,,bird ,,portraits ,illustration3 ,,the ,,song ,,sparrow ,,bird ,,portraits ,by ,ernest ,seton-,thompson ,,with ,,descriptive ,,text ,by ,ralph ,hoffmann ,,boston ,ginn ,company ,the ,athenum ,press #aija ,,copyright1 #aija ,,by ,,ginn ,,company ,,all ,,rights ,,reserved ,,contents ,,page ,,the ,,song ,,sparrow #a ,,the ,,flicker #c ,,the ,,brown ,,thrasher #e ,,the ,,barn ,,swallow #g ,,the ,,chimney ,,swift #i ,,the ,,kingbird #aa ,,the ,,baltimore ,,oriole #ac ,,the ,,wood ,,thrush #ae ,,the ,,scarlet ,,tanager #ag ,,the ,,rose-,,breasted ,,grosbeak #ai ,,the ,,redstart #ba ,,the ,,ruby-,,throated ,,humming-,,bird #bc ,,bob-,,white #be ,,the ,,goldfinch #bg ,,the ,,blue ,,jay #bi ,,the ,,brown ,,creeper #ca ,,the ,,butcher ,,bird #cc ,,the ,,golden-,,crowned ,,kinglet #ce ,,the ,,herring ,,gull #cg ,,the ,,chickadee #ci ,,introduction ,this book is called ,bird ,portraits because ,mr4 ,seton-,thompson's pictures are always faithful and charming portraits of the birds which he draws4 ,but since a bird's portrait1 no matter how accurate1 can show its subject in only one position1 singing1 feeding1 flying1 or sitting1 a short account of some of the main events of the bird's life has been added to each picture4 ,any one who learns from such books as ,mr4 ,seton-,thompson's how beset with perils is the life of every wild creature will take the greatest pains at all times1 and especially in the nesting season1 not only not to injure or persecute such defenseless little creatures as our song birds1 but also to protect them in every way4 ,whoever seeks their acquaintance1 in the spirit of friendship1 will always be grateful for the interest and pleasure to be gained from such friends4 ,of the twenty birds whose portraits are here presented1 a majority are only summer residents in the ,northern ,states2 some visit us only in winter2 a few spend the whole year near the same spot4 ,the birds which are first described are those that are most closely associated with the return of spring2 then follow those whose gay colors and bright songs give much of its charm to early summer2 last come those that brave1 even in the ,north1 the tempests of winter4 ,r4 ,h4 ,,bird ,,portraits ,,the ,,song ,,sparrow ,after a severe winter1 while snow and ice still remind us of the past1 the ,song ,sparrow1 mounting to the top of some bush or small tree1 repeats his cheerful tinkling song1 helping1 as ,thoreau says1 to crack the ice in the ponds4 ,few people are so unobservant as not to notice this bright strain1 after the silence of winter4 ,a peculiarity of the song is the amount of variation shown by different individuals and often by the same bird4 ,at almost regular distances along the bushy roadside1 or over the hedge-intersected fields1 one will meet on the early spring mornings one ,song ,sparrow after another1 each restricted to his part of the road or field4 ,if one notices the songs of each1 it is evident that1 though the songs have the same general character1 there are almost as many ways of beginning a strain as there are singers4 ,moreover1 the same bird has been observed to alter his song in a short space of time to two or three different variations4 ,probably1 if one's ear were acute enough1 all birds of one species would be found to sing with slight differences1 but few show in so marked a degree as the ,song ,sparrow the tendency to variation which characterizes a species4 ,in early ,april1 the ,song ,sparrow builds a nest of grass1 either on the ground beneath a tuft of grass1 or under some brambles1 or less frequently a few feet above the ground1 in a bush or on the lower limbs of a tree4 ,in the latter situation1 twigs are of course necessary for the support of the structure4 ,here again the bird shows a tendency to vary in its habits4 ,the eggs are from four to five in number1 greenish white1 thickly marked with shades of brown1 lavender1 or purple4 ,sometimes an egg is found in the nest much larger than the others2 this has been laid by the lazy ,cowbird4 ,as the large egg receives most warmth and hatches first1 the young ,cowbird soon crowds out the rightful occupants of the nest1 and the parent ,song ,sparrows will be seen later1 working busily to feed a great homely youngster as large as themselves1 who will afterwards go off to join a flock of his own kind4 ,probably every ,cowbird has been reared at the expense of a brood of some small bird1 ,sparrow1 ,warbler1 or ,vireo4 ,in ,june1 the young ,song ,sparrows are able to take care of themselves1 and the energetic parents build another nest and rear another brood4 ,the brooding time is the chief period of song1 so that birds that breed twice sing later in the summer than others4 ,the ,song ,sparrow's little strain may be heard well into ,august2 but toward the end of that month we hear from the cornfields and gardens a curious1 husky warble1 unlike the bright spring carol of the ,song ,sparrow1 but nevertheless made by that bird4 ,in the fall1 and even during the winter1 a warm bright day will occasionally induce a ,song ,sparrow to sing his lively spring song1 so that where the ,song ,sparrow winters1 the strain may be heard every month of the year4 ,in the late summer and fall1 the neglected corners of gardens and fields1 where the seeds of weeds and grasses offer an abundance of food1 are the favorite resort of the sparrows4 ,the ,song ,sparrow may be distinguished from most of its relatives by its streaked breast1 in the middle of which the spots generally form a conspicuous blotch1 and by its long tail1 which it constantly jerks as it flies4 ,the ,song ,sparrow is very retiring1 and when alarmed1 slips into brush heaps or bushes1 where it hides as skillfully as a mouse4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,flicker ,,the ,,flicker ,the ,flicker is most beloved in ,march1 when his hearty shout is one of the characteristic sounds of the first warm days of early spring4 ,the same week which brings the ,bluebird and the ,blackbird hears the cheerful song of the ,song ,sparrow and the loud call of the ,flicker4 ,though a woodpecker1 the ,flicker has departed somewhat from the habits of its relatives1 spending considerable time on the ground1 and depending largely for its food on berries and ants4 ,it is often startled from lawns and hillsides1 where it has been thrusting its long tongue into colonies of black ants1 seizing them on the moist1 brushy tip4 ,when so engaged1 the bird may sometimes be closely approached1 and a sight of its plumage is then a revelation to one who has seen from a distance only its dark brown body and white rump4 ,the ashy gray nape sets off a bright red patch2 there is a handsome black crescent across the breast1 and the male wears black mustaches4 ,the breast is handsomely spotted1 and the quills and undersides of the wing and tail feathers are golden yellow4 ,unless one can steal up close to a bird1 few of these marks show2 but the ,flicker may always be distinguished by his size 7he is the largest of our common birds except the ,crow71 by the white rump1 and the gleam of yellow which has given him the name ,golden-winged ,woodpecker4 ,the flight1 too1 like that of all the woodpeckers1 is characteristic2 the wing strokes are slow1 and between them the bird drops a little1 so that its progress is in waves instead of in a straight line4 ,all the woodpeckers nest in holes1 which they chisel out of decayed or even live wood4 ,a circular entrance leads to a vertical passage1 and this to a wide chamber some distance below4 ,no lining of moss or feathers is put in2 the pure white1 nearly round eggs are laid directly on the chips at the bottom of the cavity1 and the young birds after a few days hang by their claws to the side of the hole4 ,young ,flickers1 like young ,humming-birds1 are fed by their parents with a liquid food1 which is pumped into their wide-opened mouths1 the parent's bill being thrust far into the young one's4 ,the ,flicker is one of the few birds that frequently return to the old nest4 ,most birds1 contrary to the common notion1 instead of refurnishing the weather-beaten and insecure structure into which their last year's home has been converted by snow1 rain1 and wind1 prefer to build a new one4 ,the material is everywhere at hand1 and time is not so precious before the young are hatched4 ,the ,flicker1 however1 having built in a stout limb1 can safely return for several seasons to the same cavity1 or1 if this becomes insecure1 can cut another in the same trunk4 ,branches are often seen where three or four round openings show the tenements of several generations of these noisy birds4 ,south of ,massachusetts1 ,flickers generally spend the whole year in one spot1 and in winter live largely on berries2 a favorite food at this season is the berry of the poison ivy4 ,in the fall1 the rum cherry becomes a resort for all fruit-loving species4 ,the ,flicker1 though not known to raise a second brood1 has a second period of song1 so that we hear again in ,june the shout1 or mating call1 of the early spring days4 ,besides this high-pitched wick1 wick1 wick1 the ,flicker utters1 when startled1 a curious note like worroo2 a sharp