,,from3 ,,the ,,president ,,of ,,the ,,national ,,teachers' ,,association4 ,,state ,,of ,,new ,,york ,department of ,public ,instruction ,,superintendent',s ,,office ,albany ,december #bf1 #ahif4 ,illustration3 7seal7 ,stenographic ,letter ,dictated by ,w4 ,e4 ,watt1 ,president c41 ,fisher ,building1 #bgg ,dearborn ,st41 ,chicago1 ,ill4 ,my dear ,sir3 ,please accept my thanks for a copy of the first publication of ,birds4 ,please enter my name as a regular subscriber4 ,it is one of the most beautiful and interesting publications yet attempted in this direction4 ,it has other attractions in addition to its beauty1 and it must win its way to popular favor4 ,wishing the handsome little magazine abundant prosperity1 ,i remain ,yours very respectfully1 signature ,state ,superintendent4 99 99 99 99 99 ,vol4 #a4 ,no4 #a4 ,,january1 #ahig4 ,,price #ae ,,cents3 #a4ej ,a ,,year4 ,,once ,a ,,month4 ,,birds ,,illustrated ,,by ,,color ,,photography ,illustration3 ,,nonpareil4 ,,nature ,,study ,,publishing ,,company ,,office3 ,,fisher ,,building ,,chicago ,,birds ,,illustrated ,,by ,,color ,,photography ,a ,,monthly ,,serial ,,designed ,,to ,,promote ,,knowledge ,,of ,,bird-,,life ,with cheerful hop from perch to spray1 ,they sport along the meads2 ,in social bliss together stray1 ,where love or fancy leads4 ,through spring's gay scenes each happy pair ,their fluttering joys pursue2 ,its various charms and produce share1 ,forever kind and true4 ,,chicago1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,nature ,,study ,,publishing ,,company1 ,,publishers #ahif ,,preface4 ,it has become a universal custom to obtain and preserve the likenesses of one's friends4 ,photographs are the most popular form of these likenesses1 as they give the true exterior outlines and appearance1 7except coloring7 of the subjects4 ,but how much more popular and useful does photography become1 when it can be used as a means of securing plates from which to print photographs in a regular printing press1 and1 what is more astonishing and delightful1 to produce the ,,real ,,colors of nature as shown in the subject1 no matter how brilliant or varied4 ,we quote from the ,december number of the ,ladies' ,home ,journal3 ,an excellent suggestion was recently made by the ,department of ,agriculture at ,washington that the public schools of the country shall have a new holiday1 to be known as ,bird ,day4 ,three cities have already adopted the suggestion1 and it is likely that others will quickly follow4 ,of course1 ,bird ,day will differ from its successful predecessor1 ,arbor ,day4 ,we can plant trees but not birds4 ,it is suggested that ,bird ,day take the form of bird exhibitions1 of bird exercises1 of bird studies--any form of entertainment1 in fact1 which will bring children closer to their little brethren of the air1 and in more intelligent sympathy with their life and ways4 ,there is a wonderful story in bird life1 and but few of our children know it4 ,few of our elders do1 for that matter4 ,a whole day of a year can well and profitably be given over to the birds4 ,than such study1 nothing can be more interesting4 ,the cultivation of an intimate acquaintanceship with our feathered friends is a source of genuine pleasure4 ,we are under greater obligations to the birds than we dream of4 ,without them the world would be more barren than we imagine4 ,consequently1 we have some duties which we owe them4 ,what these duties are only a few of us know or have ever taken the trouble to find out4 ,our children should not be allowed to grow to maturity without this knowledge4 ,the more they know of the birds the better men and women they will be4 ,we can hardly encourage such studies too much4 ,of all animated nature1 birds are the most beautiful in coloring1 most graceful in form and action1 swiftest in motion and most perfect emblems of freedom4 ,they are withal1 very intelligent and have many remarkable traits1 so that their habits and characteristics make a delightful study for all lovers of nature4 ,in view of the facts1 we feel that we are doing a useful work for the young1 and one that will be appreciated by progressive parents1 in placing within the easy possession of children in the homes these beautiful photographs of birds4 ,the text is prepared with the view of giving the children as clear an idea as possible1 of haunts1 habits1 characteristics and such other information as will lead them to love the birds and delight in their study and acquaintance4 ,,nature ,,study ,,publishing ,,co4 ,copyrighted1 #ahif4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 ,,nonpareil4 ,,the ,,nonpareil4 ,i am called the ,nonpareil because there is no other bird equal to me4 ,i have many names4 ,some call me the ,painted ,finch or ,painted ,bunting4 ,others call me ,the ,pope1 because ,i wear a purple hood4 ,i live in a cage1 eat seeds1 and am very fond of flies and spiders4 ,sometimes they let me out of the cage and ,i fly about the room and catch flies4 ,i like to catch them while they are flying4 ,when ,i am tired ,i stop and sing4 ,there is a vase of flowers in front of the mirror4 ,i fly to this vase where ,i can see myself in the glass4 ,then ,i sing as loud as ,i can4 ,they like to hear me sing4 ,i take a bath every day and how ,i do make the water fly6 ,i used to live in the woods where there were many birds like me4 ,we built our nests in bushes1 hedges1 and low trees4 ,how happy we were4 ,my cage is pretty but ,i wish ,i could go back to my home in the woods4 ,see page #ae4 ,sweet warblers of the sunny hours1 ,forever on the wing1 ,i love thee as ,i love the flowers1 ,the sunlight and the spring4 ,they come like pleasant memories ,in summer's joyous time1 ,and sing their gushing melodies1 ,as ,i would sing a rhyme4 ,in the green and quiet places1 ,where the golden sunlight falls1 ,we sit with smiling faces ,to list their silver calls4 ,and when their holy anthems ,come pealing through the air1 ,our hearts leap forth to meet them ,with a blessing and a prayer4 ,amid the morning's fragrant dew1 ,amid the mists of even1 ,they warble on as if they drew ,their music down from heaven4 ,how sweetly sounds each mellow note ,beneath the moon's pale ray1 ,when dying zephyrs rise and float ,like lovers' sighs away6 ,,the ,,resplendent ,,trogon4 ,a ,letter to ,little ,boys and ,girls of the ,united ,states4 ,is it cold where you live1 little boys and girls8 ,it is not where ,i live4 ,don't you think my feathers grew in the bright sunshine8 ,my home is way down where the big oceans almost meet4 ,the sun is almost straight overhead every noon4 ,i live in the woods1 way back where the trees are tall and thick4 ,i don't fly around much1 but sit on a limb of a tree way up high4 ,don't you think my red breast looks pretty among the green leaves8 ,when ,i see a fly or a berry ,i dart down after it4 ,my long tail streams out behind like four ribbons4 ,i wish you could see me4 ,my tail never gets in the way4 ,wouldn't you like to have me sit on your shoulder1 little boy8 ,you see my tail would reach almost to the ground4 ,if you went out into the street with me on your shoulder1 ,i would call whe-oo1 whe-oo1 the way ,i do in the woods4 ,all the little boys and girls playing near would look around and say1 ,what is that noise8 ,then they would see you and me and run up fast and say1 ,where did you get that bird8 ,the little girls would want to pull out my tail feathers to put around their hats4 ,you would not let them1 would you8 ,i have a mate4 ,i think she is very nice4 ,her tail is not so long as mine4 ,would you like to see her too8 ,she lays eggs every year1 and sits on them till little birds hatch out4 ,they are just like us1 but they have to grow and get dressed in the pretty feathers like ours4 ,they look like little dumplings when they come out of the eggs4 ,but they are all right4 ,they get very hungry and we carry them lots of things to eat1 so they can grow fast4 ,your friend1 ,r4 ,t4 ,illustration3 ,,resplendent ,,trogon4 ,,the ,,resplendent ,,trogon4 ,resplendent ,trogons are natives of ,central ,america4 ,there are fifty kinds1 and this is the largest4 ,a systematic account of the superb tribe has been given by ,mr4 ,gould1 the only naturalist who has made himself fully acquainted with them4 ,of all birds there are few which excite so much admiration as the ,resplendent ,trogon4 ,the skin is so singularly thin that it has been not inaptly compared to wet blotting paper1 and the plumage has so light a hold upon the skin that when the bird is shot the feathers are plentifully struck from their sockets by its fall and the blows which it receives from the branches as it comes to the ground4 ,its eggs1 of a pale bluish-green1 were first procured by ,mr4 ,robert ,owen4 ,its chief home is in the mountains near ,coban in ,vera ,paz1 but it also inhabits forests in other parts of ,guatemala at an elevation of from #f1jjj to #i1jjj feet4 ,from ,mr4 ,salvin's account of his shooting in ,vera ,paz we extract the following hunting story3 ,my companions are ahead and ,filipe comes back to say that they have heard a quesal 7,resplendent ,trogon74 ,of course1 being anxious to watch as well as to shoot one of these birds myself1 ,i immediately hurry to the spot4 ,i have not to wait long4 ,a distant clattering noise indicates that the bird is on the wing4 ,he settles--a splendid male--on the bough of a tree not seventy yards from where we are hidden4 ,it sits almost motionless on its perch1 the body remaining in the same position1 the head only moving from side to side4 ,the tail does not hang quite perpendicularly1 the angle between the true tail and the vertical being perhaps as much as fifteen or twenty degrees4 ,the tail is occasionally jerked open and closed again1 and now and then slightly raised1 causing the long tail coverts to vibrate gracefully4 ,i have not seen all4 ,a ripe fruit catches the quesal's eye and he darts from his perch1 plucks the berry1 and returns to his former position4 ,this is done with a degree of elegance that defies description4 ,a low whistle from ,capriano calls the bird near1 and a moment afterward it is in my hand--the first quesal ,i have seen and shot4 ,the above anecdote is very beautiful and graphic1 but we read the last sentence with pain4 ,we wish to go on record with this our first number as being unreconciled to the ruthless killing of the birds4 ,he who said1 not a sparrow shall fall on the ground without your ,father1 did not intend such birds to be killed1 but to beautify the earth4 ,the cries of the quesal are various4 ,they consist principally of a low note1 whe-oo1 whe-oo1 which the bird repeats1 whistling it softly at first1 then gradually swelling it into a loud and not unmelodious cry4 ,this is often succeeded by a long note1 which begins low and after swelling dies away as it began4 ,other cries are harsh and discordant4 ,the flight of the ,trogon is rapid and straight4 ,the long tail feathers1 which never seem to be in the way1 stream after him4 ,the bird is never found except in forests of the loftiest trees1 the lower branches of which1 being high above the ground1 seem to be its favorite resort4 ,its food consists principally of fruit1 but occasionally a caterpillar is found in its stomach4 ,,the ,,mandarin ,,duck4 ,a ,letter from ,china4 ,quack6 ,quack6 ,i got in just in time4 ,i came as fast as ,i could1 as ,i was afraid of being