Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-11

THOROUGH WORKMEN.
Building without Hammer or Nails-A
Bold Robbery and q Successful Recapt-
ure.
There were wv of them at it, the
father and mother, and she seemed to
be doing as much as he did. They were
not Turks or Indians, or she would
have done all the carrying and build
ing, while he sat on a limb overseeing
the job. There I have let it out, and
you know they were not man and
woman, only robins in a cherry-tree.
The tree was ten or fifteen feet from my
window. 1t was in the spring of 1873,
when warm weather came early. Twas
SICK in bed, but one of my friends brought
me an opera-glass, and with that !
could see all the work going on as
plainly as if it was ON the table in my
room. Not all, however, for much of
It was done early in the morning before
l "a awake. Do you know how early
the birds get up? 1 have heard robins
begin to sing at half-past three in the
morning.
When these birds had laid down a
foundation of large twigs strength
ened with mud, then they began to
weavein short pieces of hay and grass
and fine twigs. They filled up the bot
tom with clay, which I think they had
worked up in their bills to make it
more sticky and tough. l could see
them put the sticks and straws in and
push the end through with their bills,
and then draw it out on the other side
and bring it up to the top or push it in
another place. Long pieces Of hay or
white strings were hanging down
around the nest When a few short
pieces had been woven to their salts
faction, then they would draw up these
longer pieces and pull them through,
and so fasten it all together very Sc
curely.
The pushing and pulling and weav-
ing would draw the nest out of shape.
These birds were thorough workmen,
and built to the plumb line, and had an
eye for beauty as we'll as strength and
comfort. 10 shape the nest inside the
robin would turn round aAld round in
it, pressing the mud compactly in the
BOTTOM and brushing the sides smooth
and making the nest round. 10 press
the loosely woven straws down and
make the work firm, the bird slapped it
down with her wings. Then sometimes
she pressed it down with her head and
neck, and the funniest way Of all, she
would beat it down behind her with her
tail again and again.
Why did they put mud in the nest?
Not only to make it stronger. Perhaps
you may think to make It warmer. l
think for just the opposite reason, to
make it cooler. When the sun was
hot and the wind blowing, the eggs
would get hot and dry, SO that they
might not hatch. The mud would
catch some of the rain and be damp
and keep the eggs moist. Did you ever
see a bird get off the eggs, and stand
up and fan them with her wings. They
do it sometimes. But that is after the
home is built, and our birds are not
done yet.
Ono morning when I woke about six
o'clock, l looked out the window and
saw a long strip of white cloth hanging
down from the nest. 1t was about two
inches wide and three feet long. The
birds were not in the nest. Having
worked an hour or two, they were get.
ting their breakfast. A few minutes
later l saw the strip was gone and the
robins flying about in great distress,
and consulting about where to find the
thief. And they found him before long
and were back again with the CLOTH
and several impudent town sparrows
in hot pursuit. l kept an eve on the
nest to see the end of this fight, and nv
breakfast was cold before I could eat
1t. 1 was so much interested in what
was going on in the little world outside
my window.
The town sparrow is the communist
among birds. He thinks if he vents
anything he has a right to it. 1t does
not matter II 1T has been earned by an
other by hard work. He will fy down
near a bird that has dug up u bug or a
worm, and hop around in the most in
nocent manner till it has been killed.
and then fly in with a rush and nick +
up for himself.
One OF these sparrows had found the
nest and helped himself to that niea
strip OF soft cotton. But the robins
were ready to defend their property.
and drove the sparrows away. and
everything quieted down for awhile.
Before an hour had gone the sparrows
watched their chance and stole that
cloth again. Oh, how angry the robins
were. They called on all the robins to
help, and made a stormy attack on the
sParrows' nests in the woodbine on the
other side OF the building. The mother
rooln came back with the cloth in her
Dill. But she did not 60 to the nest.
one sat IN the top of the cherry tree.
there were at least twenty mad spar.
rows flying at her, but the robins ,rar.
too much for them. Every sparrow that
came into the tree saw a big red robin
coming down on him like a red h ton.
pound cannon ball, and he THOUGHT = was
time for him to get behind the nro.oa'
Il k:Dp rs L.. an kIO.CC.