ti'ou is the call to its kind1 and the syllables yucker1 yucker1 often accompanied by ludicrous bowing with wings and tail outspread1 are used to show affection4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,brown ,,thrasher ,,the ,,brown ,,thrasher ,the ,thrasher is the first great musician of the year2 he arrives in the last week of ,april1 so that his song forms the prelude of the chorus which is given in ,may by the true ,thrushes1 the ,bobolink1 and the ,oriole4 ,there is a spirit1 a brilliancy of execution1 and a power in his song which is perhaps more appropriate to early spring than the rich1 sweet tone of the birds who take up the strain in warmer days4 ,he sings when spring1 though assured1 is not everywhere manifest1 and the vigor of his ringing phrases serves to dispel any lingering doubt that the faint-hearted may yet entertain4 ,the trees are yet leafless1 and the singer can be seen afar off on the very topmost twig of some hillside tree2 his long tail is held straight below him1 his head is up-lifted1 and from his full throat comes phrase after phrase1 a succession of the most varied and apparently extremely difficult notes1 executed with an ease and full-hearted joy which1 to the ears of many1 place the ,thrasher in the class with the true ,thrushes4 ,like the song of all male birds1 the performance is not only an offering or an invitation to the female1 but also an answer to some rival whose fainter notes reach the ear from the neighboring grove4 ,this last week of ,april is often one of the most delightful seasons of the year1 and particularly attractive to a beginner in bird study4 ,there are only a few bushes in leaf1 and those of a delicate green2 the dried leaves under them are starred with white bloodroot2 on the hillsides1 the purple violet and yellow five-finger are wide open in the warm sun1 and in the woods1 the mayflower and the hepatica surprise the visitor in spots where the late snow still lingers4 ,the birds are easy to find2 there is no dense foliage to hide them1 and the number of species is still so few that their songs and figures are not difficult to distinguish4 ,the ,thrasher's song ceases as you approach him4 ,he slips down like a wren to the undergrowth1 where1 if you listen1 you hear him rustling and scratching in the dry leaves4 ,if you sit down near by1 you will see him as he mounts again from one twig to the next4 ,his white breast is heavily spotted with black1 his head1 back1 and tail are of a bright rufous shade1 and his yellow eye glitters like a snake's4 ,when he is alarmed1 he puffs like a turtle1 or utters a note curiously like a loud smack4 ,the whole air of the bird is one of vigor and intelligence4 ,the sexes are alike in size and color4 ,by watching patiently near the spot where the male sings1 it is often possible to surprise the pair bringing bark and roots to the bush among whose roots or stems the nest is woven4 ,it is one of the most delightful experiences in the study of birds thus to watch a pair of birds building their nest1 to note later the laying of each egg1 to see the female brooding till the nestlings are hatched and finally leave the nest4 ,one always heaves a sigh of relief at the last moment1 for so many tragedies may put an end to the story4 ,the female ,thrasher is very bold when on the nest1 and sits close till the visitor1 if he approach quietly1 is within a few feet of her4 ,she gazes fixedly at him with her bright eye1 but let him draw a step nearer and she slips off into the bushes4 ,the eggs are four or five1 whitish1 covered with many light brown markings4 ,the food of the ,thrasher consists of insects and fruit4 ,many linger in the ,north till the end of ,october1 and spend the winter in the ,southern ,states1 where the ground is generally free from snow4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,barn ,,swallow ,,the ,,barn ,,swallow ,there is no pleasanter sight among birds than a family of young reared in the neighborhood of man and often on some part of his house itself4 ,visit an old farmhouse2 look about and see how many welcome guests the farmer shelters without thought of pecuniary profit4 ,under the woodshed1 on a beam1 the ,phbe has built a nest of moss1 from which she flies to the barnyard to pursue the insects that swarm there4 ,in the vines on the piazza1 ,robins and ,chipping ,sparrows have reared their young4 ,in the old elm over the door1 an ,oriole has woven a nest with thread twitched from the clothesline or perhaps purposely laid out for her1 and the orchard shelters numbers of species--,bluebirds1 ,woodpeckers1 ,kingbirds1 and ,chebecs4 ,of all these tenants1 however1 none seem so completely at home as the swallows2 none show so little concern at man's presence2 none take possession so coolly of the boxes1 the eaves1 or the rafters where they build4 ,their kindred lived with man1 ages ago1 in ,greece and ,rome2 they have been welcomed each spring as heralds of a joyful season2 their departure has been watched with regret4 ,though they have but few notes which are musical1 yet their grace1 agility1 and swiftness have passed into proverb and song4 ,there are several species of swallow1 or martin1 which take advantage of man's structures in or on which to place their nests1 but the most numerous1 the most familiar to people in general1 and perhaps the most attractive1 is the ,barn ,swallow4 ,this is the only species whose outer tail feathers are long and pointed1 and form with the rest of the tail the peculiar figure known as swallow-tail4 ,the head1 back1 wings1 and tail are all of a beautiful lustrous blue1 and the tail1 when spread1 shows large white spots in the inner feathers4 ,the under parts vary from whitish in immature birds to a rich chestnut in fully mature ones1 who have also the throat and forehead of a darker reddish brown4 ,the bill opens far back1 so that there is a wide cavity to engulf any insect which may be met in the ceaseless flight backward and forward over grass and water4 ,the nest of the ,barn ,swallow is familiar to all who have enjoyed life on a farm4 ,it is made of straws and grass1 plastered together with mud1 and is placed on a beam or rafter in the barn4 ,one hospitable farmer drove a horseshoe into a beam1 and on this ledge a swallow built each year4 ,through the open door or window of the barn the swallows fly in and out1 and up into the gloom above1 where twittering sounds tell of young that are being fed4 ,as soon as the young are old enough1 the parents urge them to fly1 and in a few days they become skillful enough to take food on the wing4 ,this is an extremely pretty spectacle2 the parent and the young meet1 and then fly upward for an instant1 their breasts apparently touching1 while the food is passed from one bill to the other4 ,one ,july afternoon the writer watched a row of six young swallows clinging to the shingles on a barn roof1 every mouth gaping for food whenever the parents approached4 ,when the father brought the food1 the bird sitting nearest him got the mouthful1 and in an instant later another from the mother4 ,five times in succession this favored youngster was fed1 while the other five seemed neglected4 ,but when the little fellow had all that he could hold1 he went to sleep1 and the next wide-open mouth received the food4 ,what seemed at first an unfair arrangement was after all the surest way to feed all alike4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,chimney ,,swift ,,the ,,chimney ,,swift ,the ,swift is universally known as the ,chimney ,swallow1 from a belief that it belongs to the swallow family4 ,it is1 in fact1 no relative of the swallows1 but very nearly related to the ,whippoorwill and ,night-hawk4 ,swifts and swallows both have long1 powerful wings1 which enable them to remain for long periods on the wing in a restless search for insects4 ,scientists themselves were for a long time misled by the resemblance in the appearance and habits of the two families1 but a close examination of the skeleton of the two birds has convinced naturalists that the two families descended from different ancestors1 but have arrived at similar solutions of the problem presented to them in their search for food4 ,the ,swift builds1 as is well known1 in the flues of chimneys4 ,it is often seen in ,may1 dashing past the dead twigs of some tree1 and then off to the chimney1 where the twigs are glued together and to the bricks by the help of saliva secreted by the bird4 ,a common and distressing experience after a storm in summer is the discovery of the young ,chimney ,swifts at the wrong end of the chimney1--on the hearth1 in other words4 ,even in their proper place in the chimney1 the young birds can make their presence very well known by beginning1 as soon as it is light1 an incessant clamor for food4 ,the long narrow wings1 the powerful chest muscles1 the cut of the bird's body1 and the way the keel is ballasted1 so to speak1 enable the bird to remain for hours in constant flight without apparently experiencing the least fatigue4 ,swallows are often seen resting on telegraph wires1 but ,i have never seen a ,swift perch on any support outside a