Part 11
Off to one side, among the more scrubby deciduous growth, I could hear, and sometimes see, a Redstart, while the _tse-tse-tse_-ing of the Black-poll Warblers, which were migrating northwards, could be heard intermittently. Two Quails were now calling loudly for Bob-White, or Rob-ert-White, as their fancy dictated, and in the confusing medley I could make out the modest notes of a Black and White Warbler, which had for years nested somewhere in this pasture. Behind me, at the top of the hill, I could also hear the clear, cheery notes of a Field Sparrow, which always builds there.
Being limited as to time, and having already heard twenty-eight kinds of birds in the short space of about twenty minutes, and from one place, I started to depart, but even as I did so I heard the notes of another bird coming across the marsh, that of the Black-billed Cuckoo, and just as I was again taking down the bars to get out into the street, what should I hear, loud, clear and distinct, but the song of that plaguey little White-eyed Vireo, a song seemingly of thanksgiving that I was really going and that he had eluded me so well. I then reluctantly mounted my bicycle, but was forced to get off, to add two more birds to my increasing list; viz., a Cowbird, which was sitting on the fence opposite, and a pair of Yellow-throated Vireos, the female of which had evidently but just left her nest for a lunch, while the male followed twittering and whispering close by, stopping his song until she should have resumed her duties of incubation.
I had now seen thirty-two different species of birds in the short space of about twenty-five minutes' actual time spent in observation, after deducting the time spent in hunting the Vireo's nest, and departed for home well content, even though I knew I had seen only about three-fifths of the varieties of birds that are often to be found in the immediate vicinity.
On a previous occasion, when I had been lucky enough to be able to spend a whole morning in this pasture, I had seen forty-four different species, nineteen of which I had not seen to-day, and which, added to the thirty-two noted above, make a total of fifty-one species. Of these, there were only five that were merely occasional visitors. Of the remainder, I have found direct evidence of the breeding of thirty-two species, while on various accounts I feel sure that fourteen others breed there, although I have never actually found their nests.
=For Young Observers=
A February Walk (Prize Essay)
By Mildred A. Robinson
(Aged 14 years)
We had planned to walk over to the pond to see if the recent thaw had spoiled the skating. As we passed the foot of the hill, the little brook splashed and tumbled down from its icy framework, eddying around the brown goldenrod stalks, and then rushed on at topmost speed across the opposite meadow.
We were standing on the little bridge, watching the ever fascinating current, when an odd bird-note called our attention to a little gray-backed, white-breasted bird who was running up and down a neighboring tree.
All thoughts of skating instantly vanished from our minds; we climbed the fence, and in a moment more were noiselessly following our obstinate little bird, who would keep so high up in the tree-tops that it was almost impossible to see anything but his breast.
Finally, he descended, head downward, along one of the lower branches of the tree, and we saw that it was a White-breasted Nuthatch. Evidently he thought he had stayed quite long enough for examination, so, after a few parting pecks at the rough bark, trying to secure one more hidden insect, he flew off.
We were slowly following the course of the little stream, when suddenly a great rustle of the dead leaves near the water's edge caused us to pause and listen. All was silent, with the exception of a few distant Chickadees, then, with a whir and a clatter, we saw a bushy tail disappear into the thicket; a moment more and out came a beautiful gray squirrel. Like a flash he was up the tree, jumping from limb to limb, frisking about in the sunshine, then down onto the ground again, and away. His visit was even shorter than that of the Nuthatch, but not less enjoyable.
And now, where were those noisy little Chickadees who had been calling to us from the alder bushes for the last half-hour? It was easy enough to find these confiding little creatures; they were feeding on the ground, and seemed quite unconcerned at our presence, although we approached very near to them. One little fellow seemed to be asleep; he sat all puffed up on one of the alder branches, but as I came nearer to him I could see that his bright little eye was on me, and at the next step he flew away.
It was now late in the afternoon, and, as we looked toward the west, the last rays of the sun were just tinting the distant hills with a mellow, golden hue; the birds had flown away, leaving the woods silent, so we reluctantly turned our footsteps towards home.
Robin Rejoice
BY GARRETT NEWKIRK
Among the first of the spring, The notes of the Robin ring; With flute-like voice, He calls "Rejoice, For I am coming to sing!"
To any one gloomy or sad, He says, "Be glad! be glad! Look on the bright side, 'Tis aye the right side; The world is good, not bad."
At daybreak in June we hear His melody, strong and clear: "Cheer up, be merry, I've found a cherry; 'Tis a glorious time of the year!"
=Notes from Field and Study=
Inquisitive Magpies
I was collecting specimens of natural history in the northern part of the state of Washington, a few miles from the Canadian border. At the time the incident which I am about to relate occurred I was stopping at a ranch at the southern end of Okanagan lake.
