The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-05-18
HABITS OF BIRDS.

AN ODScEVef STATES THAT Iney NSn SAe0p
with Ono Eye Open.
Birds do not cough and sneeze, but
they dream and snore. making the
most distressing sounds. as if strang-
ling. They hiccough-a very droll af-
fair it is, too-and they faint away.
A goldfinch being frightened one night,
in his struggles was caught between
the wires. and gave cry like the
squeak Of mouse in distress. On my
fastening to his relief, he slipped out
into the room. and flew wild y about
till he hit something and fell to the
floor. He was picked up. and his fright
eliminated in dead faint The little
head dropped. the body was limp. APP
parently perfectly lifslcss. and he was
lain in his cage ready to be buried in
the morning. He was placed carefully
on his breast however. and in few
moments he hoped upon his perch.
shook out his ruffled feathers, and COM
posed himself to sleep
One feat sometimes ascribed to man
is in the case of birds literal fact
they can sleep with one eye open.
This curious habit have watched
closely. and ! find it common in nearly
all the varieties have been able to OBJ
serve. One eye will close sleepily.
shut tight and appear to enjoy good
nap, while tho other is wide awake rs
ever 1t is not always the eye toward
the light that sleeps, nor is it invari-
ably the ono from the light The pres
ence or absence of people makes no
difference. l have even had bird
stand on my arm or knee. draw up one
leg, and seem to sleep soundly with
one eye. while the other was wide
open. In several years close attention
have been unable to find any cause
either in the position or the surround
ings for this strange habit
No "set old woman is more welded
to her accustomed ''ways" than are
birds in general to theirs. Their hours
for eating, mapping and singing are as
regular as ours. So. likewise. are
their habits in regard to aliShting
places. even to the very twig they
select. After weeks acquaintance
with the habits of bird. can always
tell when something disturbing has oc-
cured. by the place in which he is found.
One bird will make the desk his favOrite
haunt, and freely visit tables, the
rounds of chairs. and the floor. while
another confines himself to the back of
chairs, the tops of cages and picture
frames. One old hermit thrush fire.
guented the bureau and looking glass
frame. and the top of a cardboard map
which had warped around till the up
per edge was almost circular. On this
edge he would perch for hours. twitter
and call. but no other bird ever APP
preached it Still another would al-
ways select the decreasing and win
dow-cornicc.
Every bird has his chosen place for
the night, usually the highest place on
the darkest side of the cage. They
soon become accustomed to the situa-
ton of the dishes in their cages. and
plainly resent any change. On my
placing drinking-cup in new part
of the cardinals residence. he came
down at once. scoltling violently, pre-
tended to drink. then looked over to the
corner where the water used to be, and
renewed his protestations Then he
returned to the upper perch. fitting
his tail and expressing his mind with
great vigor. A few minutes passed.
and he repeated the performance. keep
ing it up with great excitement until.
to pacify him. I replaced the cup. He
at once retired to his usual seat
smoothed his roughened plumage. and
in few moments began to sing. A
dress of a new color on their mistress
makes a great commotion among these
close observers, and the moving about
of furniture puts the tamest one in a
manic - AfInnf,~