chimney4 ,at night and during such part of the day as is given up to rest1 the bird supports itself in chimneys by clinging to projections or crevices4 ,the stiff1 sharp-pointed tail feathers aid greatly in supporting it4 ,before the coming of the white man1 hollow trees served as the roosting and nesting places of the ,swifts4 ,there is no better practice for the eye than distinguishing swallows from ,swifts1 when both species are mingled in the air4 ,the ,swift's flight1 though very powerful1 suggests that of the bat1 on account of the frequency of the wing strokes2 the rapid beating of the wings ceases at intervals and the bird glides through the air or turns on set wings4 ,then the twinkling flight begins again4 ,there are none of those long sweeping strokes with which the ,barn ,swallow cleaves the air4 ,the tail of the ,swift1 when the bird is flying1 generally appears short and cigar-shaped1 or1 if spread1 it is fan-shaped1 not forked like the tails of all the swallows4 ,the ordinary note of the ,swift is a single sharp cry1 slowly or rapidly repeated2 it is characteristic of warm summer evenings when the birds fly about the houses in twos or threes1 pursuing each other and uttering this note staccato4 ,a pretty sight at this time is the ,swift sailing with wings raised above the body1 in the position of our common pigeon just before alighting2 the ,swift assumes the same attitude above the chimney1 poising a moment before he drops into the flue4 ,early in ,september the ,swifts leave the ,north1 and may be seen high overhead flying southward2 unlike many of our small birds1 they migrate by day1 their powers of flight protecting them from the birds of prey which are such a menace to the smaller birds4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,kingbird ,,the ,,kingbird ,the swallows and swifts spend hours on the wing1 turning to the right or to the left1 upward or back1 in pursuit of winged insects4 ,many other birds1 notably the warbler family1 take occasional flights after some insect which they have startled from the leaves4 ,the habits of another large family of birds1 the ,flycatchers1 are a compromise between these two methods of obtaining food4 ,selecting some post of observation1 such as a dead limb1 a fence1 or the stalk of a stout weed1 they wait patiently1 keeping a sharp watch of the air about them4 ,at sight of an insect flying near1 they fly out in pursuit4 ,if one is near enough to the bird1 a click of its bill will announce the fate of the insect4 ,the ,flycatchers then return to the same or a neighboring perch4 ,the family is not1 on the whole1 very good-humored2 in fact1 they might justly be accused of irritability and pugnacity4 ,the ,kingbird1 in particular1 the head of the house1 is noted for his constant attacks on any winged creature that approaches his nest4 ,it must be admitted1 however1 that when nesting time is over1 he lives very peaceably with his neighbors2 but while the female is brooding the eggs or young1 the excited cry of the male is constantly heard1 and every ,crow that comes in sight is pursued1 sometimes for a mile4 ,the ,kingbird gets above his victim and darts down at its head2 the ,crow can be seen wincing at each vicious jab of the bill4 ,one or two observers have actually seen the ,kingbird ride on the ,crow's back for some distance4 ,the ,kingbird has a patch of red concealed under the black feathers of his crown2 when he is angry or excited1 these red feathers blaze out4 ,they are very rarely seen by men1 but ,i imagine the ,crows see them oftener than they like4 ,apple trees in old orchards are favorite nesting places of the ,kingbird1 and no pains are taken to conceal the nest4 ,it is composed of twigs loosely laid together1 and often festooned with white strings or the dry1 woolly heads of the mouse-ear everlasting4 ,the inside of the nest is neatly lined with feathers1 horsehair1 or roots1 and contains from three to five white eggs spotted with brown4 ,the ,kingbird is here from the first of ,may to the first of ,september1 but like all strictly insectivorous birds1 it must spend the winter far to the southward4 ,the bird's only notes are the shrill cries1 kipper1 kipper1 given singly or quickly repeated4 ,in spring the birds often mount to a considerable height1 uttering this cry continually1 and apparently attempting1 by this exhibition1 to express the emotion common to all creatures at this period of the year4 ,the ,kingbird is a very satisfactory bird to beginners2 the color pattern is so marked and the bird is so fond of exposed situations that it is seen and recognized without difficulty4 ,except the ,cedarbird1 whose tail is tipped with yellow1 ,i know no other small bird of the eastern ,united ,states whose tail feathers are all tipped with a regular edge of light color4 ,the ,kingbird is the bird most commonly seen from a car window2 in almost every field1 the mullein stalks or wire fences will display one or more individuals1 their white breasts or black and white tails showing conspicuously in the landscape4 ,the ,kingbird has often been accused of destroying honeybees4 ,even allowing that individuals occasionally do some damage in this way1 the good services of the race in destroying harmful insects far outweigh these injuries1 and the remedy is to drive the bird away from the hives1 not to kill it4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,baltimore ,,oriole ,,the ,,baltimore ,,oriole ,the arrival of the ,orioles in the first week of ,may marks for many people the return of spring4 ,the males come first and take possession at once of our streets and gardens1 calling from the elms1 or dashing into the cherry trees white with blossoms4 ,the females arrive a day or two later1 and the work of house-hunting begins soon after4 ,in the selection of a nesting site1 the judgment of the female alone is naturally allowed to have entire weight4 ,the male is politely anxious1 flying from twig to twig1 as if recommending them2 but the female knows that she must sit for days over her precious eggs1 and be swung by all manner of storms1 in whatever situation she finally selects2 she means1 therefore1 to be sure before she builds4 ,the number of trees on which hang two nests1 one evidently older than the other1 is very noticeable1 and probably means that the same pair return to the same tree to build4 ,many people have an idea that birds use the same nest in successive years1 but it does not seem likely that such a skillful architect as the ,oriole would patch up the old nest1 when with a few days' labor she can build a new one1 clean and strong1 and very likely improved by her former experience4 ,the materials used for the construction of the nest are tough1 fibrous strips for the framework1 and softer materials for the lining4 ,the female often comes to the clothesline and twitches out some threads1 and she is very thankful for twine or similar material hung out where she can find it4 ,lowell1 who loved the ,oriole next after the ,bobolink1 hung out gay-colored threads for his birds1 and was rewarded with the sight of a brilliant nest4 ,the female builds at first a framework of strong material1 which is attached to the several twigs on which the nest hangs4 ,she actually ties knots of this material with her long sharp bill1 thrusting the end of the thread through a loop1 then reaching over and pulling it tight4 ,tragedies sometimes occur during this process1 the bird becoming entangled in her own thread and choking or starving to death4 ,a bit of comedy is sometimes seen when the ,oriole1 returning to her half-finished nest1 catches a ,summer ,yellow-bird in the act of stealing some of the material4 ,after the frame is completed1 the ,oriole works from inside1 weaving the web from side to side4 ,by ,june1 the young hatch1 and now the male1 who has hitherto had an easy time1 becomes very busy bringing food to the young4 ,in a few days1 they become old enough to cry for it very vigorously1 and this they do so incessantly that their peet-teet becomes one of the characteristic sounds of early summer4 ,by the middle of ,july1 the young leave the nest1 and then for a week or two the whole family are met with in the country lanes1 the children resembling their mother in color1 but easily distinguished by their short tails and the general downy look about the head4 ,the male suffers an eclipse during midsummer2 his cheerful whistle is no longer heard1 and we should think that he had already left for the ,south1 did he not resume his strain in ,august4 ,in fact1 he has been moulting2 but1 unlike the ,tanager1 he replaces his bright feathers by others as gay1 and before he leaves us1 he is as bright as when he came4 ,the wild cherry trees are now a favorite resort for the whole family2 but by the first of ,september1 they leave the ,northern ,states and return to ,central and ,south ,america1 where they lead a careless life till the approach of spring reminds them of the village elms a thousand miles away4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,wood ,,thrush ,,the ,,wood ,,thrush ,it is difficult to speak without enthusiasm of the song of a ,thrush4 ,he seems wholly to outclass all other birds4 ,when a ,rose-breasted ,grosbeak1 no mean singer as our birds go1 has finished his song1 let a ,wood ,thrush utter but a phrase of his strain1 and the ,grosbeak's warble seems commonplace4 ,except the ,thrushes1 we have few birds whose song appeals to the imagination as human music does4 ,we listen curiously to the songs of the others1 criticise them or comment on them1 as we do on a landscape2 but let a ,thrush sing and we fall into a reverie1 recalling sad1 tender1 or solemn ideas and associations4 ,the ,wood ,thrush and the ,veery1 or ,wilson's ,thrush1 are the common ,thrushes of all but the northern part of the ,northern ,states4 ,in the mountains1 the ,hermit ,thrush is found4 ,this bird is generally considered superior even to the ,wood ,thrush in the purity and solemnity of its cadences4 ,it has one great advantage over its rival2 it sings on mountain sides in clear1 still air1 so that the finest vibrations of its voice come to the ear with perfect distinctness4 ,the song of the two ,thrushes is readily distinguished by listening for the phrase ee-o-lee'1 with which the ,wood ,thrush regularly opens his chant4 ,the ,veery has received its name in imitation of its song1 which resembles the syllables ve7e-ury1 ve7e-ury1 ve7e-ury1 each phrase lower in the scale than the preceding4 ,the ,wood ,thrush arrives in the ,northern ,states in ,may1 and unlike the ,veery1 which is strangely silent on its first arrival1 the male ,wood ,thrush announces his presence on the morning of his arrival1 by chanting from some low limb his beautiful flute-like notes4 ,in the ,middle ,states1 it is a common and almost familiar bird1 building in the gardens even of large towns2 but in wilder regions1 it prefers copses1 groves of young trees1 and rocky glens1 particularly if there is a stream near by4 ,by the end of ,may the pair have finished their nest1 which resembles that of the ,robin1 but is often composed of less coarse material and is generally placed in the fork of a sapling4 ,the birds often take little trouble to conceal it1 sometimes placing it close to a woodland path1 and the passer-by becomes aware of its nearness by hearing the harsh1 anxious chatter of the parents4 ,the four eggs are blue like the ,robin's4 ,the ,robin is1 in fact1 a near relative of the ,thrushes1 and the relationship is shown not only by the shape of the body and the bill1 but by the spotted breast which the young ,robins assume with their first plumage4 ,in the ,middle ,states1 this relationship seems to have been recognized1 as the ,wood ,thrush is there commonly called the ,wood ,robin4 ,while the female is brooding the eggs1 the male may be heard day after day from some favorite perch1 not too near the nest4 ,the early morning and the late afternoon are the favorite times for all the ,thrushes1 but on cloudy days or in the cool shades of deep woods1 they sing all day4 ,occasionally the song ceases for several days4 ,some calamity has befallen the nest2 a squirrel or some other marauder has robbed the pair1 and there are no more outpourings of joy1 till with renewed courage they select some safer spot and build again4 ,in midsummer1 the ,thrushes become very silent4 ,occasionally we come upon a group feeding in the cherry or viburnum bushes1 but few are seen after ,august1 and by ,november they are in the tropics4 ,only the nest filled with snow reminds us of the pair1 whose return in ,may we await with impatience4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,scarlet ,,tanager ,,the ,,scarlet ,,tanager ,in ,south ,america1 the ,tanagers form a large family1 but they send to the more northern of our ,eastern ,states only one representative1 the well-known ,scarlet ,tanager4 ,a sight of this splendid bird properly1 therefore1 suggests the tropics4 ,the ,tanager is considered a rare bird1 but it can always be found in suitable situations1 and in certain parts of the country is really a common bird4 ,oak groves are the favorite resort of the bird1 and since it does not often visit our dooryards1 even in migration1 and since we1 as a people1 do not often visit oak groves1 the sight of a ,tanager remains for most people a rare and exhilarating experience4 ,the bird1 too1 is of a rather sluggish disposition1 so that even if we visit the spot where a pair are nesting1 they display only a rather languid curiosity4 ,the call-note used by both sexes is well worth learning1 for by its means our attention is often attracted to a pair which we should otherwise overlook2 it consists of two syllables1 resembling the syllables tschip1 tschurr1 uttered in a hoarse voice4 ,the song of the male is such as a ,robin with a cold might produce4 ,either because the ,tanager breeds generally at some distance from man1 or because he considers that his brilliant coloring will make up for other deficiencies1 the bird has never1 as far as ,i know1 done much to win the affection of bird lovers4 ,they have enthusiastic praise for his coat1 but little to say of his manners4 ,a story which ,wilson tells of a male ,tanager is1 however1 a worthy exception to this statement4 ,wilson found a young bird which had fallen out of the nest and1 having brought it home1 put it into a cage with some ,orioles4 ,they altogether neglected the orphan1 and as it refused to be fed by ,wilson1 the latter was about to return it to the woods1 when a male appeared and tried to enter the cage4 ,finding this impossible1 he went off1 but returned with food and fed the young one for three or four days4 ,at last1 he showed so unmistakably his desire for the release of the young one that the owner set it free1 and the two flew off rejoicing4 ,if this ,tanager was a type of his kind1 the species need not fear the application of the proverb1 ,handsome is that handsome does4 ,tanagers arrive early in ,may1 and may then be easily observed1 as the trees are not yet in full leaf4 ,occasionally1 in cold storms1 all birds seem to keep near the ground1 and on such occasions ,tanagers are sometimes seen feeding on the ground itself1 their splendid colors showing to wonderful advantage4 ,the female is a very plain personage4 ,olive green above and greenish yellow below1 with dull brownish wings1 is a combination of color that serves very well to keep her concealed among the leaves4 ,the nest is sometimes placed in orchard trees or even in low bushes1 but frequently in tall oaks4 ,it is loosely built of straw and twigs1 and contains1 by the end of ,may1 from three to four eggs of a light greenish blue1 marked with brown and lilac4 ,the young are fed on insects gathered from the leaves4 ,by the end of the summer1 the male moults his bright red feathers and comes out in a suit resembling that of the female1 but he keeps his black wings and tail4 ,the whole family1 clothed in these inconspicuous colors1 migrate southward and remain in the tropics till the following spring4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,rose ,,breasted ,,grosbeak ,,the ,,rose-,,breasted ,,grosbeak ,to see a ,grosbeak for the first time gives a student of birds almost the same feeling of exaltation as the first sight of a ,scarlet ,tanager4 ,if one should hear1 in the shade trees about the house1 a ,robin singing much faster and with a richer voice than ever before1 and1 after patient search1 find the twig where the bird was singing1 one's first thought would probably be1 ,some escaped cage bird from the tropics4 ,the head of the male ,grosbeak is black1 the tail and wings black and white1 but in the center of the white breast is a triangle of pure rose1 carried in some individuals far down the breast4 ,when the bird flies1 the white patches in the wings have a peculiar effect1 like a circle of white4 ,the large1 almost monstrous bill1 not only accounts for the bird's name1 but explains why he is put into the same family with the sparrows4 ,his nature1 too1 is eminently practical1 as a sparrow's should be2 a favorite food is the potato bug4 ,his mate lacks the black and rose1 but her beak betrays her4 ,she is not a particularly interesting bird1 and does not even have the credit of excellence in household matters1 at any rate as far as building her nest is concerned4 ,it is made of a few coarse twigs loosely laid together1--a little platform through which the eggs sometimes show from below1 and from which one would think they must certainly fall off4 ,the nest is placed in a bush or low tree1 and contains three or four greenish blue eggs1 thickly marked with red4 ,the young are out in ,july1 and though a few ,grosbeaks are occasionally seen in ,september1 most of them have already left for the tropics by the end of the summer4 ,the same joyous week of ,may which brings the ,thrushes1 ,bobolinks1 and ,orioles brings them back again4 ,just as a knowledge of the hoarse note of the ,tanager will often betray the presence of that splendid bird1 so an acquaintance with the sharp click1 like that of a pair of shears1 which the ,grosbeaks make1 will often attract the student and reward him with a sight of the beautiful rosy breast4 ,grosbeaks sing for a long time on one perch1--not