with

th eir toes W ith m ost bird s thi s having strings
.
,
1 56 WE S TE R N R IE S O F
SE REA DER S .

and hai rs to cl ing to i s a n ec essary feature of th e

n est li nin g
-
.

I n early sp ri ng n e stin g it s om eti m e s happ en s

-
,

that a storm of wi nd an d rain batters th e n ests of

th e fi n c h es an d s o w e p r otec t th e m a s b est w e
,

can All th e bi rd s that li v e n ear u s h av e l earn ed

.

to tru st u s a nd will often p erm it u s t o sh el te r

,

th ei r n ests with cl oth o r bi g hats or an apron or ,

an u m b rella .

O n e ti m e w e n oti c ed th e y o ung on es w ere

growin g s o fast that two of th e m w er e c rowd ed
out of th e n est T hi s i s n ot u nc om m on a s th e
.
,

eggs a r e fou r to fiv e i n n u m ber and l aid o n fi v e

d ifferen t d ay s You s ee by thi s arrangem en t th e
.
,

fi rst egg laid i s hatc h ed fi v e d ay s i n ad v an c e of

th e l ast egg Th ere i s quite a d i ffer en c e b etween
.

a birdl ing fi v e d ay s ol d and on e j u st out a s any ,

o n e m a y s e e i f h e b e l uc ky en ough to hav e th e
n est of a g o ld fi n c h to watc h .

N ow what S h ould b e d on e with two b i r d li n g s

,

that sat straight u p on a twig n ear th e n e st th ey

had j u st b een c rowd ed out of w h en a storm was ,

b rewin g ?

It was easy en ough for u s to plac e a bl ac k cl oth

ov er th em m akin g a sort of tun n el of it extend
, ,

i ng w ell back i n th e bran c h es Th e l ittl e thin gs .

backed far u p th e tu n n el w h ere th ey w er e c ov ered

,
1 58 W E S T ERN S E R I E S O F RE AD E R S .

A r k an sas and has m ore bl ac k on its wi n gs an d

,

tail r el i e v e d by v i vid gold e n y ell ow on th e r est of

,

th e b o d y It gl i sten s i n th e brigh t c ol ori n gs of

.

th e oran ge and l em on tre es a s i f th e bi rd s

bel on ged to th e citru s fam ily .

W e h av e an oth er m em ber of th e fi n c h fam ily ,

c all ed th e Law ren c e g old fi n c h It res em bl es th e

.

A rkan sas but th e bl ac k s k ul lcap exten d s d own

,

o v e r th e wh ol e fac e l i k e a m ask It i s s om etim es

.

call ed t h e m as k ed fin c h
“ ”
.
 TH E T O W H EE S .

R towh ees are grou nd bi rd s -

.

You s eld om s e e th em flyin g

high o r sittin g o n trees Like .

th e th rash ers and th r us h es ,

th ey m u st sc ratc h fo r a l ivi ng .

Th ei r feet are form ed o n p urp o se

for th ei r b u si n ess Th ey are l arge and stron g th e
.
,

to es sp read in g Th ei r b eak s a re strong and stou tl y

.

m ad e ad a p ted to tur nin g ov er l e a v es and oth er

,

w oodland l itter i n cl ud in g th e straw an d c haff i n

,

o u r far m yard s -
.

Y ou will m eet th e sp urred towh ee i n the fo ot

hill s an d th e ar roy os or i n any o f th e r etired ,

c o untry pl ac es Th ey l ov e l o w u nd ergrowth an d
.

sh rubbery I f y ou happ e n to b e o ut fo r a S atu r

.

day walk you will h ear a sc ratc hin g i n the bru sh

, ,

o r falle n b ough s o r behi nd wil d grap e v in es o r

,
-
,

am o n g th e fern s of a ca non
b an k Th e sc ratc hin g i s
.

s o l oud an d plain an d c on
, ,

tin ned y ou m ight m i stak e

,

it for that of on e of y ou r
1 59
1 60 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F R E A D ER S .

own bidd y hen s Y o u s top and listen a nd th en

.
,

m o v e s oftly toward s th e s pot Th ere i s the towh ee

.
,

sc ratc hi ng wi th both feet fo r i n s ec ts i n th e li tte r !

Th e blackbi rd sc ratch es l ik e a h en but th e towhee ,

m akes a quic k h op sc ratc h wi th both feet at o n c e

-
.

’
Tow he e d oe s n t m in d y ou r p resen c e provid ed ,

y ou stand p e rfectly stil l ; and y o u m ay fin d its

n e st an d m ate by o b s e rvi ng th e d i rec ti on i t takes
wh en its beak i s filled with food But y o u n eed .

n ot exp ec t to s e e i t fly s trai ght to i ts n e st .

T owh ees al ong with m an y oth er bi rd s hav e a

, ,

w a y o f fl yi ng i n a n opp o s ite d i rec ti on a fe w feet

o r yar d s and th e n tu rn in g a S ha rp c o rn e r fly to
, , ,

th e n e st O u r ga rd en b row n to wh ee s ofte n d e
.

c e i v e d u s i n thi s way u n til w e c am e to u nd ersta nd

th ei r littl e tri cks .

I n l ate s um m er tim e wh e n th e m oi s ture ha s

-
,

d ri ed o ut o f th e hill s and ca non s and oak pastu res ,

th e sp u rred towh ee s c om e to o u r gr ou nd s to
sc ratc h i n th e m ulc hi n g und er th e trees .

O u r c u sto m of i rrigati ng and th en m ul c hin g

ou r tre es i n m id sum m er enc ou rage s in sect l ife of -

m any S orts an d thi s i n turn i nvite s th e bi rd s

, , , ,

whi c h w oul d n e v er t h i nk of vi siti ng u s on any

ot h er ac c ou nt .

We l ik e to l i e i n a ham m ock ben eath a fi g tre e

wh o se b ranch es d roop to th e gro und It i s a .
 TH E TOW H E E S . 1 63

land s j u s t anywh ere i n all our l and where th ere

,

i s anyth i ng to sc ratc h or bru s h for c over Th e

, .

towhee s l ove ou r w ood pil es a nd th e tre e tri m

-
,

m ings that are l eft for a w hil e i n th e ; orchard s .

And th ey run about th e d oor step s l ook i n g for -

,

th e c ontents of th e c rumb pan whic h w e toss to -

,

th em They w ou ld c om e i n and h el p th em selv e s

.

out of th e c upboard with th e c hild ren whe n th ey

c om e h om e from sc h ool i f they w ere all owed , .

Towh ees an d spa rrows w ond er why p eopl e on

thi s happy C oast are b ound to S hut th em out of
their h ous es with th ose wi re d oor an d wind ow
sc reen s ! B ut w e m ust hav e o ur sc reen s y ou ,

k n ow s o l on g as h ous e fl i e s claim a right to c om e

, _
-

i n of c old ev enin gs S o towh ee takes up i ts stand

.
,

on th e step s a nd som eti m es w e brush th e bird s

,

off sudd e n ly wh en w e Op en th e d oor .

Th e towh ee n ests i n ou r ground s anyw h ere ,

from th re e or four feet i n a sh rub to ten or twenty ,

feet i n a tree .