whipped4 ,you see ,i live in a boat with a great many other ducks4 ,my master and his family live in the boat too4 ,isn't that a funny place to live in8 ,we stay in all night4 ,waking up early in the morning1 we cry ,quack6 ,quack6 until we wake the master4 ,he gets up and opens the gate for us and out we tumble into the water4 ,we are in such a hurry that we fall over each other4 ,we swim about awhile and then we go to shore for breakfast4 ,there are wet places near the shore where we find worms1 grubs1 and roots4 ,when evening comes the master blows a whistle4 ,then we know it is time to come home4 ,we start as soon as we hear it1 and hurry1 because the last duck in gets a whipping4 ,it does not hurt much but we do not like it1 so we all try to get home first4 ,i have web feet1 but ,i perch like other birds on the branches of the trees near the river4 ,my feathers are beautiful in the sunlight4 ,my wife always sits near me4 ,her dress is not like mine4 ,it is brown and grey4 ,from ,may to ,august ,i lose my bright feathers1 then ,i put on a dress like my wife's4 ,my master's family are ,chinese1 and they are very queer4 ,they would not sell me for anything1 as they would not like to have me leave ,china4 ,sometimes a pair of us are put in a gay cage and carried to a wedding4 ,after the wedding we are given to the bride and groom4 ,i hear the master's whistle again4 ,he wants me to come in and go to bed4 ,quack6 ,quack6 ,good bye6 ,illustration3 ,,mandarin ,,duck4 ,,the ,,mandarin ,,duck4 ,a more magnificently clothed bird1 says ,wood1 than the male ,chinese ,mandarin ,duck1 can hardly be found1 when in health and full nuptial plumage4 ,they are natives of ,china and ,japan1 and are held in such high esteem by the ,chinese that they can hardly be obtained at any price1 the natives having a singular dislike to seeing the birds pass into the possession of ,europeans4 ,though web-footed1 the birds have the power of perching and it is a curious sight to watch them on the branches of trees overhanging the pond in which they live1 the male and female being always close together1 the one gorgeous in purple1 green1 white1 and chestnut1 and the other soberly appareled in brown and grey4 ,this handsome plumage the male loses during four months of the year1 from ,may to ,august1 when he throws off his fine crest1 his wing-fans1 and all his brilliant colors1 assuming the sober tinted dress of his mate4 ,the ,summer ,duck of ,america bears a close resemblance to the ,mandarin ,duck1 both in plumage and manners1 and at certain times of the year is hardly to be distinguished from that bird4 ,the foreign duck has been successfully reared in ,zoological ,gardens1 some being hatched under the parent bird and others under a domestic hen1 the latter hatching the eggs three days in advance of the former4 ,the ,chinese1 says ,dr4 ,bennett1 highly esteem the ,mandarin ,duck1 which exhibits1 as they think1 a most striking example of conjugal attachment and fidelity4 ,a pair of them are frequently placed in a gaily decorated cage and carried in their marriage processions1 to be presented to the bride and groom as worthy objects of emulation4 ,i could more easily1 wrote a friend of ,dr4 ,bennett's in ,china to whom he had expressed his desire for a pair of these birds1 send you two live ,mandarins than a pair of ,mandarin ,ducks4 ,concerning their attachment and fidelity to one another1 ,dr4 ,bennett recites the following3 ,mr4 ,beale's aviary at ,maceo one day was broken open and the male bird stolen from the side of its mate4 ,she refused to be comforted1 and1 retiring to the farthest part of the aviary1 sat disconsolate1 rarely partaking of food1 and giving no attention to her soiled and rumpled plumage4 ,in vain did another handsome drake endeavor to console her for her loss4 ,after some time the stolen bird was found in the quarters of a miserable ,chinaman1 and at once restored to its mate4 ,as soon as he recognized his abode he began to flap his wings and quack vehemently4 ,she heard his voice and almost quacked to screaming with ecstasy1 both expressing their joy by crossing necks and quacking in concert4 ,the next morning he fell upon the unfortunate drake who had made consolatory advances to his mate1 pecked out his eyes and so injured him that the poor fellow died in the course of a few days4 ,according to ,schrenck1 this species appears in the countries watered by the ,amoor about ,may1 and departs again at the end of ,august2 at this season it is always met with in small or large flocks1 which are so extremely shy that they rarely come within gunshot4 ,whilst on the wing these parties crowd closely together in front1 the birds in the rear occupying a comparatively free space4 ,,the ,,golden ,,pheasant ,they call me the ,golden ,pheasant1 because ,i have a golden crest4 ,it is like a king's crown4 ,don't you think my dress is beautiful enough for a king8 ,see the large ruff around my neck4 ,i can raise and lower it as ,i please4 ,i am a very large bird4 ,i am fourteen inches tall and twenty-eight inches long4 ,i can step right over your little robins and meadow larks and blue jays and not touch them4 ,sometimes people get some of our eggs and put them under an old hen4 ,by and by little pheasants hatch out1 and the hen is very good to them4 ,she watches over them and feeds them1 but they do not wish to stay with her2 they like their wild life4 ,if they are not well fed they will fly away4 ,i have a wife4 ,her feathers are beginning to grow like mine4 ,in a few years she will look as ,i do4 ,we like to have our nests by a fallen tree4 99 99 99 ,the well-known ,chinese ,pheasant1 which we have named the ,golden ,pheasant1 as well