Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-17
NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF YER.
EMONT-XlII.
1 Double Tragedy.
Written for the Free Press by Francis II. uerr.e

l"ftteh Tor the Free Press by Francis H. Icrr,ck 4
The numerous little acts which are con.
stanlly being played on the stage of life be-
low us arc doubtless as important TO those
concerned as that other class which the news
papers so faithfully report, and IN which tho
lord OF creation plays his "many parts"
on July day, as CHANGED to cross
barren strip of land, covered with slim
growth OF grass, much golden-rod aud sweet
fern, my attention was called to q small bird
with large gras,hopper in its beak. This
was the Bay-winged bunting, and the booty
was evidently for her young, but why did
She not seek them and divide the spoil
Instead, the bird hoped nervously about,
uttering her dry notes, in which act she
finally dropped the prize. Surprising the
young at hand we sat down and awaited de.
velopments.
Presently several buntings dash up to
n spot a few yards away, look to the
ground and then at me, dealing out the while
stream of their sharply accented notes. We
expected a little trick at first, that this was
only rusc TO draw attention from the
young. Not so, however, when, moment
after, some Kingbirds leave their nest of
in a tree hard by, and RAISING
their war-cry, hover over the spot, dart.
Ing down to some object there.
HereupOn, going to the place, l almost
stepped on black thing rolled up there in
he which a cunp,I A i.
a big black snake, his head distorted in the
act Of swallowing sparrow, which hung.
wings and legs from his mouth. The crisis
Tor the unfortunate bird being passed, we
stood by and watched proceedings. He has
his victim head first, and the body is slowly
disappearing between the disteuded Jaws
That eye Of his flashes with rage, rs dis.
turb his meal and those grecnsh sides shine
In the sun us he folds his dull, rubber body
Into coil. AS we approach little nearer,
he removes, lifting his swollen head nearly t,
loot IN The air, oil he slowly marches to cat
ms lll-gottcn gains in peace; but his enemy
follows on. We have the serpent ut advau-
tagc. Having proceeded thus tar the bird
must 60 down notwithstanding the throes OF
deglutltion. How the salivary glands must
work to lubricale this ieithery morsrl Now
he reels On his side us if to acquire 8 Jme pur-
chase 10 force his victim down. 1t is like
sending home icad, the chief point of re-
sistencc being at the muzzlc. Tins stage
passed, the work is half completed.
What picture of stealth he makes, with
head erect, the bird depending, and his. fiery
eye dartlng angry glanccs, as he steals along
the grass . Al last the plant jaws close over
their victim, and the poor bird disappears in
the gulf. This closes the first act, and 1t is
now tine TO step in and add the final touches
nf the second. AS struck at HIM with my
cane how he shot of through the grass, and
ii required no little speed to reach him for
the laval blow.
The SparrOws.
While the Swallows are birds of the air.
the Sparrow-famil2 is decidedly terrestrial
The brown, mellow earth seems 10 have
struck in. Their plumage is sufruscd with
with it. They are OF the earth, earthly, You
can hardly flush some from the ground where
they mud the safes. cover, and then the
majority nest on the ground, where all largely
seek tier food.
l hardly know what to say when asked
nat That little ground bird' may be, which
lays speckl"d egg in grassy nest. Indeed
nalely suits too many cases. 1t fits without
discriminating. All birds might be classed
roughly as ground-Jirds and those nesting
from the ground. The Song-sparrow,
drass-hnch aud Savanna-sparrow, among the
;ommonest OF the family, habltually nest in
ne sward OF the field or pasture, and are read.
~ mistaken from similarity in size and col
Or. This Is also usually true of the field and
'wamp-sparrows.
We owe much to these active little birds.
Though seed-eatcrs as class, as with all their
Gathered brethren, the young demand
iesh, that is an insect diet.
he sparrow is never merely tolerated as
$ sometimes the case with the robin,
lhey ask no toll in small-fIuits Tor
heir services besides they are among
he merrlcst and most tireless of
III our songsers. What is more spontaneous
han the melody of the song sparrow? lie is
me OF the standard bearers of spring, when
lis notes fall as freely as the rain; nor does
lis courage fail at the approach of the Dog
tar. Now, the last of July, the climax of
he season past, as we begin to run the
|own-grade toward Autumn, when the birds
Gem ''tongue.tied aud loath to ang," aud at
lines, but for the insect, all nature would be
umb, we hear this blithe minstrel still,
lnging out his glad song from the bush in
he yard. The
(POncetcs grammincus,
Bdl,
r Bay-winged bunting, comes to our latitude
n April. Shy and retiring in habits, they
refer the quiet of the fields and scrubby
ASSURES to the hustle of the town.
I'LL. III.
1here in spring or summer, you are certain
D flush certain small, brown birds from the
round. They rise and dive into bush, the
tubble by the way, or fit perhaps to II
field. Should you note, as they
y, some white feathers in the tail, YOU NAV
c assured this is the bird in question. Ola
eneral lumber color above. and streaked
iuch with brown on the side and breast, aud
hestnut on the wing, they have the outer
'il-quils white, whence common name in |
)me localities of "whlte-in.,he-tail."
While passing through field on the 18th |
May, bird surprised us by suddenly |
sing from under foot. The nest was sunk |
tribe in the ground and contained three
tgs. 1t is that of the Grass Finch. A loose |
Hair; the walls composed of fine grass lined |
18th roollets; the eggs are light in color, |
battered and scrawled with lilac and lumber |
arklngs chiefly on the crown.
A habit Of singing at dusk has won this
usician the pretty name of "Vcsper-
'arrow.' A bird of similar dress and man
RS is tho
PasscrcuIus Savan-
ma, Bp),
1t it does not wear the white feather and is
ithout the musical quality of the latter not
speak of minor distinctions.
This bird is grounding" in every sense,
sting upon or In me ground and hardly
sing from it when disturbed. Their dis
'pearancc is often mysterious. A dive into
c dry heritage and your bird is lost, though
)sc at hand. So perfect is this cover, aided
their earth,brown plumage, il almost
quires extra powers Of vision to resolve
EN-, nor could mouse or squirrel glide
rough the grass with more agility
The pRLS of the SAVANNA are n tr file smaller