They b egi n th ei r family a ffa i r s b y th e first

w eek i n March Th e fi rst i ntimati on w e hav e
.

th at n est i n g h a s b egu n i s th e S ight Of a b rown

bi rd r un ni n g acros s th e yard with a white rag i n
its b eak O ften th e rag ch osen i s to o h ea v y to fly
.

with an d th e bird d rags it al on g by sl ow d egrees

,
.

By h ard work it i s abl e to carry it to th e n estin g

1 64 W E S T E RN S ER I E S O F RE A D ER S .

Site wh er e rags and twigs ar e plac ed alter n ately

,

or all mixed up for th e n est f ound ati on .

W e d o n ot k n ow why towh ees a re s o p artial to

wh ite rags Th ey will n ot acc ept r ed or bl u e n or
.
,

any c ol or sav e white W e th o u ght it w oul d b e a

,
.

good id ea to m ak e towh ee build a F ourth of J uly

n est ; s o w e f urni sh ed red w hite an d bl u e strip s
, ,

of c otton cl oth S h e took all of th e white o n es

.
,

an d stood o n th e wh eelbarrow aski n g for m or e ,

with h er feath ers al l rum pled and h er tail j erk

in g Th en w e th ought w e w ould outwit h er by
.

tyin g bits of t h e r ed and bl u e to th e white rags .

S h e took on e or two to th e n est but d e cl i n ed th e,

remai nd er N or w ould s h e touc h th em ev en after

.

w e r efu sed h er any m ore white on e s .

W e were gl ad , h owev er th at w e had c oax ed h er

,

to u se two or th ree of th e c ol ors as ev e n s o l ittl e ,

w ould giv e th e c el ebrati on ton e t o th e n est .

W h e n w e l ooked to s e e wh at th e effect w ould be ,

w e w e re a stoni sh ed at w hat s h e had d on e That

!

sh rewd littl e towh ee h ad tucked th e r ed and blue

out of sight i n sid e th e n est s o that n ot a gl i nt of
, ,

eith er c ol or app eared from with out N ow thi s .

,

w a s a queer n oti on o f h ers — w a s it n ot ? — and

,

p r o v es th at b ird s hav e an ey e to c ol or W e can .

acc ount for th e towh ee s c h oic e of white i n only

’

on e w a y . Th e n ests ar e built u suall y i n thi n

1 66 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

D o n ot th e towh ee an d th e hu m m in g bird an d
,
-
,

th e s on g sparrow and m any oth ers w ork on th e

-
, ,

p ri n ci pl e of m aki n g th e n est to suit th e c ol or of

its s etti n gs ?
W e catch th e towh ees playin g with th e white
rags w e plac e i n s h eltered n ooks for th em th e ,

wh ol e y ear r oun d W e h a v e had th em to build

.

al m ost enti r e n ests of white O n c e w e stam p ed .

o ur n am e o n ev e r s o m an y b i ts of cl oth an d l eft ,
’
th em i n th e bi rd s way Wh at happ en ed y o u .

m ay guess Towh ees f rom all aroun d m ad e n ests

.

that b el onged to u s Th e n ei ghb ors tol d u s th ei r

.

towh ees h ad ou r nam e stu ck i n p l ai n S ight on

d i fferent n ests and won d ered at th e stran ge i n
,

e id ent . W e said n othin g b ut it w a s u nd ers t ood ,

betw een u s and th e towh e es O n c e w e i n d uc ed a .

towh e e to lay a S h red of n ew s pap er i n h er n ew -

n est with an ad v erti s em ent of o n e o f ou r bird

book s on it W e watch ed h er with great s a ti s fa c
.

ti on whil e s h e m ad e it s ec ure with straws and

sti ck s W h en s he l eft th e n est for m or e m aterial
.
,

w e S l ipp ed up to s e e th e e ffect of ou r b ook r e v i ew

o n th e parl or tabl e a s it were of on e of th e v ery

-
, ,

b est bi rd s it treated of Im agin e ou r su rpri s e to .

fi nd an ad v erti sem ent of a c ertai n kin d of s oap i n

plai n sight an d n othin g els e It had n ot oc
,
.

cu rred to u s to l ook on th e Opp osite S id e of th e

 TH E TO WH E E S . 1 67

pap er befor e offeri n g it to our l ittl e friend to l in e

h er n est with A n d th ere it r emained all sum
.

m er as if towh ee w er e p urp osely calling attenti on

,

to s oap i n stead of to our bi rd b oo k

,
-
.

Th e towh ees ar e our esp ecial p ets and we S e e

,

to i t that th ey h av e as m uc h food as they want

from o ur tabl e Th ough th ey d o n ot sin g w e are
.
,

fam ili ar with th e i r call n ote or c hirp and think

-
, ,

it m u sical Th ey ha v e a w a y o f c rackin g th eir

.

bill s or gri nd in g th em together w h en o n th e

ground m aking a rattlin g s ound n ot u nlik e that
,

m ad e by a p ers on w h o i s i n th e h abit of gr i nd ing

hi s teeth wh en asl eep .
 TH E B U RR OW IN G OW L .

H E l ittl e burrowi n g ow l s w er e
am on g th e fi rst folk you m et on ,

y ou r w a y to th e Pacifi c C oast A fter .

c r ossin g th e M is si ssi ppi R iv er y ou ,

S p ent half y ou r d ayti m e watc hin g

th e littl e fell ow s a n d th ei r c om
rad es th e p rai ri e d ogs N ot that th es e tw o ani
,
-
.

m al s r eally l ov e eac h oth er o r l iv e i n th e sam e

'

n eighb orh ood f or th e sak e o f each oth er s c om ’

p an y . Th e burrowi n g owl s tak e u p with th e

p rairi e d ogs and th e ground squi rrel s on acc ount
- -

of th e n ic e u n d ergr oun d pa ssages th e latter make .

Tru e th e owl s ar e abl e t o m ak e road ways i n th e

,

earth for them s elv es i n a pi n ch but th ey are l azy , ,

by nature and m uc h p refer taki n g ad v an tage of

,

’
an oth er p erson s lab or .

R E FE R E N CE T O P I C S
Th e b urr owi n g ow l h a s
.

Pr a i i
r d g e t wn
'
o “
oth ero
n am
s
es than0
th e on e
th G
e t P l in r e a a s

i i
.

Bu r r o w f s
g nd
s
o
o fam l
r ou
ar i n th e b ooks
_
.

q i l “ ’
s u r r e s H e i s th e j oh nn i e owl -
,

Ey f t w i l i g h t bi d
e s

an d ni m l
o

a
th
a
e
s .
b i lly r
ow l
n
th
s
e u
,

“ ” “
c uck oo ow l th e senti ,

1 68
 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF RE A DER S .

p eepin g from th ei r d oo rway s i n th e early m orn

i ng backin g d own o u t of th e l ight a s s oon as th e
,

su n s hi n e strike s th em .

F r om a di stan c e y ou c oul d n t tell i f it b e a

’

prairi e d og or grou nd squi rrel or b urr owi ng owl

- -

th at i s sittin g u pright on a l ittl e m oun d of earth .

A n d wh en a p rai ri e d og barks an d th e h ow do - -

y ou d o o w l si n gs i n th e s am e n eighb orh ood y ou

-
,
’
c oul d n t tell w hic h was whic h o n S h ort n otic e .