on the uppermost spray of the tree1 as that other tropical sparrow1 the ,indigo bird1 loves to do1 but1 like the ,tanager1 on some branch well inside the canopy of leaves4 ,in the first weeks of ,may1 when birds of many species are mating1 two and sometimes three male ,grosbeaks may occasionally be seen pursuing each other1 their white wing bars and spots making a showy contrast to the black4 ,the victor in the struggle then returns to the tree near the female1 and pours out a song of unusual vigor and sweetness4 ,in ,may1 the ,grosbeak visits the blossoming fruit trees1 snipping off the petals and the undeveloped fruit4 ,suspicion has therefore fallen on him1 but it is now believed by the best authorities that this budding is not severe enough to injure the tree or the crop of fruit4 ,nor must we forget to throw into the other balance the result of his labors in the potato field4 ,when the adult male ,grosbeak moults in summer1 the rose on the breast becomes duller1 and the black on the head and back is almost entirely replaced by brown4 ,like the ,tanager1 however1 he retains his black wings and tail1 and may thus be distinguished from the brown-winged young males4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,redstart ,,the ,,redstart ,almost a fourth of the birds usually seen by a good observer in a morning's walk in ,may or ,june1 belong to a family known as ,warblers4 ,if they were really as musical as their name suggests1 people might know them better2 but even as it is1 their colors are often so bright that the birds well repay one who takes the trouble to make their acquaintance4 ,perhaps the best known of the family is the ,yellow ,warbler1 not to be confused with the ,goldfinch1 from which the absence of the latter's black cap1 wings1 and tail will distinguish it4 ,the ,oven-bird1 whose loud teach-er1 teach-er1 teach-er is so common a sound in dry woods in summer1 is another member of the ,warbler family4 ,the gayest of them all1 however1 in most parts of our country1 is the ,redstart4 ,his coal black head1 with bright orange patches at the shoulders1 and yellowish bands across the wings and tail1 suggest a miniature ,oriole4 ,the ,redstart is a splendid bit of color2 in ,cuba he is known1 according to ,mr4 ,chapman1 as ,candelita1 the little torch4 ,black and orange is a not uncommon combination of color among birds1 and never fails to be effective4 ,the ,redstart1 moreover1 makes the most of his color by keeping both wings and tail spread1 so that the yellow and orange is constantly displayed4 ,he flits from one twig to another1 spreading his little black-and-yellow fan1 flying out1 turning his black head and glowing shoulders toward one1 and continually uttering a little song1 not much in itself1 and only full of meaning and association to the bird's friends1 to whom it suggests leafy shade near brooks in the summer heat4 ,the name of the family to which the ,redstart belongs needs1 perhaps1 a word of explanation4 ,it simply means that our ,warblers are related to a family of ,european birds which have well earned their name1 since the family includes the ,nightingale and one or two other birds almost as musical4 ,the name ,redstart1 too1 is ,english1--start coming from the ,anglo-,saxon word for tail4 ,it was applied in ,england to a bird with a red tail1 and since our bird has bright color in the tail1 the name was transferred to it by the ,english settlers4 ,many of the ,warblers frequent the thick woods and are little noticed2 the ,redstart1 however1 often builds in the trees or shrubbery about the house1 particularly if a brook or pool afford an abundance of insects4 ,in the crotch of a sapling or on a limb1 the female places a pretty nest built of bark and soft materials4 ,the female resembles the male in the pattern of color1 but the black is replaced by gray1 and the orange by a faint yellowish shade4 ,males only one year old resemble the female so closely that the sharp little song often seems to proceed from the bill of a female2 in reality it is a young male that is singing1 one not yet arrived at the full splendor of his future gay plumage4 ,the ,redstart is often victimized by the ,cowbird1 and one feels the imposition more keenly in its case than in that of almost any other bird1 for we know that the big clumsy ,cowbird is being reared at the expense of a whole family of these pretty warblers4 ,the ,redstart comes early in ,may and stays through the summer4 ,some are seen even as late as ,october1 but these are1 very likely1 birds which have bred far ,north1 where the late summer did not permit them to rear their young so early as our own birds4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,ruby-,,throated ,,humming-,,bird ,,the ,,ruby-,,throated ,,humming-,,bird ,the restless activity and general appearance of the ,humming-bird make one almost hesitate to believe that it is really a bird and not a brilliant tropical insect4 ,it possesses no song2 few people see it except on the wing1 and its nest is so rarely found that to most people the bird is merely a sudden apparition1 seen hovering over a flower1 its ruby throat sparkling in the sun4 ,when the ,humming-bird's nest is discovered1 it turns out to be a structure as delicate and rare as its little architect4 ,it is often fixed on a lichen-covered twig1 frequently in orchards1 but as often on tall forest trees4 ,to the outside of the nest1 bits of gray lichen are fastened1 so that at a distance the nest is mistaken for a knob of the twig itself4 ,the eggs are always two1 ridiculously small1 like pea beans4 ,the ,humming-bird is not a good father4 ,he neglects all the domestic duties1 being rarely seen near the nest after it is completed4 ,the female brings up the two young birds unaided1 feeding them by thrusting her long bill into their gaping mouths and pumping food into their throats4 ,the process has been described as a frightful-looking act4 ,the food thus administered to the young consists1 probably1 of soft-bodied insects1 for when ,humming-birds visit flowers1 it is not only to gather honey1 but also to capture the smaller honey-gatherers4 ,many charming stories have been told of the fearlessness of the ,humming-bird4 ,it had often been observed that birds fed from flowers held in the hand1 but it remained for ,mrs4 ,soule to make artificial trumpet-vine flowers1 and by filling them with sugar water1 to provide a daily feast for her ,humming-bird neighbors4 ,though the birds are very irritable and pugnacious when wild1 frequently attacking each other with the shrill squeaks which are their only notes1 yet1 in captivity1 they prove very gentle and almost affectionate4 ,the ,humming-bird has discovered another method of obtaining the sweet liquor which it loves4 ,the ,sapsucker1 or ,yellow-bellied ,woodpecker1 is in the habit of drilling rows of small holes into the maples of the northern forests1 and sucking out the sap which fills these little wells4 ,many insects are attracted to the sweet fluid1 and the ,humming-birds also come as uninvited guests to the feast2 so that while the ,woodpecker is drinking on one side of the tree1 butterflies1 bees1 wasps1 and ,humming-birds are fluttering about the other4 ,by the end of ,september1 the season for honey gatherers is about over in the ,north1 and the wings which can support the little body for so many seconds in front of a flower1 now take it southward to the tropics1 where there are always flowers4 ,it is not until ,may1 not until the red blossoms of the ,japan quince are open1 that the ,humming-birds return4 ,the ,ruby-throated ,humming-bird is the only species found on the ,atlantic coast2 the female1 however1 lacks the ruby throat1 and is sometimes taken for another species4 ,humming-birds seen at dusk1 if caught1 will prove to be1 not birds but clear-winged or ,humming-bird moths4 ,in ,south ,america1 however1 there are over four hundred different species of ,humming-birds4 ,a museum case full of these is a marvel of beauty and interest2 the iridescent colors of their gorgets1 or throat-pieces1 the variety of shapes which their bills assume1 the development of their throat and tail feathers1 give one the impression of a show case full of fantastic jewels4 ,illustration3 ,,bob-,,white ,,bob-,,white ,bob-white1 unlike the majority of our birds1 does not migrate southward in winter2 the whole covey1 unless they are killed1 spend the whole year near the spot where they were born1 feeding on the fallen grain1 seeds1 and various kinds of fruit4 ,in hard winters1 they become very tame1 and if fed regularly1 come to the barnyard almost like poultry4 ,most people are only too familiar with this bird1 but not as he looks in life4 ,then he is full of energy and spirit2 his pure white throat shows against the black of his head1 and his rich reddish brown wings are ready to carry him off with a whirr that startles one4 ,for one that we see alive1 we see a thousand hanging1 bloody and bedraggled1 in the markets4 ,few people who become really acquainted with ,bob-white1 who see him sitting on a stone wall calling his name1 or see his mate hurrying her little ones over the road into