Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-08

lanything of architecture. The barn and
chimney swallows were to be found here
then us they are to-day, but of course
they were compelled to build their nests in
hollow trees and caves, or any other suita-
Bile places which they We're able to find.
AS soon as white mon spread over the
country and erected buildings, these birds
which had never before seen barn or "A
chimney, soon discovered that these places
are much more warm and dry than rotten
trees and damp caves, rs well us better
protected from the storms; and it probably
did not take many years for the swallows
to discover that snakes and birds and
beasts of prey did not dare to approach
such places. These wise birds, then, I'M
proved upon the habits of their ancestors,
and gave up their old savage life in the
woods, in order to share the benefits of
Icivilization.
1t seems as natural now for barn
swallow to make its nest in barn, as for
IL cat-bird to build in a bush or tree; but it
is plain that this has not always been the
case, and that these birds have been wise
enough to change their mode of life.
1t is very certain that few hundred
years ago orioles could have known moth
ing about string or carpet ravclings, and
must have confined themselves to such
slingy tibers as can be found in u natural
state; and those orioles which built their
nests ut Il distance from houses, still make
use OF grass, flax, the tbres of sik-weed,
and other things which they are abe to
find; but of course II much stronger and
more durable nest can be wovon from
strong thread and string, and the birds
have not been slow to discover this and to
act accordingly.
A few years ago Pouchet, French
naturalist, who was then engaged in writ
ing book upon natural history, wished to
have an engraving made of the nest oil
the common European house martin. The
nests in his collection were nearly fifty
years old, and, thinking the artist would
, be able to make much better picture
from new and perfect nest than from an
old one, he employed man to collect q
number from the walls of the houses ir
Paris.
Upon comparing these with the old
} nests in his collection, Pouchet found that
there had been very great improvement
| in the architecture of these birds within
5 the last fifty years. He says that the ole
l nests are globular, OF forming Il segmen
} of II sphere with a very small rounded
(. opening, just large enough to allow tn,
= passage of the birds inhabiting it; and thu
s accounts Of the ancient writers agree il
e describing this as the form of the nest il
f loir day. The new nest is in the form o
u the quarter of hollow semi-oval, thi
It giving three flat surfaces for attachmen
# instead of one. and affording much NOR
+ room on the floor of the nest. The open
U ing is no longer a round hole, but lon!
+ transverse slit, between the upper edge o
: tie nest and the wall of the building t.
c which it is attached thus allowing tn
:. young to put their heads out and hoy til
$ fresh air, without interfering with the en-
). trance and exit of the parents. MI
5, Pouchet says that, besides the advantage
II o, more room inside the nest, increase
II Facilities for access and greater strength
)f 1t is also more secure from the invasion {
le enemies, and better protected from the eli
IS trance of cold and rain, and is thus
Y. decided improvement upon the old form
le Many of the naturalists who have stud
III ed the habits of birds with the creates
i'd care have satisfied themselves that youn
n birds are not as skillful us the old. Near
te one hundred and fifty years age Lerory,
lie French naturalist who spent his life
30 studying the habits of the wild animals
81 Europe, published Il book, which has lat
=. ly been ttranslnted into English, on Il
ne Intelligence and PerfectibiIity of An
It. mails" In this book he says that it is in
e. possible that Il constant and attcnti,
M observer should fail to remark that.tl
" nests of young birds are almost invarab
an ill-made and badly situated. He al
e. shows that the best and most complicat
'st nests are made by those species of birt
Te whose young remain long time in L
he nest, and thus have more opportunity
.rl see how it is made. Wilson, the ornith
Id logist, who spent his life in studying Il
he habits of our birds, reached the same co
NJ clusion-that there is very perceptit
y inferiority in the nests of young birc
by Prof. W. A. Brooks, 81. Nich0!oS I
Of AHgnSt.