as its more sober-colored cousin1 the ,silver ,pheasant1 has its home in ,eastern ,asia4 ,china is pre-eminently the land of ,pheasants2 for1 besides those just mentioned1 several other species of the same family are found there4 ,japan comes next to ,china as a pheasant country and there are some in ,india4 ,in ,china the ,golden ,pheasant is a great favorite1 not only for its splendid plumage and elegant form1 but for the excellence of its flesh1 which is said to surpass even that of the common pheasant4 ,it has been introduced into ,europe1 but is fitted only for the aviary4 ,for purposes of the table it is not likely to come into general use1 as there are great difficulties in the way of breeding it in sufficient numbers1 and one feels a natural repugnance to the killing of so beautiful a bird for the sake of eating it4 ,the magnificent colors belong only to the male1 the female being reddish brown1 spotted and marked with a darker hue4 ,the tail of the female is short4 ,the statement is made1 however1 that some hens kept for six years by ,lady ,essex gradually assumed an attire like that of the males4 ,fly-fishers highly esteem the crest and feathers on the back of the neck of the male1 as many of the artificial baits owe their chief beauty to the ,golden ,pheasant4 ,according to ,latham1 it is called by the ,chinese ,keuki1 or ,keukee1 a word which means gold flower fowl4 99 99 99 ,a merry welcome to thee1 glittering bird6 ,lover of summer flowers and sunny things6 ,a night hath passed since my young buds have heard ,the music of thy rainbow-colored wings-- ,wings that flash spangles out where'er they quiver1 ,like sunlight rushing o'er a river4 ,illustration3 ,,golden ,,pheasant4 ,,the ,,nonpareil4 ,so full of fight is this little bird1 that the bird trappers take advantage of his disposition to make him a prisoner4 ,they place a decoy bird on a cage trap in the attitude of defense1 and when it is discovered by the bird an attack at once follows1 and the fighter soon finds himself caught4 ,they are a great favorite for the cage1 being preferred by many to the ,canary4 ,whatever he may lack as a songster he more than makes up by his wonderful beauty4 ,these birds are very easily tamed1 the female1 even in the wild state1 being so gentle that she allows herself to be lifted from the nest4 ,they are also called the ,painted ,finch or ,painted ,bunting4 ,they are found in our ,southern ,states and ,mexico4 ,they are very numerous in the ,state of ,louisiana and especially about the ,city of ,new ,orleans1 where they are greatly admired by the ,french inhabitants1 who1 true to their native instincts1 admire anything with gay colors4 ,as the first name indicates1 he has no equal1 perhaps1 among the songsters for beauty of dress4 ,on account of this purple hood1 he is called by the ,french ,le ,pape1 meaning ,the ,pope4 ,the bird makes its appearance in the ,southern ,states the last of ,april and1 during the breeding season1 which lasts until ,july1 two broods are raised4 ,the nests are made of fine grass and rest in the crotches of twigs of the low bushes and hedges4 ,the eggs have a dull or pearly-white ground and are marked with blotches and dots of purplish and reddish brown4 ,it is very pleasing to watch the numerous changes which the feathers undergo before the male bird attains his full beauty of color4 ,the young birds of both sexes during the first season are of a fine olive green color on the upper parts and a pale yellow below4 ,the female undergoes no material change in color except becoming darker as she grows older4 ,the male1 on the contrary1 is three seasons in obtaining his full variety of colors4 ,in the second season the blue begins to show on his head and the red also makes its appearance in spots on the breast4 ,the third year he attains his full beauty4 ,their favorite resorts are small thickets of low trees and bushes1 and when singing they select the highest branches of the bush4 ,they are passionately fond of flies and insects and also eat seeds and rice4 ,thousands of these birds are trapped for the cage1 and sold annually to our northern people and also in ,europe4 ,they are comparatively cheap1 even in our northern bird markets1 as most of them are exchanged for our ,canaries and imported birds that cannot be sent directly to the south on account of climatic conditions4 ,many a northern lady1 while visiting the orange groves of ,florida1 becomes enchanted with the ,nonpareil in his wild state1 and some shrewd and wily negro1 hearing her expressions of delight1 easily procures one1 and disposes of it to her at an extravagant price4 ,,the ,,australian ,,grass ,,parrakeet4 ,i am a ,parrakeet4 ,i belong to the ,parrot family4 ,a man bought me and brought me here4 ,it is not warm here1 as it was where ,i came from4 ,i almost froze coming over here4 ,i am not kept in a cage4 ,i stay in the house and go about as ,i please4 ,there is a ,pussy ,cat in the house4 ,sometimes ,i ride on her back4 ,i like that4 ,i used to live in the grass lands4 ,it was very warm there4 ,i ran among the thick grass blades1 and sat on the stems and ate seeds4 ,i had a wife then4 ,her feathers were almost like mine4 ,we never made nests4 ,when we wanted a nest1 we found a hole in a gum tree4 ,i used to sing to my wife while she sat on the nest4 ,i can mock other birds4 ,sometimes ,i warble and chirp at the same time4 ,then it sounds like two birds singing4 ,my tongue is short and thick1 and this helps me to talk4 ,but ,i have been talking too much4 ,my tongue is getting tired4 ,i think ,i'll have a ride on ,pussy's back4 ,good bye4 99 99 99 ,parrakeets have a great fondness for the grass lands1 where they may be seen