W hen y ou get cl ose en ough to s e e the stan c h l on g

l egs of th e owl y ou will rec ogni z e hi m A nd
, .

th ere are his ey es big an d r ou nd stari n g at n oth

, ,

i ng as Only th e ey es of any owl o r of a c at c an

, , ,

stare .

J N o u s e for tre es has thi s qu eer littl e bird whic h ,

seem s i n its h abits s o l ike a r od ent It alway s

, , .

p refers th e Op en c ou ntry with th e foxes an d , ,

Squi rrel s an d b adgers an d rattl esn akes

,
S om e ,
.

ti m es th ey m ay b e s een i n bi g town s or settl e

’
rn e n t s an d agai n with j u st a n eighb or or two as
, ,

i f on e or two i n divid ual s had taken u p a q uarter

Se cti on of govern m ent l an d Yo u m ay anticip ate .

g r eat fu n i n diggi n g out a grou n d ow l as y ou di d -

,

i n th e c as e of th e ki ngfish er an d th e woodp ecker ,

bu t th e c h anc es are y ou will giv e it u p befor e y ou

h a v e fi ni shed Sh oul d y o u c oncl u d e to go on y ou
.
,

woul d n t be sure of j ust h ow m any white eggs

’
 TH E BU RR O WI N G OWL . 1 71

y ou wer e to p oc ket wh en y ou got to th e c hamber

at th e en d of th e tun n el i t m i ght b e s i x an d it
,
-

might b e ten an d i t m ight n ot b e any at all i f th e

, ,

rattl ers had been t h er e b efor e y ou .

Th e grou nd owl famil y h a v e n o fear of c ol d or

-

storm Th ey r u n far back to th e extrem e en d of

.

th ei r dwelli n g an d c uddl e togeth er u ntil the

,

storm i s p ast waitin g s e v eral day s i f sn owed

, ,

u nder before diggi ng th ei r way to the light

,
.

It i s supp osed that m i c e an d l izard s an d i n sects

al s o s e e th e storm c om i ng an d take refuge i n th e,

sam e c hambers with th e owls O n thi s accou nt .

d o th e owl s hav e a good store of f oo d for their

rai ny day Th e fi rst liz ard o r m ou s e caught i n
.

th e act of ticklin g an owl s y ell ow feet i s break ’

fasted u p on with out h esitati on on th e p art of the

,

ow l. I S h e n ot a m eat eatin g ani m al by n ature ?

-

A nd th e mic e an d lizard s S h oul d l ear n a l esson b y .

th e exampl e of th ei r c om rades w h o n ev er are ,

seen after o n ce e nteri n g a grou n d owl s c hamber -

’
.

Bu rrowi n g owl s ha v e b een accu sed of l ovi n g

th e c om p any of th e gop hers and squirrel s an d
p rai ri e d ogs for th e pu rp ose of eati ng u p the
-

y ou n g ones By a c areful exami nati on of thei r

.

stom ach s it has been pro v ed that grou n d owl s -

l i v e m ai nly upo n mic e an d li zard s an d sm all i n

sects As for rattl es nakes i f on e of th ese grou n d
.
,
1 72 W E S T ERN S E R I E S OF RE A DER S .

terrors c han c e up on th e doorway of a grou n d owl -

,

an d v enture by m i stake to enter hi s fate i s

, , ,

pr obably i n advan c e of him for it i s said h e i s, , ,

su r e to b e kill ed by th e ow l .

A c uri ou s life th e grou n d owl l eads n ev er fl y

-
,

i n g i n th e treetop s n or m igrati n g to differe nt

,

parts of th e c ount ry to s e e w h at i s goi n g on i n the

world A n d y et w e supp os e h e m u st be hap py i n
.

hi s own w a y or at l east i s p erfectly sati s fi ed with

, , ,

w h at has fall en to hi s l ot .
1 74 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

l on ger h e will go th rough th e sam e p erforman ce

, ,

an d y o u m ay c atc h s igh t of h i s lady l ov e sitting -

d em u rely on a b ough It was f or h e r h e w a s s how

.

in g off s o beautifully S h e has n o sparklin g gem s

.
,

or scal es o n her h ead an d th roat l ike h er m ate ,

.

J u st d ull green s h e i s ab ov e with w hitis h gray

, ,

b en eath b ut with th e v ery sam e S l end e r black

,

bea k and fe et a nd cl ear blac k ey e S h e i s ac cus .

t o m e d to th e antic s of h er l ov er and pay s littl e h eed ,

to him Y ou wi ll s e e h er tak e a n ap w hil e h e i s

.

gon e i nto th e s ky to turn s om er saults o n th e d own

tri p .

Th es e littl e bird s n ot m ore than th re e i nches

,

and a half i n l ength ar e am on g ou r b e s t and ,

d earest Th ey are fearl e ss e sp ecially i f w e avoid

.
,

s ud d en m ov em ent s an d will n ot fly even t h ough

,

w e touc h th e twig o n wh ic h th ey a re sitting .

O n e m ay tak e a han dful of fl ower s n asturti um s ,

or v erb en as an d wal k sl owl y ab out th e ground s

,

or S i t quietly d own an d th e hum m ers will c om e

,

and S i p th e n ectar fan n in g on e s fac e with th ei r

,
’

gauzy win gs .

At n esti ng ti m e th e m al e i s n owh ere to b e s een

-
.

H e ha s gon e to th e foothill s or s om ewh er e else , ,

to study b otany am on g the wi ld fl owers T he .

littl e m oth er bird d oes n ot car e and s h e goes on ,

al on e with th e fam ily affairs Th e n ests are i r e .

 T H E A NN A H U M M I N G B I RD -
. 1 75

qu ently v ery l ow as n ear th e ground a s tw o or

,

thr ee feet but m or e c om m only i n a tree The y

,
.

like th e sy cam ores by r unnin g stream s .

If you exam i n e a sycam or e l eaf y ou will fi n d ,

th e u nd er S id e c ov ered with wool a s i f it were a ,

sheep s back Thi s w ool th e hum m er gath ers to

’
.

weav e i nto h er n est B e sid es thi s w ool s h e use s

.
,

S pid er w eb an d lic h en s
-
an d furze from w eed s ,
.

Whe n it i s c om pl eted th e n est l ook s exactly like

,

th e b ranc h o n whic h it i s built s o that it takes a ,

’
S harp ey e to d i sc over a h um m er s n est .

B ut sycam or e l eav es with w ool on th em are n ot

to b e fou nd i n m idwinter wh e n th e h um m er s ,

fir s t b egi n to n est It i s o n ly i n m id sum m er or

.

l ate spri n g th at y ou fi n d a n est m ad e of w ool I n .

winter th e hum m er fin d s oth er m aterial and ,

alway s pl enty of S pid er w eb O u r cypres s hedges-

.

ar e An n a s storeh ous e for spid er web Y o u s e e

’
-
.

th e littl e tran s parent gli s teni n g patch es all over

, ,

th e h edges on a foggy m ornin g An na s ee s them .

,

too an d fli es t o on e and all gath erin g h er beak

, ,

ful without onc e stand i ng o n h er feet If th e tiny .

spid ers s e e th ei r en emy th ey ru n back i nto thei r

,

parl ors b ehi nd th e outer l eav es and keep as still ,

as m ic e S h oul d th ey n ot run fast en ough h u m

.
,

m er will m ak e a breakfast O i i th em .