The owner of the building was cramped for room, so, as it was during the heat of the summer, I spent the nights rolled up in my blankets under a haystack. One morning, as the sun was rising, I was awakened by shadows crossing my face, and opening my eyes saw a flock, possibly a family, of Magpies perched on the stack and ends of poles that had been thrown over it to keep the hay from blowing away. I watched them as they peered inquisitively at me from their perches, until finally one flew to the ground, then another and another, until at last several were gathered about me, but a few feet away. I lay on my side, with my arms under the blankets, and watched their actions. At last one jumped on the blankets at my feet. I could feel him hopping slowly upward. I did not move for fear of frightening him. Finally he reached my shoulder, and, after perching there a few seconds, flew to my cheek. I closed my eyes slowly, fearing he might peck them. After testing my cheek lightly with his bill, he began to get in some uncomfortably heavy blows, so I thought it time to stop him. Without opening my eyes, or moving, I said in a low tone. "Here! Here! That will do!" He hesitated, as if to make sure his ears had not deceived him, and then flew to the stack. Another took his place, after working up in the same manner; he was quietly asked to move on. When the next one hopped on the blankets, I slowly raised my hand under them, making a tempting elevation, of which he was not slow to take advantage. He lighted squarely in the palm of my hand, which I closed at once, and held him prisoner. With the other hand I caught him by the legs from the outside, whereupon he flopped his wings, cried out with anger, and pecked at my wrist savagely. The remainder of the flock, which, in the meantime, had flown to the haystack, scolded and jabbered away at a great rate.
Evidently they had taken me for a corpse, but I think it was the liveliest one they ever saw.--J. Alden Loring, _Owego, N. Y._
Songs of Birds
The songs of birds have attracted a good deal of attention in recent years, and observation seems to confirm the theory that each generation of birds learns the song characteristics of its species by association with its own kind.
This fact was brought quite clearly to my mind several years ago, when in a western town I was taken to a neighbor's to see his birds. Four cages swung in the shelter of a commodious porch. One contained a Red-winged Blackbird, that had been taken from its nest when very young, and brought up by hand. His associates were a Canary, a Blue Jay and an Oriole. The Canary had been purchased at a bird store, and had there learned its song. The Blue Jay and Oriole had been taken from neighboring nests, and had, no doubt, picked up the characteristic notes of their species from the many other members of their kind that inhabited the vicinity, but it was many miles to the nearest swamp or low land where one might find a Red-winged Blackbird. This Red-wing had learned perfectly the notes of his caged companions, and had picked up some notes of other birds in the neighborhood, but not one note of the Red-winged Blackbird did he know.--Frank E. Horack, _Iowa City, Ia._
=Book News and Reviews=
Birds. By A. H. Evans, M.A. The Cambridge Natural History, Vol. IX. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited. New York: The Macmillan Company. 1899. 8vo, pages xvi + 635. Numerous woodcuts in text. Price, $3.50.
The author of this compact volume has essayed what he himself recognizes as the "difficult and apparently unattempted task of including in some six hundred pages a short description of the majority of the forms in many of the families, and of the most typical or important of the innumerable species included in the large Passerine order."
The book opens with a "Scheme of the Classification Adopted," based on the system proposed by Gadow, in which the _Archæopteryx_ stands at the bottom of the list, followed by the Ostriches, Rheas, and other struthious birds, while the Finches are placed at the top. An introduction of twenty-two pages treats of feathers, color, the molt, the skeleton, digestive organs, etc., classification, terminology, geographical variations, and migration, the handling of the last two subjects being far from satisfactory.
The remainder of the book is devoted to a consideration of the birds of the world. The matter is selected with excellent judgment and is admirably put together, the text having an originality and freshness not often found in compilations. The author, however, is handicapped by lack of space, and, except in monotypic families, is, as a rule, obliged to generalize to such an extent that the seeker for information concerning certain species will usually find only the characteristic habits of its family given. But if the author has not achieved entire success, he has, perhaps, more nearly approached it than any of his predecessors, and in his work we have for the first time an authoritative handbook of the birds of the world, which is sold at a low enough price to be within the reach of every student.
The illustrations, with the exception of a comparatively few, which were taken from duly credited sources, are by Mr. G. E. Lodge, who, at his best, is, in our opinion, one of the foremost of bird artists.--F. M. C.
The Feeding Habit of the Chipping Sparrow, and the Winter Food of the Chickadee. By Clarence M. Weed, New Hampshire College, Agricultural Experiment Station.
