Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-29

made up by one Of these Indians, and con.
VARIETY Of had BEEN
body Of another"
BIRD INTELLECT.
"Do think birds have reason?" said Mr..
Ridgway, repeating query Of q STAR reporter
'Well have seen many things which make
me believe they have some reason. remem-
Der one remarkable instance. came once
upon the nest OF hum 1,l bird which had
bark had peeled Off and broken SO that the nest
had been turned over and the eggs spilled out.
The bird then built another and much smaller
weight that it was just nicely balanced BY the
old nest. Nothing but reason could have told q
bird bow to build the nest in that way"
The bright color of the plumage of some of the
birds will fade and become dingy after expo
sure to the light. The colors Of most of the
get some very valuable suggestions by a careful
analysis Of natures process. The plumage of
some Of the birds is Just tipped with red SO that
red appearance. When the feathers are rutfied,
however, the bird becomes white. One bird, the
breast, the color Of which will easily wash out,
When the bird is drenched by rain all the red
color disappears. The bird, however, soon re-
or dye stuff which 1t secretes. The same effect
can be produced on the feathers of this bird by
using aniline dye.
THE TAxiDERM1srs WORK ROOM,
in q small building adjoining the Smithsonian
building, is filled with curious and beautiful
specimens of birds. In various stages of prepa-
ration Among the odd birds are two speci-
mems OF the ptarmigan, with the name of which
every one who has read reports of arctic expe-
winter dress of white and his snow shoes. Dur
ing the winter the bird Is covered with white
cannot be seen at any distance in the snow
There are little processes between its toes which
are covered with stiff feathers in the winter,
and serve the purpose of snow Shoes In the
summer the bird has speckled plumage like
a guinea hen. A little bird from Central Amer
dermist, is one OF the most curious In the col
lection. It has little tuft of feathers upon the
back of the head, which opens and closes like q
fan. Ordinarily the fan is closed and lies down
on the back Of the neck. When the bird is
hungry 1t spreads open the fan and throws 1t
up above its head; The open feathers are a
poppy. The bird then takes its place on
vine or swinging twig, and the fan moving
some rich-hued flower. The insects hunting
for flowers are attracted by the rich color and
fly around 1t, only to be gobbled up by the bird,
which holds out this gaudy bait.
A MISUNDERSTANDING OWL.
Among the birds slowed away in the base
ment is an owl from New Zealand, represent
ing a variety which has o strange story, show
ing how the habits Of birds may change Be-
fore Europeans settled in New Zealand there
These owls subsisted upon the vegetation. At
ter the whites settled on the island and intro
duced sheep one severe winter the owls could
not get enough TO eat from the sparse vegeta-
ton, and one of them made q meal of the fat
clinging to an old sheep skin. From that mo-
from the sheep, and they became the most de-
structiye enemy of the sheep. The owls light
their strong beaks. Then they tear the hides
away and get at the kidney fat, which they like
most. Thousands . Of sheep are killed in this
taken every measure possible to- exterminate
the voracious owls. Though New Zealand had
no IN, mammals TO speak Of 1t boasts or could boast
eral times as large as an ostrich. Natives there
moa are still The fou ne%ans there Of w sas
the feathers attached, indicating that the
moa came near a settlement of natives the
whole tribe turned out with spears to kill it, as
was too pDs ith for one
tho natives possessed.
AMERICA STILL AHEAD.
Speaking Of large birds, it may give a thrill
of patriotic satisfaction to good citizens to know
that America is still ahead in the matter of the
size of birds of flight. The distinction of being
condor Of the Andes. The California vulture,
however. has proved its superior size. A speci-
men at the museum has spread of over nine
feet. The various specimens examined weigh,
as q rule, several pounds more than the average
South American condor. In the taxidermisfs
room is q huge live owl Of the ordinary kind
known as the barn owl. These owls rarely ex-
coed in weight or size that OF an ordinary roos-
ter, yet they will steal q hen or rooster and fly
away with it. This the owl accomplishes by
piece Of strategy which Mr.. Ridgway described
to the reporter. When the owl finds a number
OF chickens roosting upon q fence rail or the
limb of o tire. it will settle down to roost at the
end Of the row Of sleeping fowls. Soon it will
begin to crowd little, and it will keep on
crowding till the chickens get considerably dis
turbed and one Of them loses its balance and
flies of. Before the unfortunate chicken reaches
the ground the owl pounces upon it and gets a
firm hold of its back with his claws. The fright
ened chicken continues the motion of flying
The owl with his stronger wings, merely guides
the chicken in the direction he wants to 60 but
makes the chicken work its own passage. In
big rooster.