It u s ed to b e s upp osed that h um m ers eat

1 76 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D E R S .

n othi n g but n ectar from fl owers ; b ut it i s w ell

kn own n ow that h um min g bi rds can n ot l iv e on -

n ectar al on e Th ey m u st h av e i n sect f ood G ar

.
-
.

d en spi d ers to o sm all fo r oth er p eopl e to c atc h

,

sight of are th ei r s p ecial fav orites Littl e gnats

, .

that d an c e ab out i n t h e ai r an d whic h y ou c an ,

n ot s e e u nl ess y ou stan d i n exactly th e right ’

light ar e h u m m er s supp er
,
’
.

I f y ou m ak e y ours el f k n own to th e m oth er i n

qui et way s n ev e r s ti r ni n g ab out quickly wh ere
,

sh e i s n estin g s h e will giv e yo u all h er s ec ret s

,
.

It wil l p ay yo u to watc h an h ou r at a ti m e with , ,

out sp eakin g to an y on e Y ou will n otic e that a s .

s oon as th e n est i s ab out a s d e ep a s a bl ue gum -

bl oss om c ov er o r a n ac orn s auc er th e fi rst egg

, ,

will b e l ai d ; n ext m orni n g an oth er — an d thes e , ,

tw o ar e th e p r op er n u mbe r of eggs for any h u m

m er N ev er any m ore A s s h e S its y ou wil l s e e
. .
,

th e m othe r fly away to th e h edges often i n th e ,

warm h ou rs of th e d ay an d b ri n g bac k w e b and ,

l ic h en s W ith th es e S h e b uil d s th e n est higher

.

an d l arge r aroun d th e eggs u ntil it i s th e right

siz e I n te n days y ou will s e e th e you n g are
.

hatc h ed i n th e n est b y th e w a y th e m oth er stan d s

up an d arranges s om ethi n g b en eath h er b reast ,

gently with h er b eak D o n ot b e i n haste to

,
.

l ook but wait u ntil S h e l ea v es it for a mi nute

,
.
1 78 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

it wake s an d p ut out its littl e bl ac k tongue b e

,

yon d th e b eak N ow th e tongu e an d th e b eak

.
,

togeth er m ak e a v ery l on g sp oon o r tu be w hic h i s

dipp ed i nto fl ow e r c up s Yo u won der whil e you
-
.
,

s e e th e l on g tongu e what th e bi rd d oes with it ,

wh en h er m outh i s sh ut S ure S h e c url s it up .

,
’
aroun d th e back of th e sk ull w h en S h e i s n t u si ng
it Y ou hav e see n th e ton gu e of s om e of th e
.

m oth s c url up u n d er th e c hi n l ike a watc h sp ri ng -

wh e n th ey a r e n ot at th ei r m eal s .

It w oul d tak e p retty good ey es to s e e that th e

tongue of th e h u m m er i s a d oubl e barrel ed tub e -
,

but suc h it r eally i s S h oul d y ou offer h on e y to

.

th e bi rd S h e c oul d n ot tak e it It w oul d b e too

,
.

thick N ectar i s n ot h on ey It i s thi n li ke

. .
,

water but v ery sweet

,
.

O nc e w e foun d a boy with a littl e h um mi ng

bird i n hi s hand H e refus ed to tell u s wher e h e
.

obtai n e d it an d s o w e c oul d n ot giv e it bac k t o its

,

m oth er W e m ixed h on ey an d milk togeth er

.
,

an d fed it with a littl e eye dropp er dr op by drop -

,
.

N ext d ay w e pl ac e d it i n th e n est o f a m other

hu m m er an d S h e adopted it an d br ought it u p
, ,

v ery ten derly a s i f it w ere h er own

,
.

Hu m mi ng bi rds seem to b e l ov ed by th e oth er

-

bi rds i n our grou n ds Th ey ar e n ot di sturbed .

n or dri v e n away T hey n e st with u s ev ery y ear

.
,
 T H E A NN A H U M M I N G B I RD -
. 1 79

i n m idwi nter Wh en it s torm s we c over th e

.
,

n ests with parasol s or cl oth an d th e m other s eem s ,

to u n d erstand .

It i s s a i d th a t a hu m mi ng bi rd c an b e fright
.
-

en ed to d eath i f c aught W e n ev e r try to catc h .

them i n th e gar den O nc e a m al e fl e w i n at the

.

'

wi n dow an d p ersi sted i n fl yi n g a b o u t th e c eiling

,
.

W e c ould only c atc h i t with a br oom v ery gently ,

.

When w e took i t up it l ay o n its back as i f d ead

,
.

We took it outdoor s an d it op en ed on e ey e ,
.

Then as quic k a s a flas h it flew away S om e .

“
birds an d m any i n sects an d anim al s d o pl ay ,

dead . It has b ee n s ai d that wh en a m an i s

attacked by wil d an im al s l i ke tigers h e i s safe if ,

“ ”
h e too pl ay s p os s u m
, ,
’
S o th e h um m i ng bird .
-

“ ” ’
p o s sess es th e i n sti nct of playin g p ossu m for
good r eason s B ut thi s i s onl y wh e n th ey hav e
.

n ot be en tam ed at all Thos e birds w hic h c om e .

to kn ow u s i n th e gard en all ow u s to touc h them ,

or even to br eak th e twi g o n whic h th ey sit an d

carry it away But if w e touc h th em it i s ev er s o
.
,

l ightly ; W e d o n ot grasp th em That woul d .

m ake th em afraid an d sp oil th e fun of h avi ng

,

th em s o tr ustful .

Hum mi ng birds d o n ot thriv e i n c onfi n em ent

-
.

They ar e n e v er s een on th e grou nd At n e s ting .

tim e th e m oth er c om es to a p il e of ol d sl acked ,

1 80 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D E R S .

l i m e an d pl aster an d eats it s upp orti n g h ersel f

, ,

by h er win gs T h e ti ny feet ar e u nabl e to wal k

.

o r t o stan d o n a flat su rfac e If wi nd ow b oxes

.
-

are fi tt e d to sc h oolro om wi nd ows an d n asturtium s

,

all owed t o bl oo m i n th em th e h um m i ng bi rd s
,
-

will c om e an d m ak e th em s el v es at h om e C ity .

h ouse s c an h av e th es e wi n d ow plants an d s o th e
-
,

b eautiful h u mm er s m ay b e s e en every d ay W e .

h av e kn ow n th e m t o d ri n k from a sauc er of
sweeten ed water plac e d i n th e wi nd ow .
1 82 W E S T E RN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

a family p arty A n d th ey hav e a w a y of keepi ng

.

togeth er n ot s een with oth er bir ds .

I n l ate wi nter an d S p ri ng y ou s e e only pair s

togeth er They begi n to talk of family affai rs by
.

YO U N G B U S E - T IT .

J an uary an d F ebruary and m ay be seen hunti ng

,

n esting S i t e s b e fo r e th e frost has l eft th e grou nd

-
.

und er th e h ed ges .

