Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-07-09

| has been found IN Dakota and Mon
tana. It sings, flying high overhead
often out Of sight among the clouds.
and it's melody can not be appreciated
unless one is quite near, or it is heard
on one of those damp, still mornings
in spring when all sounds fall upon
the ear with wonderful distinctness.
An entirely different bird is the field
lark, SO noticeable III spring as he sits
on some tree or post, while uttering
his vigorous, whistling song, or per
haps, flies off into the all, quite heed
less where he is going, simply inca
pable of restraining the ecstasy ex-
cited by his own music. Later on he
is not SO attractive. His gay plumage
has become worn and he greets you
with scolding note as he makes off,
cycling you over his shoulder mean
time, in an off-hand sort Of way.
4 bird Of which much has been
written in scientific and popular works
! is the ouzel. Heis found about noun
tain streams of the northwest and /
| have noticed several individuals at
the Great Spring and various of the
falls on the river below A plain slate
colored bird and much resembling q
thrush in structure, he has many
habits Of a true water bird The con
tinued and varied song, uttered while
standing on some rock. with the cool
spray about him, has all the dash and
sparkle Of the water itself In winter
time, for he is q permanent resident,
one finds him about open rapids, where
be gains living by diving to the bot
tom in the more shallow places, and
bringing up aquatic insects, etc. On
the mountain streams only one bird
will be found at each open rifle, where
he often has to engage In fierce strug
giles with his fellows to maintain his
exclusive rights to the place. At some
favorite point on the ice where he
lands after his diving exploits, will
often be found quite collection Of
small pebbles, bits OF moss, and even
1ninnows. The water ouzel's nest is
a fine structure Of moss, built on some
ledge Of rock ovefhanging the water.
It Is oyen-like and contains a cavity
five or six inches across, entered by
an opening facing the stream.
Among the brighter colorea birds,
Bullock's oriole and the Louisiana
tanager are conspicuous. They are
exclusively western species. The ori
ole is quite similar to the eastern ori
ole, Or golden robin, and builds the
same sort of hanging nest. It's ordi-
nary note is not highly agreeable, but
occasionally it utters snatches Of
pleasing song. The tanager is by far
the handsomest bird Of the two. It's
name Of Louisiana, given when Mon
tana was part Of the Territory Of
Louisiana, is rather misleading now,
as the bird is found nowhere in the
Mississippi valley. Common in the
mountains Of the Territory, the spe-
cies is rare along streams outside. It,
too, is surpassed in song by many
plain colored bird, but with its black
and yellow body and brilliant red
head it may be well satisfied.
Another bird, with neither fine
feathers Or song, but perhaps the most
knowing Of them ALL is the cowbird.
The mules are black, with purplish-
brown head; the females and young
are more or less streaked brown. Usrl-
ally they can be found about stock Of
all kinds, often lighting on the ami
mails backs. Their song, If indeed it
can be called a song, consists of few
odd notes, uttered in such 6 cl1uckling
manner, and with a glance all about,
as If to imply excessive smartness, if
not great beauty. Their notable point
lies in the fact that, like the European
cuecoo, they never build a home Of
their own, but the female deposits her
eggs, usually two together, in the
nests of other small birds. All care
Of the offspring is left to foster par
ents. That this arrangement succeeds
admirably is shown by the general
abundance Of the birds, but how and
when was this strange custom aoquir
ed2 Did the birds never build nests
Of their own? I incline to think that
at some former period they did, but
as the demands Of the society of their
four-footed occupied more and more
Of their time, they found it necessary
to give up housekeeping, and place
the responsibility OF rearing their
offspring on other shoulders. Doubt
less the old birds appear occasionally,
just to see that matters are running
smoothly, and to inform the young as
to their proper parentage and Gus
toms; unless, indeed, this is left to
instinct. On the whole, the cowbirds
their domestic arrangements, but how