The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-11-16
McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16 1864.
be cleared by knocking them down with

be cleared by knocking them down will
sticks.
No naturalist, with competent leisure ant
opportunities, has yet examined thous
andth part of those oceanic bird cradles
where It is probable several new specie.
will be found, more curious and beautiful
than any yet known. Strange habits
which appear almost fabulous, are attributed
to some Of the winged tribe. There is
for example, small owl in Central Aneri
ca, which takes up its abode in the same
burrow with the marmot and the rattle
snake. In fine weather, you may often see
the members Of the triple population sit
ting at the entrance Of their dwellings,
On the approach of stranger, the rnarmot
first retreats into the fortiRcation, the owl
next follows, while the lazy rattlesnake
brings up the rear. ,.ar-... e. H.
On the coast Of Borneo, bird is found
which the natives call mendnbum, or the
builder, on account of the extraordinary
skill with which it constructs its nest. In
form and color, it resembles the francolin
or heath.cock. The wonderful structure
on which we bcstow the name Of nest,
usually found upon the sandy shore above
high water mark, is often sixty feet in cir
conference, and nearly five feet high
Occasionally, the bird takes advantage of a
fallen tree to form . sort Of nucleus for its
operations, and about this heaps up loose
portions of the sandy soil into the shape OF
flattish burrow. 1t then borcs, by scratch.
ing with its toes, deep hole in the mound,
and at the bottom clears space wherein
to lay its eggs. In the following season, it
appears to become dissatisfied with its old
apartments; but instead Of removing to a
distance, constructs an addition to the
mound, and excavates in it a fresh cham.
ber. In this way it proceeds, enlarging its
dwelling indefinitely, till there are numer-
Gus entrances above, and hollow cells be.
low. From one Of these to another, it
sometimes opens subtrranean galleries,
which hasty explorers fill up while digging.
Here and there, in the interior of the bur
row, eggs are found, some newly laid, others
half hatched, while there are others again
from which the birds have emerged. They
come out full feathered, and so strong as to
be able to scratch Immediately. and provide
for their own subsistence. The habitat OF
the menanbum is not extensive, being con.
fined to the small islands which stud the
coast Of Borneo, and those Of the Sooloo
group.
Proceeding further toward the south. we
find, in the upper regions of Australia, a
beautiful species of startling, of brilliant
plumage, which glances with metallic lustre
as its feathers in motion receive the rays OF
light 1t lives among the thickets near the
shore and to guard against the inroads Of
its enemies, erects its habitation on trees OF
almost inaccessible height. One of our
voyagers found, near Cape York, nearly
fifty.specimens, at tonce Of the extraordinary
nest of this bird They were all suspend.
ed from the outer branches Of gigantic
cotton tree, where, light and pensile, they
rocked, or swung to and fro in the passing
breeze. To obtain one Of them was mat
ter Of no small difficulty. The trunk o.
the cotton tree, at least twelve feet in cir
conference, and shooting up straight with
out boughs for upwards Of sixty feet, seem
ed to defy all attempts at climbing. The
naturalist, therefore, had recourse to hi.
rife, and sought to detach with ball the
branches on which the nests hung; bu
the wind, swaying them hither and thther
uS'CotVu AtS S:U n ualtVe tueU VOluD
teered his services, and throwing the branch
of wild vine about the cotton tree, work
ed his way up, just as the Arabs climb tn
loftiest date-pallns. The young found il
the nests were thrown by the Australian
alive, into the fire, and eaten half raw.
One of the most striking scenes in which
.wild-fowl make their appearance, is calm
at sunset, on the tropical ocean. There il
always swell and tremulous sensation il
the vast deep, upon which the sun, goin,
down in fiery splendor, sheds crimson
glow. Then the ship lies almost motion
less upon the water, and the birds, which
had been its companions by day, take thsi
leave, some flying towards land invisibl
and far away, and some to those sslitar,
rocks which, at wide intervals, stud tn
ocean.