Th e h um m i ng bir d buil d s th e s m all est n est

-

am on g th e bi rd s an d th e b us h ti t th e l argest
,
-
,

c ompared with th e si ze of th e buil der W e h a v e .

s een s e v eral of th ese swi n gin g n ests that m easure

 TH E B USH - TIT . 1 83

twelv e in c h es i n l en gth after they are str etched

,

by wi n d an d r ain —l onger than any ori ol e s n est

,
’

w e know of B oth bird s wor k at th e n esti n g

.
,

begi n ni n g early whil e th e weather i s still wet a n d

,

c ol d like th e thrashers an d hu m m er s
,
.

Th e bu sh tits m ay sel ect any S ite from the top

-

of an y hi gh tree t o a l ow ros e or oth er bu sh .

T her e i s n o kn owi n g wh ere y o u m ay fi n d it ! B ut

when onc e y ou ha v e bec om e fam iliar wit h the
twitter of the wee bi rds y ou will kn ow whe n you ,

are n ot far fro m thei r n est S om eti m es it i s at .

th e tip of a swayi ng bough an d agai n it i s c on ,

c e a l e d i n a thic k b u sh but it i s al ways hun g like

,

a p oc ket .

S o far as w e can m ake out o n e site w ould b e a s ,

good a s anoth er but th e l ow c on v ersati on the

,

bird s h a v e o v er th e m atter c on v i nc es u s that th ey

ha v e som e go o d reason for s el ectin g a c ertai n
sp ot Th ey m u st take i nto acc ount wi n d an d rai n
.
,

with an oc casi on al fl urry of sn ow b esi des a hot ,

sp ell esp ecially i n s outhern Calif orn ia

,
.

W e hav e s ee n th e bu sh tits buil d a good m any

-

n ests an d exami n ed m ore w hic h w e h a v e foun d

, ,

i n d ifferent pl ac es and they all l ook al ike Th ey

,
.

are exactly th e sam e c ol or on th e outsid e v aryin g ,

a l ittl e i n S had e — a mixed d rab gray an d white .

, , ,

Th e n est i s c omp osed of m osses bits of d ried ,

1 84 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

w eed fi b e r thread s o f plants syc am ore leaf w ool

-
, ,
-
,

and s oft bits of anythi n g els e .

T he b eak of th e b ush tit i s v ery sm all and -

p oi nted an d c ould n ot carry l arge l oad s of any

,

thin g l ik e th e m ock er and th e blac kbi rd S o th e

, .

n est i s put togeth er i n th e s mall est p i ec es bit by ,

bit m akin g a s ort of felt w h e n i t i s fi ni s h ed n ot

, ,

easily torn o r broken Thi stl e bl oss om an d m ilk .

-
,

w eed and ev erl astin g with sage sc rap s are hi dd en

, , ,

away from l a s t fall s h arvest by th e wi nd and ’

tucked i nto n ook s for th e bu s h tits t o fi nd i n th e -

sp ri n g .

Th e b ush tits are i n s ect eater s and am ong

- -
,

oth er food s whi c h th ey l ike are th e l ittl e spid ers

about h edges an d on th e tr u n ks of tre es an d i n
c racks al on g th e bark of d ead w o od Y o u hav e .

’
seen l ittl e round fl at c overi n g s of th es e spid er s
, ,

eggs t h at stic k o n flat su rfac es an d ar e n ot

read ily torn up I n th ei r s earc h after S p id ers and
.

fresh eggs for breakfast th e bus h tits tear thes e ,

-

littl e r o u n d egg wrapp ers off an d u s e th em i n

-
,

th ei r n ests All thr ough th e l ic h en s and pl ant

.

fi b e r we fi n d th es e l ittl e ro und wh ite d isks On .

th e o ut s id e of on e n est w e fo un d fifte e n of th es e
spid er c oc o on s fasten ed with thr ead s from d ecayed
-

cactu s stal ks .

O n e w ould thi n k th e bi rd s woul d u s e s tri ngs to

1 86 W E S T ERN S E R I E S OF RE A D ER S .

p ocket a r ound d oorway i s m ad e j ust large en ough ,

for on e bird to pass i n an d o ut W e hav e s een a .

d o orway i n th e top a s w ell and i n on e single

, ,

n est th er e w er e thre e d oors B ut thi s i s n ot .

c omm on J ust on e d oor i s th e r ul e an d that on e

.
,

i s plac ed o n th e s outh sid e of th e n est p robably ,

s o o ur n orth east storm s will n ot d riv e i n .

At th e bottom of th e p ocket on a s oft l i ni n g of ,

wo ol o r plant d own th e eggs ar e plac ed T h e

-
, .

y ou ng rem a i n i n th e n est u nti l ful l feath ered and -

,

wh e n th ey c om e out th ey ar e exactl y th e sam e

c ol or a s an d b ut a l ittl e s mall er than th eir
, ,

parents I n o ur gard en th ey r em a i n ab out th e

.

h om e tre e for s e v eral w eeks l ik e th e hu m m i n g

-
,

bi rd s sitti n g on a twi g at n ight s n uggl ed al l i n a

, ,

row l ik e peas with a parent bi rd on eit her sid e

, ,
.

T h e b us h tits h a v e buil t i n th e s am e p epp er

-

tr e e i n o ur ground s for y ears Th ey ar e f earl es s .

of u s and acc e p t bits of thi ngs we plac e i n sight

,

for th ei r n ests
W e ha v e brought i n old n ests from th e foothill s
an d p lac ed th em i n s ight of th e bu sh tits wh en -
,

th ey w ould p ull th em to pi e c es an d u s e e v ery bit

’
in th ei r n ew n est O nc e w e plac e d su rgeon s
.

absorbent c otto n i n S ight o f th e b u sh tits and it -

,

m ad e th em fairly wild T h ey c oul d carry m ore .

of thi s c otton than of any m aterial th ey had e v er

 TH E BU S H TIT
-
. 1 87

seen . C otto n sticks together an d d oes n t fall ,

’

“
apart like threads Th e bu shi es worked l ong .

and w ell at th e c otto n u ntil th ey had as m uch

l i n in g as outsi d e to th e n est B ut a d readful .

thing happ en ed ! Absorbent c otton takes u p all

th e wat er y o u kn ow an d h ol d s it C om m on
’

.
, ,

c otto n will sh ed water A storm cam e wh e n th e .

eggs were r ead y to hatch an d d ro v e right i n at ,

th e n e s t door O f c ours e it d rown ed al l th e l ittl e

.

bus hi es Th er e th ey l ay i n a p uddl e o f water at

.

th e b ottom of th e n est W e had n ot thought .

of th e rai n w hen w e p ut out th e c otton !

‘

Th e ol d birds tor e th e n est all to p iec es an d ,

b uilt i t ov er agai n i n a n ot h e r p epp er tree ; but

j

th e y w oul d hav e n othi n g to d o with th e c otton .

Th ey dropp ed it on th e grass N or wil l th ey .

touc h an oth er bit of white c otton th ough w e ,

pl ac e i t all ab out for th e bird s e v ery spri ng .

Th ey hav e l earn ed a lesson .

Th e bush tits ar e v ery us eful birds Though

-
.

S O sm all th ey s e em n e v er to get en ough to eat

,
.

An d y o u m a y s e e th em at th e scal e o n th e oran ge
an d oth er tr ees as i f it w er e th eir b usin es s t o hel p
,

us get ri d of it I f w e had m ore b ush tits about

.
-

ou r h om es th ey woul d take all th e scal e that

,

ann oys u s s o W e ha v e seen th em hu nt i n a

.