in great numbers1 running amid the thick grass blades1 clinging to their stems1 or feeding on their seeds4 ,grass seed is their constant food in their native country4 ,in captivity they take well to canary seed1 and what is remarkable1 never pick food with their feet1 as do other species of parrots1 but always use their beaks4 ,they do not build a nest1 but must be given a piece of wood with a rough hole in the middle1 which they will fill to their liking1 rejecting all soft lining of wool or cotton that you may furnish them4 ,only the male sings1 warbling nearly all day long1 pushing his beak at times into his mate's ear as though to give her the full benefit of his song4 ,the lady1 however1 does not seem to appreciate his efforts1 but generally pecks him sharply in return4 ,a gentleman who brought a ,parrakeet from ,australia to ,england1 says it suffered greatly from the cold and change of climate and was kept alive by a kind-hearted weather-beaten sailor1 who kept it warm and comfortable in his bosom4 ,it was not kept in a cage1 but roamed at will about the room1 enjoying greatly at times1 a ride on the cat's back4 ,at meals he perched upon his master's shoulder1 picking the bits he liked from a plate set before him4 ,if the weather was cold or chilly1 he would pull himself up by his master's whiskers and warm his feet by standing on his bald head4 ,he always announced his master's coming by a shrill call1 and no matter what the hour of night1 never failed to utter a note of welcome1 although apparently asleep with his head tucked under his wing4 ,illustration3 ,,australian ,,grass ,,parrakeet4 ,illustration3 ,,cock-,,of-,,the-,,rock4 ,,the ,,cock-,,of-,,the-,,rock4 ,the ,cock-of-the-,rock lives in ,guiana4 ,its nest is found among the rocks4 ,t4 ,k4 ,salmon says3 ,i once went to see the breeding place of the ,cock-of-the-,rock2 and a darker or wilder place ,i have never been in4 ,following up a mountain stream the gorge became gradually more enclosed and more rocky1 till ,i arrived at the mouth of a cave with high rock on each side1 and overshadowed by high trees1 into which the sun never penetrated4 ,all was wet and dark1 and the only sound heard was the rushing of the water over the rocks4 ,we had hardly become accustomed to the gloom when a nest was found1 a dark bird stealing away from what seemed to be a lump of mud upon the face of the rock4 ,this was a nest of the ,cock-of-the-,rock1 containing two eggs2 it was built upon a projecting piece1 the body being made of mud or clay1 then a few sticks1 and on the top lined with green moss4 ,it was about five feet from the water4 ,i did not see the male bird1 and1 indeed1 ,i have rarely ever seen the male and female birds together1 though ,i have seen both sexes in separate flocks4 ,the eggs are described as pale buff with various sized spots of shades from red-brown to pale lilac4 ,it is a solitary and wary bird1 feeding before sunrise and after sunset and hiding through the day in sombre ravines4 ,robert ,schomburgh describes its dance as follows3 ,while traversing the mountains of ,western ,guiana we fell in with a pack of these splendid birds1 which gave me the opportunity of being an eye witness of their dancing1 an accomplishment which ,i had hitherto regarded as a fable4 ,we cautiously approached their ballet ground and place of meeting1 which lay some little distance from the road4 ,the stage1 if we may so call it1 measured from four to five feet in diameter2 every blade of grass had been removed and the ground was as smooth as if leveled by human hands4 ,on this space we saw one of the birds dance and jump about1 while the others evidently played the part of admiring spectators4 ,at one moment it expanded its wings1 threw its head in the air1 or spread out its tail like a peacock scratching the ground with its foot2 all this took place with a sort of hopping gait1 until tired1 when on emitting a peculiar note1 its place was immediately filled by another performer4 ,in this manner the different birds went through their terpsichorean exercises1 each retiring to its place among the spectators1 who had settled on the low bushes near the theatre of operations4 ,we counted ten males and two females in the flock4 ,the noise of a breaking stick unfortunately raised an alarm1 when the whole company of dancers immediately flew off4 ,the ,indians1 who place great value on their skins1 eagerly seek out their playing grounds1 and armed with their blow-tubes and poisoned arrows1 lie in wait for the dances4 ,the hunter does not attempt to use his weapon until the company is quite engrossed in the performance1 when the birds become so preoccupied with their amusement that four or five are often killed before the survivors detect the danger and decamp4 ,,the ,,red ,,bird ,,of ,,paradise4 ,my home is on an island where it is very warm4 ,i fly among the tall trees and eat fruit and insects4 ,see my beautiful feathers4 ,the ladies like to wear them in their hats4 ,the feathers of my wife are brown1 but she has no long tail feathers4 ,my wife thinks my plumes are very beautiful4 ,when we have a party1 we go with our wives to a tall tree4 ,we spread our beautiful plumes while our wives sit and watch us4 ,sometimes a man finds our tree and builds a hut among the lower branches4 ,he hides in the hut and while we are spreading our feathers shoots at us4 ,the arrows are not sharp4 ,they do not draw blood4 ,when they dry the skins they take off the feet and wings4 ,this is why people used to think we had neither feet nor wings4 ,they also thought we lived on the dews of heaven and the honey of flowers4 ,this is why we are called the ,birds of ,paradise4 99 99 99 ,upon its waving