The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-06-10
For the Jcfiersoninn Democrat.
Birds of the Farm,

B1rds OF the Farm,
Which drr,Ue and Irpart during The month oC
May. and their influence upon 9gricut-
fure.
LANIIpAg; Shrikes and Tireos.
There are two species Of Shr;kes, the
Northern Shriko and Tho whito. winged
Shriko that visit this County. but they are
very rare. They cope south into tho Uni
ted States, to spend the winter, because tho
food Of more Northern regions has failed
thom on account of tho extreme cold, but
they return again ns soon as mild weather
brings tho usual supply. which is earlier or
later different years. Their food consists
of mico aud other small quadrupeds. togeth.
or with beetles and kindred insects, and oc.
casionally small birds. Tho injury done by
their capturing fow insectivorous birds
is small compared with tho good arising
from their Wholesale destruction OF mice
and other posts for tho domauds Of ap.
petite aro not tho limit to the number cap.
tured and killed during day small por.
ton of these only will satisfy them the
rest are left. Thoir mode OF taking their
prey is peculiar. sitting motionless upon
some stump, limb or rail, they watch pa
tieutly for hours, till some object of their
search appears in view, when sudden
plunge of the bird secures tho game. which
is borne Cf, not, however. to be Immediately
eaten, but to be transGxed upon thorn,
where IL Is suffered to remain unless II be af
terwards needed Tor food. In regions North,
il is not uncommon to find dozens of these
neglected carcasses on a single thorn bush
and in state Of decay. So it would seem
that the simple pleasure of capturing and
killing is tho great motive that uctuatcs
them.
Tho remaining mcmbors of this family
are tho Vireos. OF these, the blue-headcd
and Cassins Vireo are iare; tho red-eyed,
white-cycd aud yellow. throatod Nirco are
shy and retiring, prcferring the solitude OF
high, open woods, in which to nest and rear
their young, while the warbling VIRGO visits
our orchards, and frequently our gardens,
in search of insects, and often nests in a
tree or bush, at no gteut distance from the
farmhouse. 1t is o good singer, and, on
this account alono, would be a valuable ad.
di,ion to the number of our homestead
birds but it is also insectivorous, and con-
sumes, on an average, about rs 600 insects
u month for each pair. Tho other V,reos
arc ulso inscctivorous, and doubtless con.
sumo insects as fast as the warbling Vireo.
All are summer residents and arrive usually
between the first aud 25,h of the month,
and depart again South in the full, wherc
they spend the winter.
TRocHILIDAE; Hammingbirds.
Tho number of tho species In this inter
osting family far exceeds tho number found
in any other of tho feathored tribes. Moro
than 800 species are now known and do.
scribed, and it is beloved that it will event
ually reach 400. These are confined to the
American continent, mostly to the Tropics ;
five or six species only visit tho United
States, but one, the ruby-throated Hum
mingbird, the County of Gcauga. This is
summer resident, and arrived here on
tho 18th. IL will leave for tho South early
in tho fall. These birds excel all others in
splendor Of plumage, rapidity of movement
and diminutive sizo but they have traits
of character little in accordance with those
attractive qualities. Many Of them, tho
ruby .throated in particular. are very quar-
relsome creatures. Their fights are often
and soverc. In these encounters, each docs
its best to wound and disable its antagonist
whit long. sharp bill, an tho uffray is
exhausted on the ground. have picked
up these fallon birds, and frequently found
them to DO actually dead. These birds
howevor, have valuable qualities. They
are insectivorous. and destroy great quanti-
ties of class of insects that usually escape
tho watchful vigilance of most other birds.
1t is an error to suppose they visit tho
flowers for the honey thoy contain. 1t is
not tho honey they seek. but tho insects
found thore, which their long bill and pc.
culiarly formed tongue enable Ihom easily
to secure, without any injury whatever to
the blossoms.
IcrERIDAE; Biackbrds, Orioles, &c.
The remaining members of this family
arrived here from the South as follows
Baltimore OrioIe on the Oh, Orchard Oriole
on tho 7th, and tho Bob!ink, or Rodbird, on
tho 9th. The Baltimore Orioe builds that
long, pocket-like most of flax, or q material
resembling it. which wo see suspended by
its top, from twig, near the end of some
branch. The Orchard O,iole builds that
basket-like nest, which we SEQ fastened by
its upper edges between the forks of small
limb, made OF the long, green fbers Of some
strong grass, and SO curiousIy interviewer,
or sewed together, that practiced eye fails
to trace ou: the track of one of those threads,
in its meanderings through tho nest. Il
must not be forgotten that tho little bird
does all this with its bill alone, making
stitch after stitch with the same thread, as
in ordinary sewing. And it would seem,
on examining one, that the maker under
stood that the stability OF its nest depended