J ap an es e V i n e on th e fenc e until th ey had taken

1 88 W E S T E RN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

e v ery scal e ; an d th e ol iv e tr ees ar e th ei r fa

hu ntin g gro un ds
-
.W h erev er th e black s e
fou nd th ere al so i s th e d ear l ittl e bu s h tit
, , ,
-

its c h eerful twitter .

1 90 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A DER S .

S o th ey m ak e h om e und er th e vi ol et and pan sy

l ea v es an d am ong th e fern s w e br ought d own
,

from th e c a no n s an d planted und er th e n orth

win dow Herm it kn ow s th eir habits an d h unts
.
,

c onfid ently W hy S h o ul d h e or oth er bi rd s be

.

afrai d i n ou r gro un d s ? Th ey hav e l earn ed that

'

w e all ow n o c ats o r d ogs on th e pla c e We woul d

'

rath er h a v e o n e h erm it thr ush i n wi nter und er

o ur b ed room wi n dows than th e pic k of al l th e
c ats i n th e c ou ntry .

Yo u will n otic e that th e b eak of th e thrush es

i s u nlike th at of th e sparrows T h e th rus h has a .

l on g p oi nted b eak but not s o p oi nted as the

, ,

’
ori ol e s It i s exactl y th e p ro p er S hap e to p ic k up
.

s m all i n sects but i t wo ul d b e u n abl e to c rac k

,

s eeds o r s e w stitch es of p alm fi b e r W e feed -

.

c ru m b s to th e h er m it o n th e gard en tabl e an d h e -
,

app ears to e n j oy th em esp ecially i f th ey b e c ooki e

’

cr um b s He al s o li kes b erri es w hi c h ha v e been

.

l eft o n th e stem s on p urp ose f or our wi nter v i si

tor s .

T h e h erm it hi des away i n d ark pl ac es by day

tim e It n ests i n t h e far m ou ntai n s an d forests of
.

th e N orth wh ere it sings its b est s ongs to th e

,

deep d ark wo ods

,
.

Th e r usset bac ked thru sh s o n early r esembl es

-

th e h ermit that i t takes a k een ey e to tell whic h

,
 O UR W E ST C O A ST T H RU SH E S . 191

is which B ut wh en s um m er has c om e an d our

.
,

wi nter vi sitor th e h ermit has gon e away w e know ,

th e bird we s e e i s n ot th e h erm it b ut th e r uss et ,

b ack W e d o n ot s e e hi m at all p erhap s for a

.
, ,

l ong w hil e b ut j ust at nightfal l w h e n th e oth er

, ,

bird s hav e m ostl y gon e to b ed th er e c om es a ,

l i quid n ote l i ke th e d rip of water from th e thic k

, ,

e s t s hr ubbery W e kn ow it i s th e r uss et back

.
-
,

and w e sm il e and k eep v ery still s o w e m ay hear

, ,

m or e of that l iqui d s on g d rip Like a ll the -

.

thru sh es it i s a ground bird gettin g its l ivi ng by

,
-
,

tillin g th e s oil l ike th e farm er th at it i s Yo u

,
.

m ight fi nd it n estin g i n th e m oist will ow region s ,

or i n th e ca non s wh ere th e littl e str eam s h a v e

,

n ot b een all tur n ed i nto i ron pip es for c ity u s es .

T he russet back i s a S h y bird n ot flyi ng high

-
,

i n pl ai n S ight l ike th e m ockers an d fi nc h es an d

,

oth er birds If you ar e out to fi n d it you woul d

.
,

better h unt i n m oi st pl ac es u n d er th e h olly ,

b u shes wh er e th e l oam i s dark an d ric h

,
.

T h e thrush es m ake S i m il ar n ests e v erywh ere .

Th ey s el dom u s e m ud l ike th ei r r el ativ es th e

,

robin s b ut you m ight tak e it for granted th ey d o

, ,

by th e app earanc e of th e n est wh en it i s d on e .

Y o u m u st lear n t o exam in e cl os ely if yo u ar e a ,

bir d stud ent for d ifferen c es that d o n ot sp eak i n

-
,

v ery l oud ton es Th e n ests of th e thrush es are

.
1 92 W E S T ERN S ER I E S OF RE A D ER S .

p acked and felted togeth er l eaf by l eaf or gras s ,

blad e by grass bl ad e dead l eav e s an d fib er so

, ,

that th e w hol e i s as c om pac t an d sn ug as if dri ed

m ud Th ey p ac k th e m ateri al wh e n it i s w e t
.
,

an d s o i t adh eres firmly Th ei r n ests n ever c rack

.
,

li ke m ud n e s ts but s e em a part of th e d am p c ool

, ,

n oo k s th ey ar e pl ac ed i n Th e eggs ar e greeni sh
.

bl ue sp otted with b rown an d y ou m ay fi n d four

, ,

or fi v e Leav e th em to th e n est an d y ou m ay
.
,

ha v e th e fu n of s eein g r uss et back ed baby -

th rush es b efore th ey hav e m uc h el s e b ut ski n on

th ei r backs .

Th e v ari ed thru s h i s q uite di fferent from eith e r

th e h erm it or r u sset back It i s as l arge as a
-
.

r obin an d i s often c all ed th e O rego n robi n But

,
.

with t h e v ari ed th rush as with its r elativ es y ou ,

m ust b e u p early to s e e
it A n d yo u m u s t b e v ery
.

qui et Y ou w ill n ev er
.

se e a v ari ed thr us h in
w i nter i f y ou m a k e an y n oi s e

o r w al k rapidly ab out Li ke .

th e h erm it an d th e r usset back -

,

it l ov es b est to b e al on e exc ept ,

at n esti n g ti m e Th e v aried
-
.

th ru sh es c om e s outh i n wi nter ,

T H E V A R I ED T H R U S H an d w e kn ow th ey are h er e b y
194 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F RE A D ER S .

an d forget to b e h erm its Th ey ap p ear ab out th e

.

l ast o f May an d m ake th e woods ri n g with th ei r

,

m usic al n ote e v en b efore th e l ake s an d stream s

,

ha v e th aw e d .

O n t h ei r arri v al i n Alas k a t h ey fi n d b erri es for

,

foo d j ust thawin g o ut of th e s n ow d rifts c r a n b e r

-
,

ri e s an d bl u eb erri es Th ey h a v e a gay ti m e after

.

th ey arri v e b efor e it i s qu ite ti m e to b egi n n est

,

in g. T h ey frol ic i n th e w ood s an d c has e o n e

,

an oth er an d s qu eal an d hav e m any a bea k to

, ,
-

b eak fig h t t h ough n o on e s eem s to b e v ery m uc h

,

hu rt .

A p ai r of v ari ed th rush es ar e sai d to return to

t h e sam e s p ot y ear afte r y ea r i n th e c ol d n orth ,

m akin g a n ew n est eac h season on top of th e l ast

,

’
y ear s n est .
 I D E NTI F I C A TI ON C H A PT E R .

