The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-05-05
TWO STORY BlRps, NESTS.

Nuile the expanding leaves of trees
and shrubs retain the tender tints OF
pink. and the broad lily pads commence
To mosiac the surface of the ponds with
green. in perfects La mOny with the
bursting bud and opening flower comes
the summer yellow bird and from hedge
and bush may be heard his song. as sim
pie and pleasing as the tasteful but mod
est plumage that covers his little person.
Almost Immediately after The first ap-
pearance Of the industrious little birds
they commence their preparations for
housekeeping. The male bird flies bus
ily about selecting such material as
feathers. plants. ibres, the turZe from
ferns. the catkins from willows, and
other similar objects, all of which he
he brings 20 his mate, who arrdnges
and fashions their delicate nest. SO
quickly and deltiy do this little couple
labor that they build a greater part of
their house in a single day.
There is often third party interested
in the construction of this nest, home
less happy-gO-lucky Bohemian bird. who
has a tramp7s interest in the bOusekeep-
inc arrangements of most of the smaller
feathered deniZens of cOpse and woods.
This is the well-knOwn co w-blackbird,
who distains to shackle her freedom
with the care of family, and shifts
mothers responsibility by farming her
progeny out, while she seeks the incOn-
gru0us but apparently congenial COM
panionship of the cattle, with whom she
appears to be on the most intimate
terms.
The cow-blackbird deposits its eggs
indiscriminately among the nests of
smaller birds. The blackbird's eggs
generally hatch out a day or two sooner :
than the adopted mOJher's own eggs, so, |
when the Legitimate members of the |.
family do come it is to find their nest J
already occupied by the strong, lusty in /
terlOpeIs. who, on account of their su- /
periOr size and strength, come in for the I
lions share of food brought to the nest. !
Thus tho innocent parents rear the |
aliens while their own young starve, /
1t is really a pitiable sight to see cOu- /
pie of little greenlets searching from
davbreak till evening for food to ill the /
capaciOu5 crop of one or more young .
cow-backbirds, considerably larger than /
themselves.
The summer yellow birds, though con- /
fidiug little creatures, are not readily 4
duped or imposed upon. Their instinct /
is sufficiently near reason for them to |
detect the difference between their own |
little fragile, prettily-marked, greenish .
cOlOred eggs, ana The great dark-cOlOr-
ed ones the VagabOnd cOw-blackbird has /
surreptitiously smuggled into the cosy
nest. The domestic little couple cling /
to the spot selected for their house and /
will not leave it, neither Will they hatch /
the obnoxious eggs, which they are APP
Darentlv unable to throw out but the 1
difficulty is soon surmOunted, and so are
the gratuitOuS eggs, for the indefatiga- /
bic workers proceed at once to cover up
the cOw-blaCkbird's eggs, constructing
a new nest on top of the old one, build 1
ing a second story, as it were, to their !
house.
Last summer Mr.. Lang Gibson found I.
one of these twO-sIOry nests at Flushing, /
l.. I. The lower nests had two cow
bldckbird s eggs, and The upper one three /
eggs Of the summer yellOw-bird, Glib /
son watched the construction of the |
nest. Sometime afterwards, to his sur
prise he found che nest contained three /
eggs Of the yeilgWbird and no signs of .
the existence Of those deposited by the /
blackbird. but the nest had the appear !
auCe OF beng much taller than at first,
and an examination disclosed the true /
facts of the case.
Ny. Mutual was the FIRST naturalist to /
record the observation of tWO-stOTy bird /
nests. Mr.. Baird mentions Il three /
story nest each of tine lower nests con-
tanning the eggs of the COW -backbird, /
the whole structure being seven inches /
high.