The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-05-06
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT Birds
Those That Can Swim rs Well as Fiy-Tha
Curlous Snake Birds.


Professor Blckmore began his lecture with
few wo, ds about feathers, which, he OK
planned were d ided into contour or OUT
line feathers, and down or the iiuIy pro
tectiye feathers Without further introduce
ton he plunged into description of tho
more prominent birds OF the class selected
for discussion, one OF the rareat birds OF J
which specimen Is kept at the museum La /
the great aux, viii h II about the size OF ,
goose, il found north Of Cape Cod, and Ia ,
noted for III thin, groyed bill These birda ,
were 30 plentiful In Nova Scotia wheil tho
settlers first landed that they were knocked
over with sticks and their breasts slit or to
extract oil, but II Is most difficult now 10 Oh
tain one. OF the same general species Is tha
putin, large communities OF when arc
found In rocky places on tho east coast az
Maine. Tho putin has thin, razor'llie
bill which appears enormous from the hlha-
Among the group of birds all OF whose
toes are united by a web the pelican Ia prom
inent This genial creature goes through
tho water scoopng Into its large sack under
the bill all tho fish which II can conyon-
iently hold. II then rests until lunch time,
when II tips back It's head and allows such
quantity OF fish as II wi hes 10 drop down
lts throat Then there Is tho snake bird,
which travels long distances apparently un-
der water all the way, but which In reality
Keeps tho tip Of ono noatril Just above tho
surface, Tho little tropic bird, too Is Gu
rioity, Until latoly his home was never
known and ho was supposed 70 live ami die
a waylarer But In reality the tropie bird
has very comfortable quarters In tho sou
rock ellis In Bermuda. whore the female do
| posits each year ono egg, The uopic bird
| has two long tail feathers, which are many
times tho length OF his body, and he Is ered'
tied with particularly sharp and discord-
ant cry. Like the gulls and Mother Carey a
| chickens the tropic birds arc mot with at
sea and follow vessels, waiting for somo-
thing 10 pick up These birds never appear
10 rest, IN they are generally on the wing.
but they do, In reality, rest Another bird
OF this sort Is tho albatross, whose great OK
tent OF wing enables II TO put out sails, as II
were, and ily without apparent ellork
The cor norant, groves, and morgansorz
are also sea-faring birds, living on fish and
oxhalIng very strong and imp easant odor.
Tho groves haS o their toes lobod and sepa-
rate, and tho morganSers have peculiarity
OF bill, thoro being sorios OF projections
which ~ into 0lch other aud allow th1 bird
10 sift its food.
Tho professor next described the wild
ducks and gcone, tho pursuit Of which Is tho
delight OF spoItsmon. The eye OF the can
vas.back duck Ia very near tho top Of the
head, while tho crest OF tho rod'hcad makoi
lts eye como about In tho middle OF ID
head Tho sholdrako Is very gayly'appar'
olod duck, and tho Labrador duck, twenty
Ave years ago so plenty, is now rarer bird
than tho great aux, Tho oldor duck hal
that beautiful down at hcr breast which I
so much sought after for quilts Wbon tn
first quantity Of this In tho nest Of TIN
young Is stolen by natives, the f'malo do
tachcs the down from hor broast TO koCp TN
young warm This, too, Is stolon, aud thel
tho male dctachos hia-Now York Herald