The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-05-24
oak for site, the nest is prominent
object and from fhn time thn first Strawa


object. and from the time the first straws
are carried the small boy gives it his
personal supervision. Nest after Lest il
/ harried, dozens, yes, even hundreds, OF
eggs broken for sport or COLLECTED fol
science" During the present sprinl
we have frequently seen the blue eggs
broken on the sidewalks and we could
locate at least dozen nests in tire yer.
heart Of our city which are empty-for-
saken. This is not the wor': u one or
two, but Of many, who 60 b evening in
gauge Of three or four, caref J., cxamin-
ing every promising tree, or visiting the
nests marked down during the day nm
| til it is almost lmpossi''i. fer bird to
hatch the first set Of eyes. or course
they build another nest and ly again,
aud again il necessary, until finally the
craze dies ont orthe small boy seeing few
lucky young birds, concludes with regret
that the days for robbery are past.
II is here that the true reason for the
robins disappearance lies; he finds that
his friends in the city will not protect
him and he moves further tothe outskirts
until at last he is forced to take refuge in
the borders Of the larger groves. Here
his chances are better; and, as he returns
each year to the same locality TO breed,
the people in the cities must miss bis
song. In support Of this comes the OBJ
seryation that there are ten robins breed
ing in the edges Of the groves, where q
few years ago there vas but one. But
even here they are far from being safe,
for, although the nests are not SO easily
found, they are confronted by another
enemy in the shape Of a shot gun. Dur
ing recent evenings stroll, we saw, in
cne small grove and surrounding under
brush, three parties OF boys busily hunt.
ing. The smallest OF these gangs. con-
sisting Of two about fourteen years OF age,
leach armed with revolver) had sue
ceeded in securing 2 chipMuAk, the re.
naming two parties were doing well
among the smaller birds, and, Judging
from the incessant firing ON tue opposite
side OF the grove, several others we're
having immense luck. We merely men.
ton tins as a common occurrence-erery
day in the week.
But even this is not all; there are other
scarcely less important influences, one Of
which, the 'bird-minder," requires spec
ial attention. He is usually an old man
boys are too lmpatient) who spends the
greater portion OF the small fruit feaeon
in exterminating the smaller birds in his
vicinity. AZ q particular instance Of this,
q gentleman, we'll thought Of BY our peo-
pie in general, but at heart SO mean and
stingy that he could not spare the orioles
a few peas from his bountiful supply. OF
what value is halt peck Of peas worth
20 cents, compared to two pairs OF orr
oles? Ask his neighbors,, in whoee trees
their nests were built, and young left to
the slow fortunes Of starvation.
It is not, a. one would suppose, the
children Of the poorer people Of the town
who commit the most wholesale robbery,
but those Of the wealthy business mcn-
men who should know that they are re-
sponsible for every bird killed and every
nest disturbed in violation OF law. Yes,
We have laws, but they are never enforc.
ed. The gentleman before mentioned
rendered himself liable to fine and i'm.
prisonment for violating two distinct
laws every time he shot bird, and yet
we suppose he considers himself thor
ough Christian.
But to return to the original subject:
one mis lit enquire, "What do they do with
the eggs?" Some get them TO throw at
each other; tho majority collect them for
a pastimc--such smash hole in each
end, put them on string and preserve
them as an Indian would scolps-u usually
breaking them when tired Of them. and
then get new lot the next spring; others
collect them rs You would shells or fos.
sils, the more the better; quantity il the
only thing taken into account. each one
trying to get a larger collection than Lis
friend has. That this is the case il
evinced by the frequent inquiries rs to
the number of eggs We have. .Don',
know as we ever knew; never counted
them," is the only answer that can be
, given. We began collecting one or two
eggs OF species; and our cabinet con.
! tains the same two robins eggs that il
did eight years ago, and no more. Ar
the eggs Of the different species were
gradually added, We had to travel farther
and farther IN search Of new species, un.
til ten mile walk has become n shorl
morning stroll, affording excellent oppor.
tuuities for the study Of habits aud song
and but seldom giving occasion fer the
blackening OF gun barrels.