feathers poised in air1 ,feathers1 or rather clouds of golden down1 ,with streamers thrown luxuriantly out ,in all the wantonness of winged wealth4 ,illustration3 ,,red ,,bird ,,of ,,paradise4 ,,the ,,red ,,bird ,,of ,,paradise4 ,birds of ,paradise are found only in ,new ,guinea and on the neighboring islands4 ,the species presented here is found only on a few islands4 ,in former days very singular ideas prevailed concerning these birds and the most extravagant tales were told of the life they led in their native lands4 ,the natives of ,new ,guinea1 in preparing their skins for exportation1 had removed all traces of legs1 so that it was popularly supposed they possessed none1 and on account of their want of feet and their great beauty1 were called the ,birds of ,paradise1 retaining1 it was thought1 the forms they had borne in the ,garden of ,eden1 living upon dew or ether1 through which it was imagined they perpetually floated by the aid of their long cloud-like plumage4 ,of one in confinement ,dr4 ,bennett says3 ,i observed the bird1 before eating a grasshopper1 place the insect upon the perch1 keep it firmly fixed by the claws1 and1 divesting it of the legs1 wings1 etc41 devour it with the head always first4 ,it rarely alights upon the ground1 and so proud is the creature of its elegant dress that it never permits a soil to remain upon it1 frequently spreading out its wings and feathers1 regarding its splendid self in every direction4 ,the sounds uttered by this bird are very peculiar1 resembling somewhat the cawing of the ,raven1 but change gradually to a varied scale in musical gradations1 like he1 hi1 ho1 how6 ,he frequently raises his voice1 sending forth notes of such power as to be heard at a long distance4 ,these notes are whack1 whack1 uttered in a barking tone1 the last being a low note in conclusion4 ,while creeping amongst the branches in search of insects1 he utters a soft clucking note4 ,during the entire day he flies incessantly from one tree to another1 perching but a few moments1 and concealing himself among the foliage at the least suspicion of danger4 ,in ,bennett's ,wanderings is an entertaining description of ,mr4 ,beale's bird at ,maceo4 ,this elegant bird1 he says1 has a light1 playful1 and graceful manner1 with an arch and impudent look1 dances about when a visitor approaches the cage1 and seems delighted at being made an object of admiration4 ,it bathes twice daily1 and after performing its ablutions throws its delicate feathers up nearly over its head1 the quills of which have a peculiar structure1 enabling the bird to effect this object4 ,to watch this bird make its toilet is one of the most interesting sights of nature2 the vanity which inspires its every movement1 the rapturous delight with which it views its enchanting self1 its arch look when demanding the spectator's admiration1 are all pardonable in a delicate creature so richly embellished1 so neat and cleanly1 so fastidious in its tastes1 so scrupulously exact in its observances1 and so winning in all its ways4 ,says a traveler in ,new ,guinea3 ,as we were drawing near a small grove of teak-trees1 our eyes were dazzled with a sight more beautiful than any ,i had yet beheld4 ,it was that of a ,bird of ,paradise moving through the bright light of the morning sun4 ,i now saw that the birds must be seen alive in their native forests1 in order to fully comprehend the poetic beauty of the words ,birds of ,paradise4 ,they seem the inhabitants of a fairer world than ours1 things that have wandered in some way from their home1 and found the earth to show us something of the beauty of worlds beyond4 ,,the ,,yellow ,,throated ,,toucan4 ,i am a ,toucan and ,i live in a very warm country4 ,see my handsome black coat and my yellow vest4 ,my toes are like a parrot's1 two in front and two behind4 ,they help me to hold to the limbs4 ,look at my large beak4 ,it looks heavy but it is not1 as it is filled with air cells4 ,these make it very light4 ,do you like my blue eyes8 ,my nest is very hard to find4 ,if ,i tell you where it is1 you will not take the eggs1 will you8 ,it is in a hollow limb of a very high tree4 ,i am very fond of fruit1 and for this reason the people on the plantations do not like me very well4 ,i can fly very fast1 but ,i cannot get along so well on the ground4 ,i keep my feet far apart and hop4 ,i like to sit in the top of the tallest trees4 ,then ,i am not afraid4 ,nothing can reach me there but a rifle ball4 ,i do not like the owl1 he is so ugly4 ,when we find an owl we get in a circle around him and snap our great beaks1 and jerk our tails up and down and scream4 ,he is very much afraid of us4 ,the people where ,i live like our yellow breasts4 ,they wear them on their heads1 and also put them on the ends of their bows4 ,we sometimes sit together in a tree and snap our beaks and shout4 ,this is why we have been called ,preacher ,birds4 ,we can scream so loud that we may be heard a mile away4 ,our song is ,tucano6 ,tucano6 ,i think it is a pretty song1 but the people do not like it very much4 ,illustration3 ,,yellow ,,throated ,,toucan4 ,,the ,,yellow ,,throated ,,toucan4 ,the ,toucans are a numerous race of ,south ,american birds1 at once recognizable by the prodigious size of their beaks and by the richness of their plumage4 ,these birds are very common1 says ,prince ,von ,wied1 in all parts of the extensive forests of the ,brazils and are killed for the table in large numbers during the cool seasons4 ,their eggs are deposited in the hollow limbs and holes of the colossal trees1 so common in the tropical forests1 but their nests are very difficult to find4 ,the egg is said to be white4 ,they are very fond of fruit1 oranges1 