the blackberry vines1 will care to make another meal off his little body4 ,we must consider not only the wrong1 if we acknowledge it to be one1 done to the individual quail whose life has been taken1 but the danger that threatens his whole race4 ,the cheerful ,bob-white is already a much rarer sound than it used to be1 and the bird has many other dangers to contend against besides the pot-hunter's gun4 ,the greatest peril that besets quail in the ,north is the occasional midwinter blizzard1 followed by intense cold4 ,the quail at night huddle close together on the ground1 their tails touching and their heads pointing out in a circle4 ,after a great storm in a recent winter1 the melting snow exposed a circle of quail1 surprised and buried by the snow1 like the people of ,pompeii buried under the falling ashes4 ,in ,may1 the male begins to whistle the two or three clear notes which have been translated into ,bob-white1 or ,more wet4 ,this call is not only a summons to the female1 but also a challenge to other males2 if one hides near by and imitates the whistle accurately enough1 a sudden flight will sometimes bring the angry bird directly to the spot4 ,the surprise of the visitor is then amusing enough4 ,stone walls1 fences1 the low limbs of trees are favorite perches for the male1 and his cheerful call has long been a familiar sound in farming country1 from ,massachusetts southward4 ,the nest is placed in some tangle of blackberry vines1 along the edge of a field1 and is a sight worth a long journey to see4 ,the pure white eggs1 often as many as fifteen1 are laid close together in such a manner that the little body of the female may cover and warm them all4 ,when the young are hatched1 they are covered with down1 and run at once1 like chickens1 and unlike the little blind naked young which we see in the nests of song birds4 ,they follow their mother through the tangled grass or low bushes1 feeding on fruit and insects1 and later on the grain in the stubble fields4 ,the whole family keep together1 even when the young are able to care for themselves4 ,when they hear any danger approaching1 they keep close to the ground1 relying on their brown coloring to conceal them4 ,if the danger comes too near1 they are off in half a dozen directions1 over walls and bushes1 coming quickly to earth again when they see some sheltering covert4 ,then1 after an interval1 one hears a note something like a guinea hen's1 issuing from different parts of the field4 ,guided by these sounds1 the whole covey reassemble4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,goldfinch ,,the ,,goldfinch ,not the most sullen sky nor the bitterest cold seems to discourage ,goldfinches4 ,they are always cheerful and affectionate1 keeping together for the greater part of the year in larger or smaller flocks1 which call to each other1 if separated1 by notes as sweet as those of a ,canary4 ,in summer1 ,goldfinches find an abundance of food in the seeds of many species of plants1 but in winter also many remain even in the ,northern ,states1 searching cheerfully among the dry weeds and grasses1 and uttering their sweet notes4 ,many people1 however1 do not notice them at this season1 for when winter comes the head and body of the males of this species1 as of many others1 lose the bright black and yellow which marks them so distinctly in summer1 and are clothed in dull brownish shades4 ,about the first of ,april1 one notices here and there in a flock a male that shows a few bright yellow feathers1 and by another month1 they have moulted their winter dress and are as gay as ever4 ,in the spring and early summer1 the ,goldfinches are extremely musical1 spending hours in uttering a simple but pleasing song4 ,several males now engage in what seems to be a musical contest1 flying out from a tree and circling about with set wings1 all the time keeping up a continual strain4 ,when flying through the air at a considerable height1 they go in long curves1 and utter during each undulation three or four simple notes4 ,as they seem constantly to have business in one part or other of the country1 the wave-like flight and characteristic notes become a common feature of the summer landscape4 ,though the ,goldfinches are here all winter1 they delay nesting till very much later than the other resident birds2 the ,chickadees have their first brood already out in the world by the time the ,goldfinches determine on building4 ,the female is a modest-colored little body1 as is often the case where the male is bright4 ,the pair generally build in ,july1 and choose some thick leafy tree1 often a maple or poplar1 and there1 on a limb at a considerable height from the ground1 construct a very neat nest1 deep and cup-shaped1 built of fine materials and lined with down from plants like the thistle4 ,here five or six bluish white eggs are laid1 and when in another month the young ,goldfinches begin to fly1 it is at once evident from their sharp1 insistent crying4 ,as the calling of the young ,orioles is a mark of late ,june1 so the notes of the young ,goldfinches become associated with ,august4 ,goldfinches are very fond of the seeds of many kinds of composite flowers2 they bite holes in unripe dandelion heads and take out the seeds2 thistles are another favorite food1 and a row of sunflowers planted in the garden will not fail to attract them4 ,in winter1 besides the seeds of weeds1 they feed on birch seeds1 scattering the scales over the snow1 and they even pull out the seeds of the pitch pine1 when the scales begin to loosen toward spring4 ,no bird has livelier1 more cheerful ways than our ,goldfinch1 and none becomes a greater favorite4 ,people are often at considerable pains to remove the dandelion plants from their lawns2 if the gay flowers themselves do not repay one for their presence1 many would certainly allow them to remain in order to have the pleasant spectacle1 in summer1 of a flock of yellow ,goldfinches scattered about the grass and feeding on the seeds4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,blue ,,jay ,,the ,,blue ,,jay ,most people are surprised when they first learn that the ,blue ,jay is a near relative of the ,crow4 ,the difference in color is certainly marked1 but in other ways the resemblance is striking4 ,neither bird can utter its most characteristic note without gesticulation4 ,watch a ,crow from a car window when the caw is inaudible1 and the bowing and opening of the wings are all the more noticeable4 ,the motions which the ,jay makes when screaming are not so well known1 as the sound generally comes from a screen of leaves4 ,both birds are thieves and seem to relish their thieving life2 both can live on almost any food2 both are heartily hated by their neighbors in bird world4 ,the ,jay is more bitterly detested by the other birds than the ,crow4 ,he is himself suspicious1 and at the approach of a hawk1 owl1 or man1 warns the woods by his cries4 ,besides the ordinary djay1 djay1 the loud scream so familiar in the autumn woods1 the ,jay has other cries2 a note like a wheelbarrow turning on an ungreased axle1 a high scream exactly like the ,red-shouldered ,hawk's1 and such a variety of lesser notes that one never is surprised to find that any unusual sound heard in the woods is produced by the ,blue ,jay4 ,though one of the noisiest of birds when pursuing an intruder1 the ,jay has learned to slip through the trees without a sound1 and conceals its bright blue and white in a remarkable way4 ,a pair of ,jays may be nesting in some evergreen in our very garden1 and unless we happen to see the female slip into the tree1 we may remain entirely unaware of their presence4 ,the nest is roughly constructed of twigs and roots1 and is placed in a tree from six to twenty feet from the ground4 ,on a lining of finer roots are laid four or five brownish or greenish eggs1 spotted with yellowish brown4 ,the young are hatched by the middle or end of ,june4 ,the ,jay in spring is undoubtedly a reprobate4 ,he cannot resist the temptation to sneak through the trees and bushes1 and when he finds a nest of eggs temporarily left by its owner1 to thrust his sharp bill through the shells2 even young birds are devoured4 ,in the autumn1 however1 the ,jay is a hearty1 open fellow1 noisy and intent on acorns and chestnuts4 ,the woods ring with his loud screams1 as he travels through them with his companions4 ,it is amusing at this season to observe them obtaining chestnuts1 a favorite food4 ,they drive their powerful bills into a nut and wrench it out of the burr1 then fly off with it to a convenient limb and hammer it open4 ,many ,jays spend the entire winter in the northern woods1 subsisting on nuts1 but the large numbers observed in the fall are evidence that many others are moving southward1 where food is more plenty4 ,jays and squirrels are curiously associated2 both live in the autumn and winter1 innocently enough1 on nuts and acorns2 both1 in spring1 poach on the eggs and young of birds4 ,one becomes fond of each of these rascals in spite of his undoubted villanies1 and is glad that though neither ,squirrel nor ,jay is protected by law1 and in some states both are