Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-05-22
Perils OF Bird Life,

IElpAl NIcHtplt VI NpNlatt lhls hoHhN'
well, aud may have some moral found
alton but ! can come a. near Prov
Ing that eatbird curses aud hipg,
out all sorts Of abusive epithcts al IL
enemies, when angry, as any one eau
come TO establishing tho s0ng,praise
theory, The season Of love making
II the season oi sony, aud likewise the
season Of battles among tho birds
About the time that ,he male, begin
10 strut aud look about them fur
wives, rum9rs Oi strife aud muts Of
war begin 10 peyalc the sweet alr
and sunshine OF spnng, The males
fight Tor possession Of the comcly f.,
males, aud In turn tho females strug-
gle aud boldly battle Tor qaccnship OF
the gayly feathered males, Then the
woods arc stirred with song and
shaken with combat, The rustic Of
wings Is continuous, aui tho cries Of
triumph, and tho Shrieks OF 0cteat,
arc blended together llce slt. u
yellowthroated warbler, rocking on Il
green spray Of young leaves, gurgling
a very rapture OF music in his tiny
mouth, aud IN answer to bis sweetly
crratlc song sobcr,,inted mate comes
TO rock by his side, Like n flash ol
flame, another male strikes him, aud
the two roll over aud over in the air
fighting desperately, The female joins
the victor aud a@ay they 60 on their
love journey through the cool green
groves. Another female comes along,
likes the looks OF Mr., Ycllow-,hroat,
aid forthwith attacks. II victorious,
she joins wings with her lord, and
floats away down current Of bloom.
scented air, to find II good place for Il
nest, So with all the wild, gay sing
ers OF the woods, Their days Of glory
are their days Of battle, Like earnest
knights Of fairy land, trickcd in shin
Ing armor and richly-tintcd plumes,
these little adventures of the groves
charge Gown upon the dn'ky aisles .
and across the bright glades to cross
lances with all comers OF whatever
prowcss or rcnown. You hear a sharp
cry and little crash, as of suddenly /
crumpled velvet, when the tiny com.
batants collide in the lists, aud, after
the fight is. over, brilliant feather,
slowly falling through the soft air,
is left as Il souvenir of the momentous
conflict. Two male orioles fighting
in mid-air is n pretty sight. Think
of animated "hakes of flame as Dr.
Homes names them, whirling over and
round and round, now rushing to
gether with a flash and y hiss, nov
flying apart to seek u better advant-
age, and anon beginning a sparring
process, with wing ard beak, so rapid
and involved that no human eye can
follow the manoeuveIs Sharp, quick. ,
sounds Of crossing quills and ,
closing mandlbles tell of sincere work
going on in that revolving mist Of jet +
and gold.
The conclusion l have reached is, c
that bird life, so far from being happy t
song-glorifed, praisefuI existence SO 4
eAtolled by poets, sacred and profane, |
is one scene of restless struggle and c
strife, hunger and dread and tear and q
pain Beset on all sides by deadly +
oes, continually pressed by hunger, I,
Ill the time under the influence OF G
some controlling passion, roaming k
by day, and lowering in v
lark dread by night, how can they be
~ py! Look closely into the eyes o
/ the canary or the mocking-bird t,
While it is singing in the cage. Is the s.
happy one? You see q b
ad, worried, longing CLEAN that has b
10 joy at its root Just so with the b
Wild ones. Their eyes betray the fl
oulless shallowness of their so-called fc
ongs. Do not dispute this until you ii
ave investigated the matter for your at
eff and then you will not. Go lie in S
he shadow of a hedge bordering 4 k
'heat or oats plat in early summer, tt
nd wait till meadow lark or a field st
parrow perches near you, then, with st
good opera glass, scan him while he bl
ngs. Once you have caught the ex- IN
ression of his eyes, his song never fl,
gain will sound the same. Ever at fit
erward, you will hear in it nothing h,
ut meaningless, inarticulate rasping, S,
+ at best, liquid medley of iuvolun- b:
Try notes. Put yourself in the ori sa
les place. 1t is May. The leaves he
re coming out on the naples and the Ot
Issels are adornng the oaks. 1t is ID
,rlv morning of cloudless day.