guavas and plantains1 and when these fruits are ripe make sad havoc among the neighboring plantations4 ,in return for these depredations the planter eats their flesh1 which is very delicate4 ,the flight of these birds is easy and graceful1 sweeping with facility over the loftiest trees of their native forests1 their strangely developed bills being no encumbrance to them1 replete as they are with a tissue of air-filled cells rendering them very light and even buoyant4 ,on the ground they get along with a rather awkward hopping movement1 their legs being kept widely apart4 ,in ascending a tree they do not climb but mount from one branch to another with a series of jumps1 ascending to the tops of the very loftiest trees1 safe from every missile except a rifle ball4 ,they have a habit of sitting on the branches in flocks1 lifting their bills1 clattering them together1 and shouting hoarsely all the while1 from which custom the natives call them ,preacher-birds4 ,sometimes the whole party1 including the sentinel1 set up a simultaneous yell so deafeningly loud that it can be heard a mile4 ,they are very loquacious birds and are often discovered through their perpetual chattering4 ,their cry resembles the word ,tucano1 which has given origin to the peculiar name4 ,when settling itself to sleep1 the ,toucan packs itself up in a very systematic manner1 supporting its huge beak by resting it on its back1 and tucking it completely among the feathers1 while it doubles its tail across its back just as if it moved on hinges4 ,so completely is the large bill hidden among the feathers1 that hardly a trace of it is visible in spite of its great size and bright color1 so that the bird when sleeping looks like a great ball of loose feathers4 ,sir ,r4 ,owen concludes that the large beak is of service in masticating food compensating for the absence of any grinding structures in the intestinal tract4 ,says a naturalist3 ,we turned into a gloomy forest and for some time saw nothing but a huge brown moth1 which looked almost like a bat on the wing4 ,suddenly we heard high upon the trees a short shrieking sort of noise ending in a hiss1 and our guide became excited and said1 ,toucan6 ,the birds were very wary and made off4 ,they are much in quest and often shot at4 ,at last we caught sight of a pair1 but they were at the top of such a high tree that they were out of range4 ,presently1 when ,i had about lost hope1 ,i heard loud calls1 and three birds came and settled in a low bush in the middle of the path4 ,i shot one and it proved to be a very large toucan4 ,the bird was not quite dead when ,i picked it up1 and it bit me severely with its huge bill4 ,,the ,,red-,,rumped ,,tanager4 ,i have just been singing my morning song1 and ,i wish you could have heard it4 ,i think you would have liked it4 ,i always sing very early in the morning4 ,i sing because ,i am happy1 and the people like to hear me4 ,my home is near a small stream1 where there are low woods and underbrush along its banks4 ,there is an old dead tree there1 and just before the sun is up ,i fly to this tree4 ,i sit on one of the branches and sing for about half an hour4 ,then ,i fly away to get my breakfast4 ,i am very fond of fruit4 ,bananas grow where ,i live1 and ,i like them best of all4 ,i eat insects1 and sometimes ,i fly to the rice fields and swing on the stalks and eat rice4 ,the people say ,i do much harm to the rice1 but ,i do not see why it is wrong for me to eat it1 for ,i think there is enough for all4 ,i must go now and get my breakfast4 ,if you ever come to see me ,i will sing to you4 ,i will show you my wife1 too4 ,she looks just like me4 ,be sure to get up very early4 ,if you do not1 you will be too late for my song4 99 99 99 ,birds1 ,birds6 ye are beautiful things1 ,with your earth-treading feet and your cloud-cleaving wings4 ,where shall man wander1 and where shall he dwell-- ,beautiful birds--that ye come not as well8 ,ye have nests on the mountain1 all rugged and stark1 ,ye have nests in the forest1 all tangled and dark2 ,ye build and ye brood 'neath the cottagers' eaves1 ,and ye sleep on the sod1 'mid the bonnie green leaves2 ,ye hide in the heather1 ye lurk in the brake1 ,ye dine in the sweet flags that shadow the lake2 ,ye skim where the stream parts the orchard decked land1 ,ye dance where the foam sweeps the desolate strand4 ,illustration3 ,,red-,,rumped ,,tanager4 ,,the ,,red-,,rumped ,,tanager4 ,an ,american family1 the ,tanagers are mostly birds of very brilliant plumage4 ,there are #cjj species1 a few being tropical birds4 ,they are found in ,british and ,french ,guiana1 living in the latter country in open spots of dwellings and feeding on bananas and other fruits4 ,they are also said to do much harm in the rice fields4 ,in ,the ,auk1 of ,july1 #ahic1 ,mr4 ,george ,k4 ,cherrie1 of the ,field ,museum1 says of the ,red-,rumped ,tanager3 ,during my stay at ,boruca and ,palmar1 7the last of ,february7 the breeding season was at its height1 and ,i observed many of the ,costa ,rica ,red-,rumps nesting4 ,in almost every instance where possible ,i collected both parents of the nests1 and in the majority of cases found the males wearing the same dress as the females4 ,in a few instances the male was in mottled plumage1 evidently just assuming the adult phase1 and in a lesser number of examples the male was in fully adult plumage--velvety black and crimson red4 ,from the above it is clear that the males begin to breed before they attain fully adult plumage1 and that they retain the dress of the female until1 at least1 the beginning of the second year4 ,while on this trip ,i had many proofs that1 in spite of its rich plumage1 and being a bird of the tropics1 