constantly persecuted1 neither seems to be diminishing in numbers4 ,in ,europe1 the ,crow and the ,jay have several relatives1 many of whom1 such as the ,magpie1 ,rook1 and ,jackdaw1 share the family characteristics4 ,they are all thieves1 clowns1 and impudent fellows1 and yet win1 if not affection1 yet a certain degree of good-humored toleration4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,brown ,,creeper ,,the ,,brown ,,creeper ,in the bands of little birds which in winter visit the trees about the houses1 there are often three different species1 all of which find their food on the trunks or large limbs of trees1 but by such different methods that a study of their habits is not only interesting but also extremely instructive4 ,the little ,downy ,woodpecker1 like all its tribe1 hitches up the trunk or along the upper side of the limb1 using its stiff tail feathers as a support1 and holding on to the bark by its two pairs of sharp claws4 ,the ,nuthatch1 with a short weak tail1 and toes arranged as in all song birds1 three in front and one behind1 has the toes1 however1 spread so wide that it can climb head downward1 over1 under1 or around the limb4 ,least known of the three is the ,brown ,creeper4 ,it1 too1 has three toes in front and one behind1 but although not related to the ,woodpeckers1 it has developed stiff and pointed tail feathers4 ,it therefore clings to the bark in an upright position1 and it commonly begins at the bottom of the tree and works steadily upward1 often in a spiral4 ,during the winter months1 the ,brown ,creeper probably visits every village street and every city park in the ,northern ,states1 but as it is just the color of the weathered bark and moves close to it1 it escapes the notice of nearly every one4 ,if one learns to distinguish the fine wiry note1 and watches the tree from which it proceeds1 one sees the bird flutter to the base of a neighboring tree and begin again its steady ascent4 ,when two birds are together1 they sometimes indulge in a very pretty flight1 and tumble in the air like pigeons4 ,as a rule1 however1 the ,creeper is solitary1 and1 in this respect1 offers a marked contrast to its companions and relatives1 the sociable ,chickadees and ,kinglets4 ,the eyes of a ,creeper are so near the bark which it is inspecting1 that it is not strange that it finds food where we should look in vain4 ,it has1 besides1 a very long curved bill which will reach into crevices in the bark1 and before the end of the winter1 it has undoubtedly stripped the trees of a large proportion of the dormant insects and their eggs1 especially as1 like the other winter birds1 it seems to have a very regular beat1 visiting the same groups or rows of trees every day4 ,few birds are so strictly arboreal as the ,creepers4 ,the writer has only once seen one alight on the ground1 when the bird flew to a little stream to bathe4 ,in the ice storms which occasionally clothe every trunk and limb with a glassy covering1 the ,creeper has to confine itself to the leeward side of the trees4 ,occasionally the ,creeper1 on account of its practice of beginning at the bottom of the trunk1 flies to a spot on the tree below the band of tarred paper1 which protects the shade trees from the visits of the canker-worm moth4 ,on reaching the band1 the bird makes a circuit of the trunk1 in a vain attempt to find a passage4 ,it is better provided1 however1 than the wingless moths1 and when the circuit has been made1 a short flight carries it over4 ,in ,april1 the ,creeper leaves its winter quarters for the ,north1 and joins many other species in the great spruce forests of northern ,new ,england and ,canada4 ,occasionally1 on warm mornings before its departure1 the male indulges in a little song1 of the thinnest quality imaginable4 ,when the pair reach their northern home1 they hunt for a crevice under some great flake of loose bark1 and there construct their nest4 ,the bark of trees1 therefore1 furnishes the ,creeper with a cradle at birth and a home for the rest of its life4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,butcher ,,bird ,,the ,,butcher ,,bird ,every one who observes the habits of birds soon notices with astonishment the regularity with which they return each summer to the same spots to breed4 ,this is perhaps not so strange in the case of breeding birds2 they may be so fastidious in their selection of food or of a nesting site that only a few places suit them1 or the spot where they bred one year may appeal to their affection and so be selected again4 ,it is no less evident and more remarkable that birds that spend only the winter in our neighborhood often have as well defined a home as those that spend the summer4 ,every autumn1 about the first of ,november1 if one looks carefully at the topmost twigs of the small trees that are scattered about the edges of some marsh1 the eye may finally catch1 perched on the very top1 the figure of a plump gray bird1 with black wings and tail1 about the size of a ,robin4 ,its tail often moves as if the bird were balancing itself4 ,a nearer view would show that its bill was stout and slightly hooked1 like a hawk's4 ,among song birds1 it is our largest regular winter visitor1 and will remain near the same spot till the end of ,march1 when it retires northward to breed4 ,the same trees serve year after year as look-out posts2 no doubt the bird remembers where to find the fattest mice and grasshoppers4 ,the ,butcher ,bird1 or ,shrike1 is one of the few birds that seem to have developed a sense of humor4 ,i have seen it attack and drive off birds far larger than itself1 apparently out of simple mischief4 ,it often indulges in a succession of strange noises1 some of which resemble the song of the ,catbird1 but the whole performance is interspersed with chuckles1 squeaks1 and harsh sounds1 or interrupted by a grating cry1 so that it can make no pretense to be called melodious4 ,it seems sometimes as if the bird were simply amusing itself4 ,for a while you will regard the ,butcher ,bird as a good-natured1 good-looking fellow2 it is not till you find1 near its post of observation1 mice or birds jammed into the crotches of twigs1 or discover a thornbush decorated with grasshoppers and caterpillars1 that you recall certain unpleasant reports about its character4 ,when you finally see it dash into a flock of sparrows and hear their screech of terror1 or see it tear out its victim's brains with that hooked bill1 you will understand its hawk-like habit of sitting where it can survey its whole domain4 ,the ,hawks clutch their prey in their curved talons1 and then tear it with their beak4 ,the ,shrike's claws are neither curved nor powerful1 so that it is evident that it wedges its victims into forked twigs or impales them on thorns1 so that it can then tear off portions to devour4 ,but why it so often leaves them uneaten 7the practice of thus displaying its wares has earned the bird its name7 has never been satisfactorily explained4 ,perhaps the bird means to return to them in times of scarcity1 but they are so often left uneaten that it seems probable that it has formed the habit of hunting and hanging up its game1 often with no thought of eating it4 ,the ,butcher ,bird has often been persecuted for the destruction of smaller birds2 it seems far wiser to protect it1 not only in order to preserve so interesting a bird1 but because birds form so small a per cent of its food4 ,in the spring and fall1 it lives very largely on insects1 and throughout the winter1 mice form a large part of its diet4 ,there is always danger of blundering when man interferes in the concerns of nature1 and if he once exterminates any creature1 it is beyond his power to re-create it4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,golden-,,crowned ,,kinglet ,,and ,,brown ,,creeper ,,the ,,golden-,,crowned ,,kinglet ,the ,golden-crowned ,kinglet is1 next to the ,humming-bird1 almost our smallest bird1 and it frequents thick evergreens so continually that it is rarely seen4 ,there is little in its voice and habits to attract attention1 and its activity and restlessness are so constant that we rarely catch sight of the bit of color which it possesses1--the crown which the little king carries4 ,but if we train our ear so that it catches every fine natural sound1 no matter how trifling1 we become aware some crisp winter day of a thin see1 see1 see1 often repeated from some hedge1 or group of orchard trees4 ,if we watch1 our eye will catch sight of one or two tiny creatures1 flitting restlessly among the twigs1 keeping their wings in almost constant motion1 even when not actually flying4 ,the general color of the bird is a shade known in the books as olivaceous1 but the effect outdoors and at a distance is a dark gray2 across the wings there are little whitish bars1 and over the head dark lines enclose the little crown1--yellow in the female1 orange in the male4 ,if we succeed in attracting the ,chickadees to our trees1 by tying up bones1 the ,kinglets often come in their company1 but their little bills are too weak to pick at the frozen gristle1 and they merely glean from the twigs and buds4 ,the little scale