The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-05

sticks and trash in reducing the aperture by
which they enter their nest to the proper
size. Inside this pile of stuff is a compact,
| cup-like nest built of soft material. They
are sweet singers, and right at our door too,
and should always be encouraged.
Our species are sprighty, fearless and i'm
pudent little creatures, apt to show bad tenn
per when they fancy themselves aggrieved
by cats or by people, or anything else that
is big or unpleasant to them; they quarrel
good deal, and are particularly spiteful
towards martins and swallows whose homes
they often invade and occupy. Their song
is bright and hearty, and they are fond of
their own music; when disturbed at it
they make great ado with noisy scolding
Part OF them live in reedy swamps and
marshes, where they hang astonishingly
big globular nests, with little hole on one
SIDE, on tufts OF rushes, and lay six or eight
dark colored eggs; the others nest anywhere"
(Dr. Coues.) All are insect eaters, and most
otthem migratory.
Dolichonyx Oryzivorus. Called Bobolink
in Northern States, Reed Bird in Middle
States, and Rice Bird in the South. The
male is in spring black, with buffy neck, the
rump and shoulders ashy white, and the
back streaked with black buff and ashy. The
female and fall male are dull yellow birds,
resembling some sparrows but the acute tail
feathers and large size readily distinguish
them in any plumage. SIN its black livery,
only worn for short time, the bobolink is
dispersed over the meadows of the Northern
States to breed, and is a voluble, spirited
songSter. After the midsummer change the
reed bird or rice bird throngs the marshes in
immense tlocks with the black birds, has sim
ply chirping note, feeds on the wild oats
becomes extremely fat, and is accounted q
great delicacy." (Coues.)
The bobolink is the pride of the prairie
meadows OF Northern Indiana, where it is an
abundant summer resident arriving the last
of April, and going South in it's plain brown
travelling suit-Mr and Mrs. and all the little
Bob-o -lincolns, now all of the same color-in
great tiocks the last OF August. Not common
in Marion county, although l have taken
them as late as the last of June and am salts
he'd they were breeding in the meadows near
the Deaf and Dumb Institute in 1880. For
an account of the inner life" of this Ameri-
can rival of the English skylark one has
only to consult the sunny pages of Irving or
the exquisite tribute of John Burroughs in
Birds and Poets" Nor have the poets missed
him, even though the song sparrow and wood
thrush, the water thrush and humming- bird
and many a meek and lonely sparrow song
ster have slipped through the finest meshes
of the poets net.
Robert of Lincoln is gaiy drest
Wearing a bright black wedding-coat;
White are his shoulders and white his crest,
Hear him call in his merry note:
Bob-o'-link, Bob o'-link,
Sphinx, spank, sphinx;
Look what nice new coat is mine,
Sure there never was a bird so line.
Chee chez, chez.
Robert of Llncoln's Quaker wife,
Pretty and quiet, with plain brown wings;
Passing at home patient life,
Broods in the grass while her husband sings:
Bob-o'-link, BOb-o'link,
Sphinx, spank, sphinx:
Brood, kind creature, you need not fear
Thleves and robbers while am here
Chee, cnee, chee.
Molothrus alter, the Cow-bird. Male rides
cent black; head and neck glossy brown;
female much smaller. dusky brown. Abund-
ant summer resident from March 10 October;
gregarious and polygamous; noted for its
parasitic habits. Like the European
cuckoo it builds no nest, laying its eggs by
stealth in the nests of various other birds,
especially wrens warblers and sparrows; and
1t appears to constitute, furthermore, re-
markable exception to the rule of coniuga]
affection and fidelity among birds. A won
derful provision for the perpetuaton of the
species is seen in its instructive selection of
smaller birds as the foster parents of its off
spring. for the larger bird receives the greater
share of warmth durin incubation, and the
lusty young cow-bird asserts its precedence
in the nest; while the foster BIRDS however
reluctant to incubate the strange eggs (their
devices to avoid the duty are sometimes
astonishing) become assduous in their care
of the foundlings, even to the neglect of
their own young" (Coues.)
The same author wildly portrays the cow
| bird about to lay. "She becomes disquieted,
separates from the flock and sallies
| forth to reconnoiter, anxiously indeed, for
| her case is urgent and she has no home How
| obtrusive is the sad analogy " Now,
| however, comes her chance; there is the very
| nest she wishes, and no one at home. She
| disappears for few minutes and it is almost
another bird that comes out of the bush. Her
| business done and troubles over she chuckles
| her self-gratulations rustles her plumage to
adjust it trinity, and flies back 10 her asso-
ciates. They know what has happened, but
| are discreet enough to say nothing charity
is often no less wise than kind" (See pages
| 1S0-1S6 of Coues's Birds of the Northwest
Dendroeca @stiva, the Summer Warbler,
| Golden Warbler. Chiefly golden yellow;
black olive yellow; orange brown streaks on
| breast and side. An abundant summer resi-
| dent from late April until September.
| One of the few birds which refuses to in
cubate the alien eggs of the cow-bunting
| (Molothrus ater). ut frequently constructs
| a two-story nest, leaving the buntings eggs
| in the cellar and at least one instance IS re-
! corded of the repetition oil this laborious ard
| disagreeable work. resulting In three-story
nest, some seven inches deep, with cow
birds egg in each of the two lower compart-
ments. She deserved better of fate than that
her house should at last be despoiled by a
naturalist. This was a summer yellow bird,
to whom the price of passing thus into his
tory must have seemed hard" (Dr. Coues.)
| The only species ranging regularly across the
| continent, the summer warbler, is a con-
fiding bird, an agreeable singer, fond of mans
| presence, nesting in orchards, yards and
| even in crowded streets of towns In Ken
| lucky have heard it called the fax bird
They have been abundant since the 25th of
| April in the well-wooded portions of the
city. ALEMBERr w. BRAYToN.
|
An Attack Upon the "Vine."