Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-07-23
The HUM MING-RIRD
Interesting Observation Inv . Straw


eesins Observation by a Straw Nat.
uralist.
AT seven o'clock, when I made nv
second visit, the mother was in the
must OF another days hard work.
VICE within five minutes she brought
toUu 10 the nesting. Once the little
Aeiow-not SO very little now-hap-
Penco 10 De facing east. while the old
O'io dhShted. as she had invaria bly,
uoiie' on the western side The younr-
instead of facing about. threw
oach MS head and opened his beal.
LOOK out, there exclaimed my fellow
observer; you'll break his neck if you
1eeo MN in that way" But she did
not mind Young birds necks are not
so easll broken Within ten minutes
OF TINS time she fed Number
one' giving him three doses. They
were probably small, however land
small wonder) for he begged hard for
more, opening his bill with an appeal
ing arr The action in this case was
particularly well seen. and the vehe-
ment jerking, while the beaks were
glued together, seemed almost enough
to pull the young fellows head off
WITHIN another ten minutes the mother
L
Poor little widow! Between her inces-
SAINT labors of this kind and her over
whelming anxiety whenever anv
strange bird came near, l began to be
seriously alarmed for her. AS a mem
Der OF strictly American family, she
was IN fair way, | thought, to be over
taken by the most American of dis
generous prcstration. 1t tired
me to watch her.
With us, and perhaps with her like
wise, 1t was a question whether Number
Two would remain in the nest for the
day. He grew more and more restless;
as my companion-a learned man
expressed 1t, he began to ramp round"
Once he actually mounted the rim of
the nest, thing which his more preco-
cious brother had never been seen to
do. and stretched forward to pick at a
neigh boring stem. Late that afternoon
the mother fed him five times within an
hour, instead of once an hour, or there
abouts, as had been her habit three
weeks before. She meant to have him
in good condition for the coming event;
and he. on his part, was active to the
same understanding upon the wall #
the nest again and again, and exercising
his wings till they made a cloud about
him \ dread of launching away still
kept him back. however, and shortly
after seven o'clock l found him COM
fortably disposed for the night He
is now on his twentyfrst day tat least
in the nest. Tomorrow will see him
60" So end my days notes.
Twentyfour hours later. as l stood in
the orchard, / heard hum of wings
and found the mother over my head.
Presently she flew into the too of the
tree, and the next instanr wa. sitting
beside one of the young ones. His hun
CRY mouth was already wide open, but
before feeding him she started up from
the twig. and circled about him so close
ly as almost or quite to touch him with
her wings. On completing the circle
she dropped upon the perch at his side,
but Immediately rose again and again
flew round him. 1t was a beautiful
act-beautiful beyond the power of any
words of mine to set forth: an express
sion of maternal ecstasy, | could not
doubt, answering to the rapturous ca
resses and endearments in which
mothers of human infants are so fire.
quently seen indulging. Three days
afterward, to my delight, | saw it re-
peated in every particular, as if to con-
firm my opinion of its significance. The
sight repaid all my watchings thrice
over, and even now l feel my heart
growing warm at the recollection of it
Strange thoughtlessness. is it not, which
allows mothers capable of such passion
ate devotion. tiny, defenseless things,
to be slaughtered by the million for the
enhancement of woman's charms-
Rradfnrd Tnrrev in Atlantic