W e st e r n G u ll ( t h e co m m on S e a G ull ) - —L e g s r a th e r l ong
.

a nd f e e t w e bb e d ; bill d e e p a nd s t r o ng ; l e n gth 2 f e e t ; p lu ,

ma g e p ur e whit e e x c e p t for t o p o f wi ng s a n d m i dd l e ba c k
, ,

whi c h a e da r k sl a ty blu e a nd p a rt o f t h e wi n g fe a th e r s whi c h

r ,
-
.

a r e bl a c k ; y ou n g mo ttl e d with d r a b o r br o w n A bu n d a nt .

r e si de n t a l on g th e s e a c oa st a nd i n S a n Fr a nc i sc o Ba y ( S e e
-
.

pa g e
B r ow n Pe li ca n —L ngth f e e t ; s tr e t c h of wi ng s 8%
e , ,

f e e t ; bill 1 3 i n c h e s l ong with l a rg e ba r e e l a s ti c p o uc h h a ng

, , ,

i ng b e n e a th ; h e a d w hit e y e ll o w ti n g e d ; r e s t o f p lu ma g e gr a y
,
-

i sh. C o m m o n mos t o f t h e y e a r a l on g o u r W e ste r n s e a c oa s t -

so uth o f P ug e t S o u n d ( S e e p a ge.

A me r i c a n C oot , or M u d He n -
.
— Du c k li k e -
in a pp r
ea a n ce

a nd h a bit s but l e g s l ong a n d t oe s l ob e d i n st e a d of c om

, ,
“ ”

pl e te ly w e bb e d ; p lu m a g e s oo ty bl a c k m o r e s l a ty b e l ow s om e , ,

ti m e s whi t i sh ; bill c on s p i c u ou sly whiti s h with a n e xt e ns i on ,

ru n n i n g b a c k on to t h e fo r e h e a d ; l e ngth 1 4 i n c h e s ; ta il v e ry ”

S h o rt. A bu nda n t on p ond s a nd m a r s hy l a k e s e v e rywh e r e .

( S e e pa ge

Ki ll de e r P l ov e r .
—L e g s l ong
t oe d 1e n gt h 1 0% i n c h e s
,t
h r ee -
,

ba c k bro w n i s h ; l ow e r p a rt s whit e e x ce p t for t w o bl a k b a r s ,

c

a c r os s t h e br e a s t ; whit e p a t c h on f o r e h e a d b e tw e e n t w o o th e r

bla c k b a nd s A bu nda n t r e s i de n t on d a m p m e a do w s a nd
.

a r o u n d p ond s ( S e e pa ge
.

M ou r n ng i Dov e ( o ft e n ca ll e d T urtl e
‘

-
Do v e ) .
— L e ngth ,
12
1 95
1 96 W E S T E RN S E R I E S O F RE AD E R S .

i nc h e s ; t a il i nc h e s w e d ge — ,s h a pe d
6 with po i n te d f e a th e r s
, ,

ti ppe d cons p i c u o u s ly with white ; b a c k a nd u nd e r s urfa c e

br o w n i s h c h a ngi ng i n to p i n k i s h o n t h e br e a s t a nd gr a y o n t h e
,

h e a d A bu nda n t i n s p ri ng s u m m e r a nd fa ll a l mo s t e v e ry
.
, , ,

wh e r e i n t h e We s t ( S e e p a g e .

B u r r ow i ng Ow l -
, or G r ou nd -OW L — R a th e r s m a ll fo r an

ow l l e ngth 1 0 i nch e s ;
; , a bo v e l e g s l o ng a nd ba r e ; p lu ma g e , ,

d ul l br o w n S po tt e d with wh it e be l o w whiti h b a rr e d with , , s

br o w n C o m m o n r e s i de n t o f p ra iri e re gi on s o r u nc ulti va t e d
.

fi e lds ( S e e pa g e
.

Roa d -
m i nne r .
— L a rg e
t li k e ; to t a l l e n gth 2 a nd ph e a sa n -
,

f e e t o f whi c h t h e l o n g ta il ta k e s u p 1 2 i nc h e s ; wi ngs S h o rt nd
, a

w e a k ; h e a d with a s te e l blu e c r s t ; p lu ma g e a bo v v a ri e d -
e
,
e ,

wi t h gl s s y d a r k blu e br w ni s h a nd whiti s h ; u nd e r p r ts
o ,
o a

wh iti s h with br e a s t n a rr o wly bl a c k s tre a k e d ; ta il ti p pe d with

,
-

whit e C o mm o n r e s i d e n t o f t h e w a r m e r v a ll e y s a nd foo thill s

.

o f t h e S o uthw e s t ( Se e pa g e .

B e l t e d Ki ng fi s h e r — L e ngth i nc h e s ; h e a d with a ta ll
. , 12
c r e s t ; thi s a n d t h e r e s t o f t h e u p pe r s urfa c e s l a ty gr a y l owe r
p a rts whit e e x c e p t fo ba nd o f s l a ty blu e a c ros s t h e bre a s t ;
,
r a

i n t h e f e m a l e th e r e i s a l so a be lt o f rufo u s br o w n whi c h l so , a

ti ng e s th e s i de s L oca lly r e s i d e nt a l ong s tr e a ms a nd s e a coa st

.
- .

( Se e pa ge

l i for ni a W oodp e ck e r M ngth

Ca in h t ly bl k . c es s ee ac ,

ex p t f wh it p t h n wi ng
ce or n p i u u i n fl ight ; w h i t
e a c o s, co s c o s
!

b nd n f r h d ; y ll wi h thr t p t h ; brigh t d r w n
a o o e ea e o s oa -
a c re c o

p t h ; whit ru m p ; n d whit b lly C m m r i d n t f

a c e a e e . o on es e o

oak r gi n end f f r t d u n try g n r lly ( S p g

o s, a o o es e co e e a . ee a e

Re d b r e a st e d
-
Wood p e c k e r S a p s u c k e r — Le ngth 8 %
, or . ,

i nc h e s ; wh ol e h e a d a nd br e a s t d ull r e d b e lly pa l e y e ll owi s h

1 98 W E S T ERN S ER I E S O F RE A D ER S .

p lu m g a e tir e ly j e t bl a c k C o m m on c oa s twi se a n d l o c a lly

e n .
,

i n th e i n te ri o r v a ll e y s w e s t o f t h e S i e rra s ( S e e pa g e .

L inne t , or H ou s e -
P inc h —
i nc h e s ; b ill S h o rt
L e n gth .
,

a n d v e ry s t o ut h e a d br e a s t a nd ru m p bright re d
; ma le with , ,

e l se wh e r e s tr e a k e d o b sc ur e ! y wi th gra yi s h br o w n m d
fe le a n a

yo ng gr a yi s h br w n a l l o v e r s tre a k e d d ully with b r o w n

u o ,

b e ne a th but n o r e d a nywh e re A bu nda n t p e r m a ne n t re i

, . s

d e n t e x ce p t i n t h e high m o u n ta i n s a n d no rth e rly

, ( Se e .

pa ge
W illow G ol dfi nc h ( O fte n l l e d W il d C a na ry ) — Le ngth ca .
.

i nc h e s ; ma le with c r w n wi ngs a nd ta il bl a c k t h e l a tt e r o , , ,

with white m a r k i ng s ; r e s t f p lu m a ge e n tir e ly brigh t y ll o w ; o e

fe ma le e ntir e ly gr e e n i s h bro w n ti n g e d with y e ll o w be ne a th , .

