The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-09-15
About Birds.

ADVui blIus.
II is the opinion of some naturalists that
birds never die what is calle natural
death, but come to their end by some
murderous or accidental means; yet / have
found sparrows and vireos in the fields and
woods dead or dying, that bore no marks of
violence and ] remember that once in my
childhood red-bird fell down in the yard
exhausted and was brought in by the girl
its bright scarlet image is indelibly stamped
upon my recollection. 1t is not known that
birds have any distempers like the domestic
fowls, but | saw. social sparrow one day
quite disabled by some curious maady, that
suggested disease that sometimes attacks
poultry; one eye was nearly put out by a
scrofulous looking sore, and on the last joint
of one wing there was large humorous or
'fungous growth that crippled the bird COM
pletely. On another occasion picked up
one that appeared well but could not keep
its center OF gravity when in flight, and so
fell to the ground.
One reason why dead birds and animals
are so rarely found is, that on the approach
of death their instinct prompts them to craep
away in some hole or under some cover,
where they would be least liable to fall a
prey to their natural enemies. 1t is doubt
ful ifany of the game birds, like the pig
con and grouse, ever die ofold age, or the
century diving" crow; but in what other
form can death overtake .he humming- bird,
OF even the swift and the ba nswallow
Such are true birds of the air; they must
be occasionally lost Mt sea during their mig
rations, but so far as know, they are not
preyed upon by any other species.
A year ago last April, the pigeons flew for
two OF three days up and down the Hudson.
In long bowing lines, or else in dense mas
ses. they moved across the sky. 1t was not
the whole army, but should think at least
one corps of it had not seen such flight
of pigeons since my boyhood. went up to
the winged procession. The day seemed
memorable and poetic in which such sights
occurred.
While Twas looking at the pigeons, a
flock OF wild geese went by, narrowing the
sky nOrthward. The geese strik Q deeper
chord than the pigeons. Level and straight
they 60 as fate to its mark. l cannot tell
what emotions these migrating birds awaken
in me-thc geese especially. One seldom
sees more than flock or two in season,
and what spring token it is The great
bodies are in motion. 1t is like the pas
sage of a victorious army. No longer inch
by inch does spring come, but these geese
advance the standard across zones at one
pull. How my desire goes with them; how
something in me, wild and migratory.
plumes itself and fallows fast
! have noticed that the bobolink does not
sing the same in different localities. In
New Jersey it has one song ; on the Hudson
slight variations of the same, and on the
high grass lands of the interior of the state,
quite different strain--clearer, more dis
tinctly articulated, and running off with
more sparkle and Gghtness. 1t reminGs one
of the clearer mountain air and the tran.
slucent spring water Of those localities l
never could make out what the bobolink
says in New Jersey, but in certain districts
in this state his enunciation is quite distinct.
Sometimes he begins with the word gegue,
gegue. Then again, more fully, be true TO
me, Clarsy, be true to me. Czarsy Clarsg,
themes full tilt into his inimitable song, in
terspersed, in which the words kick yoar
slipper, kick your slipper, and temperance,
temperance 1.-THE last with peculiar nasal
re.onance), are plainly heard. At its best.
it is remarkable performance, a unique
performance, 10 it contains no. the slightest
him r suggest IN, either in tone or manner
OF eii.,t, oI any other bird song TO be heard.
The bobUlink has no mate or parallel in
any part Of the world. He stands alone.
There is no closely allied species He is
not lark, nor finch, nor a warb'e, nor a
thrush, nor starting. lie is an exception
u many well known rules. He is the only
ground bird known to me of marked and
conspicuous plumage. He is the only black
and white bird we have, and what is ill
mare odd, he is black beneath and white
aboye-the reverse OF the fact in all other
cases. Preeminently bird of the meadow
during the breeding season, and associated
with clover, and daisies, and buttercups, a.
no other bird is, he yet has the look of an
interloper or a new conner, and not one to
| the manor born. fAL-A - |e-a
| The bobolink has an unusually full throat,
which may help account for his great power
of solig. No bird has yet been found that
could initiate him or even repeat or suggest
silgle note, as If his song were the pro-
duct ofa new set Of organs There is vi
bration about it and D rapid running over
the keys that is the despair of other song.
| sters. II is said that the m0ekng bird /.
dumb in the presence Of the bObOlink, NY
neighbOr has an English sky lark that wa,
hatched and reared in captivity. The bird
is Il most persistent and yociferous songster
and fully as successful mimic az the mock.
ing bird. 1t pours out strain that is {
regular mosaic of nearly all the bird notes
to be heard, its own proper lark song for
ming kind of bordering for the whole
The notes Of the phoebe bird the purpl,
finch, the swallow, the yellow bird, the kin!
bird, the robin and others, are rendered Will
perfect distiactness and accuracy, but not |
word OF the bObOiiRs's, though the lark
must have heard It's song every day for fou
successive summers 1t was the one con