it is well worthy to hold a place of honor among the song birds4 ,and if the bird chooses an early hour and a secluded spot for expressing its happiness1 the melody is none the less delightful4 ,at the little village of ,buenos ,aires1 on the ,rio ,grande of ,terraba1 ,i heard the song more frequently than at any other point4 ,close by the ranch house at which we were staying1 there is a small stream bordered by low woods and underbrush1 that formed a favorite resort for the birds4 ,just below the ranch is a convenient spot where we took our morning bath4 ,i was always there just as the day was breaking4 ,on the opposite bank was a small open space in the brush occupied by the limbs of a dead tree4 ,on one of these branches1 and always the same one1 was the spot chosen by a ,red-rump to pour forth his morning song4 ,some mornings ,i found him busy with his music when ,i arrived1 and again he would be a few minutes behind me4 ,sometimes he would come from one direction1 sometimes from another1 but he always alighted at the same spot and then lost no time in commencing his song4 ,while singing1 the body was swayed to and fro1 much after the manner of a canary while singing4 ,the song would last for perhaps half an hour1 and then away the singer would go4 ,i have not enough musical ability to describe the song1 but will say that often ,i remained standing quietly for a long time1 only that ,i might listen to the music4 ,,the ,,golden ,,oriole4 ,we find the ,golden ,oriole in ,america only4 ,according to ,mr4 ,nuttall1 it is migratory1 appearing in considerable numbers in ,west ,florida about the middle of ,march4 ,it is a good songster1 and in a state of captivity imitates various tunes4 ,this beautiful bird feeds on fruits and insects1 and its nest is constructed of blades of grass1 wool1 hair1 fine strings1 and various vegetable fibers1 which are so curiously interwoven as to confine and sustain each other4 ,the nest is usually suspended from a forked and slender branch1 in shape like a deep basin and generally lined with fine feathers4 ,on arriving at their breeding locality they appear full of life and activity1 darting incessantly through the lofty branches of the tallest trees1 appearing and vanishing restlessly1 flashing at intervals into sight from amidst the tender waving foliage1 and seem like living gems intended to decorate the verdant garments of the fresh clad forest4 ,it is said these birds are so attached to their young that the female has been taken and conveyed on her eggs1 upon which with resolute and fatal instinct she remained faithfully sitting until she expired4 ,an ,indiana gentleman relates the following story3 ,when ,i was a boy living in the hilly country of ,southern ,indiana1 ,i remember very vividly the nesting of a pair of fine ,orioles4 ,there stood in the barn yard a large and tall sugar tree with limbs within six or eight feet of the ground4 ,at about thirty feet above the ground ,i discovered evidences of an ,oriole's nest4 ,a few days later ,i noticed they had done considerably more work1 and that they were using horse hair1 wool and fine strings4 ,this second visit seemed to create consternation in the minds of the birds1 who made a great deal of noise1 apparently trying to frighten me away4 ,i went to the barn and got a bunch of horse hair and some wool1 and hung it on limbs near the nest4 ,then climbing up higher1 ,i concealed myself where ,i could watch the work4 ,in less than five minutes they were using the materials and chatted with evident pleasure over the abundant supply at hand4 ,they appeared to have some knowledge of spinning1 as they would take a horse hair and seemingly wrap it with wool before placing it in position on the nest4 ,i visited these birds almost daily1 and shortly after the nest was completed ,i noticed five little speckled eggs in it4 ,the female was so attached to the nest that ,i often rubbed her on the back and even lifted her to look at the eggs4 ,illustration3 ,,golden ,,oriole4 ,,testimonials4 ,,chicago1 ,december #ajth1 #ahif4 ,,nature ,,study ,,publishing ,,company4 ,,dear ,,sirs3 ,i am very much pleased with this movement to give such substantial and tangible aid to us on this subject1 and for your kind offer also4 ,respectfully1 ,,harriet ,n4 ,,winchell1 ,principal ,tilden ,school4 ,,st4 ,,joseph1 ,,mich41 ,january #d1 #ahig4 ,,principal ,w4 ,j4 ,,black1 ,chicago4 ,,dear ,,sir3 ,thanks for sample copy of ,birds4 ,it is by far the finest thing ,i have ever seen in that line4 ,i shall take great pleasure in presenting it to my teachers1 and shall be glad to be of any assistance to you that ,i am able4 ,yours1 ,,george ,w4 ,,loomis1 ,superintendent ,city ,schools4 ,,des ,,moines1 ,,iowa1 ,january #e1 #ahig4 ,,nature ,,study ,,publishing ,,company1 ,fisher ,building1 ,chicago4 ,i have just seen the ,january number of ,birds1 illustrated by color photography2 and think it instructive1 delightful and beautiful4 ,very sincerely1 ,,mrs4 ,,minnie ,,theresa ,,hatch1 ,principal ,washington ,school4 ,,luther1 ,,mich41 ,december #cast1 #ahif4 ,w4 ,e4 ,,watt1 ,chicago1 ,ill4 ,,dear ,,sir3 ,your serial on ,birds received and after examination ,i have no hesitation in saying that it is the best publication of the kind that ,i have ever seen and ,i will do all that ,i can for you in presenting it to my teachers and recommending it to their favorable notice4 ,very truly1 ,e4 ,g4 ,,johnson1 ,commissioner of ,schools4 ,,our ,,premium ,a picture of wonderful beauty of the ,golden ,pheasant almost life size in a natural scene1 plate #abah inches1 on card #aibe inches1 is given as a premium to yearly subscribers4 ,our price on this picture in ,art ,stores is #c4ej4