Co m m o n i n s u m m e r i n will o w gro v e s a nd c ulti v a te d o rc h a rd s

i n m o i s t l oc a liti e s ( S e e pa g e .

A r k a ns a s or G r e e n b a c k e d G oldfi nc h ( o fte n c a ll e d W il d -

C a na ry ) — S m a ll e r ; l e ng th 4 i n ch e s ; ma le with wh o l e to p o f
.
,

h e a d w i ng s a nd t a il bl a k t he l a tte r m a r k e d with whi te ;

, ,
c ,

b a c k d a r k gr e e n ; l w e r s urfac e bright y e ll o w ; fe m le d ull e r

o a ,

with o ut bl a c k o n h e a d C o m m o n r e s id n t f t h e v a ll e y a nd. e o

foo thill r e gi o n s ( S e e p a ge .

l
E ng si h S p a r r ow
— Bill t ut nd w ll n ; l n gt h 6 . s o a s o e e ,

i n h ; g n r l l r gr yi h br w n ; m l with l rg thr t
c es e e a co o a s o a e a e oa

p t h bl k ; i d f h d d p t h n wi ng h tn ut ; b k
a c ac S es o ea an a c o c es ac

s tr k d w it h
ea e ty ; f m l p l i n r gr yi h b n th nd
soo e a e a e , a s e ea a

br w ni h b v
o s R id nt i n t w n
a o f n tr l C lif r n i
e . es e o s o ce a a o a ,

es p i lly th b y iti
ec a (S p g e a c es . ee a e

W e s t e r n C h i p p i ng S p a r r ow ( C hi pp i ) e .
— S m a ll e s t o f o u r
S p rr w
a o s ; l e n gth 5% i n c h e s ; t a il
,
p r o po rti o n a t e ly l o n g ; l o w e r

s urfa ce a s hy whit e ; b a c k p a l e br o w n s tri p e d with bl a c k ; t o p ,

 I D EN TI F I C ATI O N C H AP TE R . 1 99

of h e a d with l a rg e c h e s t n u t p a tc h ; f or e h e a d a n d li n e thr ough

e ye bl a c k ; li n e ov e r e ye a n d v e rti c a l d a s h i n c e n t e r o f f o r e
,

h e a d whiti sh y ou ng s tr e a k e d b e l o w C o mm on i n s u mm e r i n .

g a r d e ns a nd o r c h a r d s a s w e ll a s i n n a ti v e w ood s ( S e e p a g e
,
.

S ong S p a r r ow
-
( with s e v e r a l d i ff e r e n t r a c e s ) — L e ngth .
,

5 % t o 6 % i n c h e s ; bill c o ne s h a p e d ; f e e t s tr o n g ; p lu m a g e
-
,

l e n gthwi s e s tr e a k e d with br o w n o r bl a c k i s h t h e s tr e a k s ,

b e l o w j oi n i n g to for m a de n se bl a c k s p o t i n c e n t e r o f br e a st ;
b e lly whit e ; t o p o f h e a d a nd b a c k with a d m ixtur e of c h e s t n u t .

A bu n d a nt r e s i de n t a l on g s tr e a ms a nd i n m o i s t bru s hy p l a ce s
g e n e r a lly ( S e e p a g e
.

F ox -
S p a rr ow( with s e v e r a l r a ce )
s — A l a rg e s p a rr o w ; .

l e ngth 7 i n c h e s ; f e e t l a rg e ; bill s h a r p po i n t e d bu t v e ry
,
-
,

thi c k a t b a s e ; g e n e r a l col o r a bo v e da r k br o w n ; b e l o w whit

, ,

i sh thi c k ly m a r k e d o n br e a s t wi th c o n s p i c u o u s s o oty br o w n
,
-

a rr o w S h a p e d s p o t s
-
C o m mo n wi n t e r v i s it a n t i n bru s hy l o ca li
.

ti e s a n ywh e r e a p pe a ri ng a bo ut h e dg e s a nd g a r de ns ( S e e
, .

p a ge
Wh i t e -
r
c ow ne d ( thr S p a rr ow
e e r a c e s ) —L e n gth .
,

i nc h e s ; b e l o w a s hy white ; a b ov e p a l e br o w n i s h s tr e a k e d
, , ,

with d a r k br o w n o s oo ty ; wi n g s v a ri o u s ly m ottl e d with b a y

,
r ,

whiti s h a n d sooty ; to p o f h e a d with thr e e c on s p i c u o u s whit e

,

s tri p e s a nd t w o j e t bl a c k n e s ; y o u n g with bl a c k c r o w n s tri p e s

-
o -

r e p l a c e d with br o w n o n e s A bu n d a n t wi n t e r r e s i d e n t e v e ry
.

wh e r e On e r a c e ( N utta ll s p a rr o w ) s u m m e r s i n c oa s t r e gi on
.

fr om M on te r e y n orth w a r d i nc lu di ng t h e S a n Fr a n c i sc o p a r k s
, .

( Se e p a g e

l
G o de n r d S p a r r ow — L a rg e r ; l e ngth 6% i n c h e s ;
-
c ow ne . ,

b e ne a th pa l e br o w n ; a b o v e d a r k e r s tr e a k e d with s ooty on
, , ,

t h e b a c k ; t op of h e a d with t w o bl a c k s tri p e s i n c l o s i n g a brigh t

2 00 W E S T ER N S E R I E S O F RE AD E R S .

ye ll o w c ro w n s p o t ; y o u ng with bl a c k h e a d s tri pe s r e p l ac e d
- -

with br o w n but v e llo w a l wa y s p r e se n t th ough s o me ti me s

, ,

pa l e C o mmo n wi nt e r v i s it a n t i n bru s hy l oca li ti e s w e s t o f t h e

.

S i e rra s ( S e e pa g e
.

C a li for ni a or B r o w n Tow h e e — Fe e t a nd bill s to ut ; .

l e ngth 8 34 i nc h e s ; p lu ma g e a l mos t u n ifo r m bro w n be co mi ng

, ,

r e dd i s h u nde r t h ta il ; thr a t p l e r with a ma rgi n o f fa i n t

e o a ,

d u s k y s po t s A bu nda n t r e s ide nt w e s t o f t h e S i rra s ( S e

. e . e

pa ge
S pur re d T ow he e ( with th r — Le ngth 8 i nc h e s ;re e a ce s ) .
,

bil l a nd f e e t s t o ut t h e h i n d t e be a ri ng a n u nu s u a lly l o ng
, o

c la w ; w h l h e d a nd u p pe r s urfa c bl a c k s ty br w n ; a
o e a e or oo o

fe w whit e s po ts n wi ng s a nd a t ti p f ta il ; s i d e s bright rufo u s

o o

be lly whit e C o mmo n r e s id e nt o f bru s hy p l a c es a nd h e d g e s

.

( S e e pa g e

C l iff S w a ll
-
or B a v e S w a ll ow
ow ,
— Bill a nd f e e t s ma ll ;
-

l e ng t h 5% i nc h e s ; u nde r p a rt s whit e e x c e p t fo r a bl a c k
, ,

br e a s t s p t nd c h e t nu t br w n thr oa t ; f re h e a d co n s pi c u
- o , a a s - o o

o u s ly wh iti h ; t p o f h e a d a nd b a c k d r k s te ly bl u e
s o A bu n a e .

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