Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-11

That sense of beauty to which the gor-
geous plumage of the mail birds in many
species is an obvious and direct appeal is
by no means limited to the knowledge so
naively shown by resplendent husbands
and adoring wives that fine feathers make
fine birds So common and varied Is the
pleasure derived from this sense, that in
many kinds il extends to the conscious
search for and appliance of beautiful OBJ
jects in the decoration of nests. Of pleas
ure houses and the enrichment Of collec-
tions.
This taste for ornament is by no means
limited to birds kept in captivity, in which
they often learn tricks and habits foreign
TO their nature from ennui and idleness.
In the freedom of English woods or
Papuan jungles they show the keenest
pleasure in the strange or beautiful shapes
and colors of flowers, Of feathers, of fruits,
Of gay shells and insects, of woven fabrics,
of metal, glass and gems, and similar tastes
shown in captivity are often but the sur
vival and manned reproduction Of their
natural love for surrounding themselves
with what pleases the eye. 1t appears in
species where it might be less expected,
and is developed to point at which it be
comes an artistic passion identical in mo-
tive and the means taken to crafty 1t with
the same taste and its expression by civil
lied man.
1t is not without reason that the Papuan,
who lives naked under a tree, calls the
gardner bird "the master" which can
build not only nest, but a lovely pleasure
house besides, and adoern this with a hun
dred beautiful objecA. - grsafy aesthetic
wants which the savaDSis not yet developed
enough to feel or understand.
THE SENSE OF BEAUTY.
But these tastes appear in birds which
are quite low in the scale of mental deyel-
opment, even among the hawks, which are
among the least keen witted of the birds.
The kite, for instance, has great liking
for pretty things, or what are considered
such. In twoo of the rare instances in which
the kites nest has been recently found in
this country the cock bird had carried
home long, trailing spray Of woodbine in
flower and left it by the side Of its mate.
In a kites nest found not long ago in
this country the collection" was enriched
by pieces of newspaper and leaves OF Brad
shaw's Railway Guide" and on the few es-
tates in England where these birds are still
protected the keepers are said to be quite
aware Of their mania for collecting linen
when laid out to dry, and carrying off socks
| and bright cotton handkerchiefs to the nest.
The sense of beauty naturally appears in
| the rudest and most elementary form in
such uncouth robbers as the kites. In the
far cleverer crows, ravens, magpies and
jays il is a marked and hereditary passion
From the jackdaw Of Rheims to the old
raven at the Tower of London, who amassed
a unique and valuable collection at the
/ Of Of ba n N
side the barbican, there can hardly have
existed a tame member OF the tribe which
has not at times asserted its own right to
a share in the enjoyment of what we re
member TO have seen described in the
pompous advertisement Of a modern art
furnisher as those products of the minor
arts which contribute TO the dignity and
refinement Of domestic life"
They have wide and catholic sense Of
feeling for what may contribute to their
happiness in this way and do not always
distinguish between what is beautiful and
| what is merely curious
WHAT hAGPIE STOLE.
At the same time they do often dlstin-
/ guish and keep apart what they collect or
] steal for food and their art collections,
which are hidden separately, are far more
/ carefully concealed. The writer has seen
/ this in the case Of tame jays and jsckda~s,
and has known it practioed by a raven and
a maybe.
The latter always hid the crusts, and es-
pecially the small squares Of toast made
ready for soup, which be stole or had given
him in the kitchen, between the layers OF
| household linen in the drying room Of a
large house in Northumberland. But hi.
collections were buried in the straw Of a
disused Clubhouse. The loss Of several small
cups and saucers out Of a bright colored
set belonging TO the children led 10 the dis
covery Of this hoard, rs the bird was seen
10 enter the shed, and was there found
pulling away the straw which covered the
china
50 far we have traced the development OF
this sense Of beauty from the ktes, which
merely pick up and carry 10 their nests
what they consider 10 be pretty and inter
estinR. 70 the crow tribe, which have q
separate hiding place for keeping and en-
ioying their treasures.
The conscious search for and application
Of ornament 10 the decoration Of the fabri'
Of the nest, even at the risk Of it, dange
and discovery through the qualification O
their feeling for beauty, h further an'
most remarkable evidence Of the ples.sur
which they derive from THAI ssnse, for ON
Of the strongest impulses Of the nestini
bird II 10 ubOrdinate the color and teJtur
Of the outside Of the nest 70 the tint Of IL
natural surrounding, and none but
strong and tempting bias 10 the indulgenc
: Of a contrary instinct could oompsts will
! their natural solicitude for the safety O
I their young.
TWO REMARKABLE GssTAscgs.
Wafs f.A tps ~ AZ
4 dition Of ornament by English birds To tb
4 outside Of neat have come under th
a writer's notice, where its use clearly er
!. tailed some danger from the enemy. tn
first was the nest OF n chif -chaf, found i
"A plantation near Rosamond's bower, o
the Isis, near Godstow IL was n domo
e nest OF the usual kind, made Of dry, color
h less grass, with an entrance In the side.
n But on the outside and around the "a
trance 10 the chamber were stuck sever,
OF tho brilliant blue feathers Of the kin,
fisher. The position OF these bright patchs
:, Of color on the outside OF the nest il stron
evidence that beauty, not utility, was u
u object OF their insertion.
q The other case was the nest OF goldfncl
;. which was built on high branch OF sy
l. amore, near the window OF house MT Si'
t. mouth, In Devonshire. When the fabric
err, one bird, for the other was CONSTANT
T., employed in building-brough long pieo'
Of the blue forget nots from the ne;
III garden, and 40 adjusted the sprays that Il
10 flowers hung all round the top OF the mes