insects1 the eggs of moths and spiders1 all manner of minute objects1 are detected by their sharp eyes and seized by their skillful little bills and tongues4 ,at night1 the band retires to some thick evergreen hedge or grove1 ready the next morning to resume their busy rounds4 ,in ,april1 the male is moved to utter a simple little song1 and by the end of the month the whole company move to the spruce forests of the ,north1 not to return to us until the next ,september4 ,in the ,northern ,states1 the ,golden-crowned ,kinglet is the only species that remains all winter1 but from ,virginia southward its cousin1 the ,ruby-crowned ,kinglet1 is associated with it2 in summer1 strange to say1 the more ,southern winter species goes farther ,north than the ,golden-crowned1 breeding from northern ,maine to the frigid zone4 ,a few years ago1 no eggs or nest of either ,kinglet had been described1 but when they were at last discovered1 they proved as dainty as the little builders themselves4 ,the nest is globular1 with an entrance in the upper part2 it is placed in a thick mass of spruce twigs and composed of hanging moss1 ornamented with bits of dead leaves1 and lined chiefly with feathers4 ,in such a nest1 as many as nine eggs are often laid2 imagine the little ,golden-crown brooding in this bower4 ,like some of the ,warbler family1 the ,kinglet does not let an insect escape1 though it should take wing before it could be seized4 ,the bird1 too1 has wings1 and darts out after its prey4 ,in winter1 it often hovers under the piazza roofs1 or the lintels of the barn door1 and while in the air1 picks off the eggs or chrysalids that have been hidden in the crevices4 ,occasionally one of the birds1 in its eagerness to seize some attractive morsel1 flies sharply against a windowpane4 ,no doubt it is the part of a thrifty householder to sweep out the insects from his piazza roof1 but there are some1 like ,lowell1 wise enough to leave a few decayed limbs on their apple trees for the ,woodpeckers1 a patch or so of weeds for the ,snowbirds1 and a chrysalis or two for the hungry ,kinglets in winter4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,herring ,,gull ,,the ,,herring ,,gull ,all winter1 a traveler along the seashore sees the great gray gulls wheeling gracefully through the air with outstretched wings1 floating lightly on the water1 or sitting in long lines or compact masses on the bars or flats which are exposed at low tide4 ,the harbors of all the northern seacoast cities are visited in winter by numbers of these birds1 constantly on the watch for any bits of refuse which may be thrown from the wharfs or vessels1 or brought down by the tides or currents4 ,their long and powerful wings make the flight of even so heavy a bird a sight beautiful to watch1 and the water looks deserted when the motion and color which the gulls furnish is absent4 ,but it is not to the eye alone that the birds appeal4 ,the ceaseless activity of the gulls in pursuit of floating refuse and their inordinate appetite make them invaluable scavengers2 without them1 the refuse dumped into the water would return at each tide to pollute the shore4 ,no idea can be formed of the value of the service performed by the gulls1 till one sees the countless throngs which hover over the dumping grounds in the lower ,new ,york ,bay1 awaiting the arrival of the scows with the refuse from that city4 ,as the buzzards and vultures are protected in all warm countries for their services in devouring carrion1 so ought these scavengers of the northern seas to be guarded from persecution4 ,the adult ,herring ,gull in full plumage has pure white underparts1 head and tail1 but a gray mantle1 as it is termed1 is spread over the wings4 ,young birds1 however1 show many shades of brown1 and attain the white only after a year or two4 ,the small1 elegantly built birds1 known along the seacoast as ,mackerel ,gulls1 are not strictly gulls1 but terns4 ,they may be known by their forked tails and by their black caps4 ,it is they that hover screaming over the water1 constantly darting down to strike at fish4 ,gulls breed commonly along the coast of ,maine and far northward4 ,great colonies occupy a small area1 and a visit to their breeding places is a marvelous experience4 ,at the approach of an intruder1 the parents rise from their nests and circle about overhead1 uttering hoarse cries1 till the air is full of their wheeling forms4 ,the downy young squat in the grass or bushes till the danger is past4 ,both gulls and terns have long been persecuted for their soft white and gray plumage1 which is coveted for the adornment of women's hats4 ,as the destruction of the birds on the islands where they are breeding would soon destroy the whole race1 efforts are being made by the lovers of birds to protect the birds on all the sandy points or rocky islands where they rear their young4 ,gulls have wonderful powers of flight1 and some species often follow ocean steamers for days1 flying constantly about the vessel's stern1 watching for bits of food which may be thrown overboard4 ,when an object is spied the whole flock dart upon it1 and it soon disappears among the crowd of struggling birds4 ,in the ,eastern ,states gulls are always associated with the sea1 but in the ,mississippi valley certain species are found on the prairies1 where they follow the plough to seize the upturned insects4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,chickadee ,,the ,,chickadee ,throughout the winter1 bands of small birds visit the orchards and ornamental trees of every village and farm1 gleaning dormant insects and their eggs from the twigs and boughs4 ,the best known member and the leader1 apparently1 of the company is the ,chickadee4 ,there are generally about half a dozen of these birds together1 possibly the parents and young of the preceding summer4 ,the whole company are rarely in sight at any one time2 some are in one tree1 some are flying to the next1 one perhaps is on the ground4 ,there is a constant interchange of lisping call-notes1 which break into excited gurgles1 and the familiar tee1 dee1 dee1 dee1 when something excites their alarm or curiosity4 ,it is not hard to disturb their composure2 they come more easily than almost any other bird to the squeaking sound that bird students make to attract the attention of birds4 ,one fluffy head after another pitches into the tree nearest the performer2 then1 by short stages1 the boldest comes nearer to the strange sight and sound1 often within arm's length4 ,when their curiosity is appeased1 they return to their examination of the twigs and branches1 or1 if startled by a sudden movement1 they dive into the nearest cover4 ,their positions when feeding on slender twigs are extremely graceful1 and their agility surprising4 ,when gathering sunflower seeds1 of which they are extremely fond1 they cling to the under surface of the drooping head and pick till they loosen the seed4 ,then they fly with it to a branch and hammer it open4 ,a favorite winter food is the berry of the poison ivy4 ,by tying a bone or a piece of suet to the branches of trees near the house1 not only ,chickadees but other birds as well will be attracted to the spot1 and will become regular winter visitors4 ,they are by no means confined1 however1 to villages and farms4 ,often as we push through the deep snows of the winter forests1 the only sound will be the distant lisp of this hardy bird4 ,besides the notes heard so commonly in winter1 the ,chickadee has a pensive and extremely gentle whistle1 which it utters while sitting motionless1 and oftener in spring than at other seasons1 though it may be heard in every month of the year4 ,it consists of two notes1 an exact interval apart1 and each accented4 ,it is often mistaken1 especially in early spring1 for the song of the ,phbe1 but it may be distinguished by its purity and sweetness4 ,it is easily imitated by whistling1 and the bird will often answer1 or even fly toward the person whistling1 and survey him with astonishment4 ,it is generally believed by people who see the bird only in winter that the ,chickadees retire northward in spring2 it is true that they then no longer frequent the yards and gardens1 but in the woods and retired orchards many a pair have excavated some decaying birch or apple stump1 and after lining it warmly with moss and feathers1 provided amply for the continuance of their race2 sometimes as many as nine eggs are laid4 ,in winter1 the birds spend the night in holes1 not necessarily the same in which they were bred4 ,several writers have mentioned instances of the extreme boldness of this bird2 ,mr4 ,chapman has had a ,chickadee perch on his hand4 ,one can easily imagine it1 but we do not need such a mark of confidence to feel strong affection for this companionable and winter-loving bird4 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,silently corrected simple spelling1 grammar1 and typographical errors4 #b4 ,retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed4 #c4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4 #d4 ,the term 7e-udenotes an e-u with a ,triple ,inverted ,breve over the characters4