In the first of these interesting papers, Dr. Weed has introduced us directly into the domestic life of a family of Chippies. We have a view, for one day, of all their affairs, both personal and domestic; and to many it must be a wonderful revelation. It is fortunate for the birds that their period of infancy is so short, as otherwise their parents must utterly break down with the task of filling their ever-open mouths. Beginning at about 3:57 in the morning, these devoted parents worked almost without cessation till 7:50 in the evening, bringing food to their four young on an average of twelve times an hour; or once every five minutes.
What would human parents think of such work? The question arises: When do the old birds eat? In the case of a nest of this species watched by the writer on July 11, 1898, feeding of the young ceased at 7:25 in the evening, when both parents flew away. In twenty-five minutes, that is, at 7:50, the female parent (presumably) returned and settled on the nest for the night. At that time it was so dark that all other birds had disappeared. It seems probable that in this last twenty-five minutes the parent birds filled their own stomachs for the night.
The second of these papers is of a more prosaic character, but not the less interesting or useful. We have here a record in detail of the winter food of the Chickadee, showing how largely it consists of those minute insects, or their still more minute eggs, that injure the trees and baffle the efforts of man for their extermination.
In both papers we are shown the unpoetical but useful side of bird-life. These two confiding little birds have endeared themselves to their human neighbors by their gentle ways and familiar habits; but in these papers Dr. Weed has shown us that they should be no less dear to us when viewed entirely from an economic standpoint. We hope he will give us more of this kind of literature.--F. E. L. Beal.
Check List of British Columbia Birds. By John Fannin, Curator of the Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C.
This list forms a part--pages 13-55--of the 'Preliminary Catalogue of the Collections of Natural History and Ethnology in the Provincial Museum.' It enumerates 339 species and sub-species, with notes on their distribution, and will prove exceedingly useful to students of the bird-life of this interesting region, for a knowledge of the fauna of which we are so greatly indebted to Mr. Fannin.--F. M. C.
A Preliminary List of the Birds of Belknap and Merrimack Counties, New Hampshire, with Notes. By Ned Dearborn, Biological Laboratories, New Hampshire College, Durham.
The author here presents the more important results of ten years' observation, including also such information as he has gathered from other naturalists concerning the 187 species recorded from the region of which he writes. Mr. Dearborn's notes, we are glad to say, are not restricted solely to statements concerning the rarity or abundance and manner of occurrence of a given species, but often contain valuable remarks on habits which show him to be a discriminating student of the living bird.--F. M. C.
=Book News=
The origin of the present widespread interest in ornithology is so largely due to the influence of Dr. Coues' classic 'Key to North American Birds,' that we are sure bird students throughout the world will welcome the news that its author is engaged in a thorough revision of his epoch-making work. The new edition, which will be expanded to fill two volumes, will be richly illustrated by Mr. Fuertes, and while the advance made in the science of ornithology in the fifteen years which have elapsed since the publication of the second edition naturally leads us to expect some improvement in this forthcoming edition, our credibility in the powers of human achievement is severely taxed when Dr. Coues asks us to believe that the new 'Key' will be as far ahead of the second as the second was beyond the first.
The Wisconsin 'Arbor and Bird Day Annual' for 1899, issued by L. D. Harvey, State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Madison, Wis.), is a most attractive and useful pamphlet of forty-five pages, containing original and selected contributions well suited to interest and instruct children in both the value and beauty of trees and birds. It may well stand as a model for publications of this nature.
D. C. Heath & Co. have in preparation an elementary bird book by Fannie Hardy Eckstorm. The book is designed for use as a supplementary science reader, and it is the author's object to teach children what to see and how to see it; and, at the same time, to provide them with something to do.
The May issue of 'Primary Education' (Educational Publishing Co.) is a 'Bird Day Number,' and contains numerous contributions of value to teachers and students of birds.
'Our Dumb Animals,' the vigorously edited organ of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says of Bird-Lore: "We recommend this publication to ex-Presidents Cleveland and Harrison. _It would have much interested President Lincoln._"
'By the Way-Side' is the name of a bright little four-page bi-weekly issued by Helen M. Boynton, 118 Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at one cent a copy. It is devoted to "birds, butterflies, trees, flowers, insects and fishes, and deserves the support of everyone interested in popularizing the study of these subjects."
=Bird-Lore=
A Bi-monthly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES
=Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN= =Published by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY=
===================================================== Vol. 1 June, 1899 No. 3 =====================================================
=SUBSCRIPTION RATES.=
Price in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, twenty cents a number, one dollar a year, postage paid.
Subscriptions may be sent to the Publishers, at Englewood, New Jersey, or 66 Fifth avenue, New York City.
Price in all countries in the International Postal Union, twenty-five cents a number, one dollar and a quarter a year, postage paid. Foreign agents, Macmillan and Company, Ltd., London.
