Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-11-25


action, and as the bird sweeps down with the
speed of wind not only do the wings perform
their part, not only do the talons and beak
prepare for action, but the eye is all the time
being drawn out round and full, and when
the earth is reached it is us keeny near sight
ed MS it was far sighted I'm instant before, and
if the bird chance to turn toward the sun the
third eyelid, the silvery nictitating membrane
springs over the eye and shields it from
harm.
But, however interesting the structure and
action of the various parts of II birds body,
an extended consideration of them is foreign
to our present purpose, and so we pass on to
notice very briefly the relations of birds to
other animals. In their mode of reproduce
ton and in the structure of some parts of the
body birds have some affinity with the rep
tiles, but in other respects there is greater
resemblance to the mammals Between these
two classes, though not in all respects strictly
intermediate. the birds are placed. There is
no necessity for giving in this place Il detail
ed classification, and we will pass this part
of the subject by simply stating that many
naturalists arrange the birds in two groups,
one embracing those that hatch the young in
IL weak condition and so are Obliged to feed
and care for them for some time, as is
the case with the Robin and other of our
common song birds; the other group EN-
braces snch birds as the Partridge and our
common fowls. whose young are able us soon
rs hatchcd to run about and care to some
extent for themselves.
Besides this general div ision, some more
specific arrangement is adopted. That most
used by naturalists comprises seven orders
which will be taken up in turn, though little
need be said of most of them as they are not
Of special interest to the ngriculturist, and one
order, that of the Cursores or runners, which
is composed of birds such us the Ostrich and
Cassowary, will be omitted entirely. At this
time only those species which are found with
in the limits of Vermont will be noticed.
The first order to be considered, Raptores
or Birds of Prey, has not very much iinpor-
tance from i'm agricultural point of view 1t
is true that the frontier settlers suffer not IL
little from the depredations of Eagles and
Hawks, but in II thickly settled country such
losses are not usually very large; still these
larger birds are injurious just so far us these
depredations extend. The Owls, especially
the smaller ones, deserve more favor, rs they
destroy large numbers of rats, mice, moles
and such animals that do more or less dam
age to the crops. But more than this they
devour great many of the large night-tlying
moths. which come from, and in turn pro-
duce the large larvae, us the potato-worm and
tobaccO-worm. The common Screech Owl
is especially serviceable in this way.
The Scansores or Climbers are of far great
er Importance, us many OF them are most
useful. Indeed it may be asserted with
truth that all of this order which are found
in Vermont are friends of the farmer. In
warmer countries the numerous tribes of
Parrots and similar birds are many of them
very mischievous, but our species are all in
sect eaters We have only the Woodpeck-
ers and Cuckoos. The Cuckoos are not of
great Importance as they are few in number
They eat IL great many caterpillars and
other insects and so are beneficial so far us
they go. Few birds are of so great value to
the farmer us the Woodpeckcrs. As Wilson
most truly says, this whole group seems to
have been formed for the protection of our
fruit and forest trees from the ravages Of
vermn. Among the many groundess and
wholly false ideas in regard to birds is one
which attributes to these birds the habit of
sucking the sap of trees and which therefore
bestows upon them the name of Sapsuckers.
The absurdity of such an idea does not seem