Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-29
NOTES OK THE FAUNA OF WEIR
MONTH";.
Written Tor the Free Press by Francis II. II
r.ck.l
A Good Season for the Birds.

A Good SensOn for the Birds.
| Thus far the present season has proved
exceptionally favorable to brd-if2. At any
rate the fields and orchards are tenanted by
an unusual number of songsters, and their
merry voices would indicate life of plenty
and enjoyment. In spite of the frequent
rains the young seem TO be coming on
apace.
When there arc violent storms OF wind or
rain Mt this sc lson or protracted wet weather,
the birds suffer much. Their humble dwell
ings are shattered and tumblcd TO the
ground the irail eggs are spilled out or
become added, not receiving the proper
degree of warmth for incubation. The
Young also suffer from exposure to tic cold,
aud at such times those arch thieves, the
crows, seem to become professional rob-
bers.
In time of continuous rains, it has been
noted the chimncy-swif!s are particularly
unfortunate. The glue which secures their
wickcr-nests is softened and down they fall
with their precious Cargoes 10 the chimney s
bottom. But succession OF moderate
showers and VAIN, sunny weather, such us
has marked the present and preceding
months seems to have been favorable TO all
forms of life. Was vegetation ever iresher,
} or flowers more rank and abundant? They
everywhere strew the woods and fields snd
cncroach upon the road.
The struggle for life appears ais, 10 be
r lighter than usual in the insect world. The
: insaliate mosquitoes and expecant potato
| beetles, and vast armies Of other verinin
5 occupy their old haunts with redoubled
7 forces. Upon the surface aud beaches OF
= Lake Champlain, long windrows of the
{ ploddiDg June bug attest the great abund-
: auee of his species While in the Adirondack
[ region early in the month, | noticed an un-
a usual number Of butterflies abroad in the air,
, especially the great black-and yellow, tailed,
d butterfly ,Papilo 1urnus). Several hun
. dred of these could be seen clustering
i together in wet places by the roadside. In
: one instance, near spring lowered fifty of
j. these handsome fellows with my hat.
y Thus while vegetation may suffer from Its
h numerous foes, the birds will live sumplu
n ousy, feeding on the fats and delicacies Of
e the insect race. But the economy aud bal
r ance OF nature is always sustained. When
Y ever branch becomes too fruitful, she vii
Ii produce an enemy forthwith to lopit Off
7. We may be sure there ia an ''lll wind" blow
&c too favorable in any one direction. Ih'
v riddle does not always admit of ready
t. solution.
>, The WhippOOrwiIl (AntrOstOmus voci
fcrus, BOnapl.
W The monotonous call OF the WhippoorwiI
is is familiar sound, coming up from the WOO
We or down the rocky hillside Out of the slillnes
y of a summers night, but who has seen tn
,ir author of this weird note ? Probably ne
nc many in fact so rare bird is he, but pal
nd ticularly so private and retiring in his habits
cs that for long time he was a sort of myth,
disembodied voice. At the beginning of tn
in century VIC find Wilson, the father OF on
be ornithology, distinguishing him from tn
Is, Night-hawk, bird Of similar habits and a
M. ally, with which he was formerly though
ty identical.
Iat Passing through the woods in spring, yo
ny may sometimes disturb the doing medit,
he tions of this day-dreamer. They rise in yOl
he path and flying low, wheel silently of
is another part OF the wood, and drop like
al chip upon the leaves again, where they r
YER main motionless as before until disturbed
ing second time when they repeat these tactic
art beating longer retreat.
ad- IOnce awoke pair of these birds roposil
lri- beneath an ancient fence which crossed
en- rocky woodland, and on another occas
bly, two had taken possession of the prolecti
by arch in the foot of Il decaying tree. VIII
zee, aroused, one flies few feet and settles up
sst small PROSTATE log, nttering low ctut
as ctuck, ol-soa, cu-,oa, u sort of a remonstran
d a apparently, TO this interruption OF
like thoughts. Would you take that gray obj
the there for 6ird2 1t sppears more as pic
ems of bark, an excrescence on the old tree, p
lid haps, but no | 1t is an animate object
tails at short intervals 1t lifts its body, raises
am head, aud with apparent effort, delivers
nge low chuckle, which gradually becomes
ion audible as the bird settles down more
yer ease. AS YOU approach within few f
of this dusky object moves about its head as
lose experimenting danger from some directi'
also but ignorant of the cause, thus displaying
ave deficiency Of their sight in the day-lin
lem What a gaunt, grotesque looking. blr
10Th Above and below sireaked with black, W
,lrd brown and lighter Shades with long wiz
loes and tail, he agrees well with the Robin