Manuscripts for publication, books, etc., for review, should be sent to the Editor at Englewood, New Jersey. ----------------------------------------------------- Advertisements should be sent to the Publishers at Englewood, New Jersey, or 66 Fifth avenue, New York City. ----------------------------------------------------- COPYRIGHTED, 1899, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN. ----------------------------------------------------- Bird-Lore's Motto:
_A Bird in the Bush is Worth Two in the Hand._ -----------------------------------------------------
It has recently been remarked that the field ornithologists of to-day are of two kinds: first, those who collect; second, those who observe. The status of these two types of ornithologists, and the parts they play in the advancement of the science of ornithology, is a subject of the utmost importance to every one interested in the study of birds.
A consideration of it leads us to review briefly the progress which has been made in our knowledge of North American birds during the past twenty-five years. At the beginning of this period the Smithsonian Institution contained the only large collection of North American birds in the world, and our data concerning the exact distribution and relationships of even our commonest species was of the most meager character. Since that date the publication of Baird, Brewer and Ridgway's 'History of North American Birds', of Coues' 'Key' and Ridgway's 'Manual'; the organization of the American Ornithologists' Union and of the Biological Survey of the Department of Agriculture, and the establishment of several natural history museums, have given a wonderful impetus to the collecting of birds. Naturalists have explored every corner of the eastern United States, and, with almost equal thoroughness, the western states, and the fruits of their labors are shown in the large series of birds now possessed by our leading museums. In fact, we have now reached a point where only a thoroughly trained ornithologist or his personally directed assistants can make collections which will be of real scientific value. Indiscriminate collecting, therefore, particularly in the eastern United States, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred will only result in the duplication of material already existing.
Not only has there been a great advance in the requirements of collecting, but in the study of the specimens collected, and the systematic ornithologist who would hope to add anything to our knowledge of the distribution and relationships of any group of North American birds, must possess advantages which can be afforded only by well-equipped museums.
Turning, now, to the other class of ornithologists, the collectors of facts, we find that they have been far less active than collectors of skins. Thus, while we rarely or never refer to Wilson or Audubon or Nuttall for information concerning the systematic position of a species, these early writers are still authorities on facts connected with the life histories of many of our birds.
This subject has been brought very forcibly to our mind by two papers published in this number of Bird-Lore, and, without going into details, we wish collectors of birds and their eggs would read carefully the articles entitled 'The Cardinal at the Hub' and 'Home-Life in a Chimney,' and then tell us frankly whether they do not think that the facts therein set forth constitute a more valuable contribution to the science of ornithology than a Cardinal's skin and five white egg-shells. If they are both discriminating and sincere, we believe they will admit the truth of Bird-Lore's motto.
=The Audubon Societies=
"_You cannot with a scalpel find the poet's soul, Nor yet the wild bird's song._"
Edited by Mrs. Mabel Osgood Wright (President of the Audubon Society of the State of Connecticut), Fairfield, Conn., to whom all communications relating to the work of the Audubon and other Bird Protective Societies should be addressed.
DIRECTORY OF STATE AUDUBON SOCIETIES
With names and addresses of their Secretaries.
=New Hampshire= Mrs. F. W. Batchelder, Manchester. =Massachusetts= Miss Harriet E. Richards, care Boston Society of Natural History, Boston. =Rhode Island= Mrs. H. T. Grant, Jr., 187 Bowen street, Providence. =Connecticut= Mrs. Henry S. Glover, Fairfield. =New York= Miss Emma H. Lockwood, 243 West Seventy-fifth street, New York City. =New Jersey= Miss Anna Haviland, 53 Sandford Ave., Plainfield, N. J. =Pennsylvania= Mrs. Edward Robins, 114 South Twenty-first street, Philadelphia. =District of Columbia= Mrs. John Dewhurst Patten, 3033 P street, Washington. =Wheeling, W. Va.= Elizabeth I. Cummins, 1314 Chapline street, (branch of Penn Society) Wheeling. =Ohio= Miss Clara Russell, 903 Paradrome street, Cincinnati. =Indiana= Amos W. Butler, State House, Indianapolis. =Illinois= Miss Mary Drummond, Wheaton. =Iowa= Miss Nellie S. Board, Keokuk. =Wisconsin= Mrs. George W. Peckham, 646 Marshall street, Milwaukee. =Minnesota= Mrs. J. P. Elmer, 314 West Third street, St. Paul. =Texas= Miss Cecile Seixas, 2008 Thirty-ninth street, Galveston. =California= Mrs. George S. Gay, Redlands.
A Bird Class for Children
One of the most frequent questions asked by those seeking to win children to an appreciation of birds is, "How, when we have awakened the interest, can we keep it alive?"