The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-13
Great Cars Nxsrcissd ~ the Pair
Before the Place n So
looted.
TWritten for TnH HELENA INpEpssDxxrl

1oHe lew Olrdo brave enough to make th8i,
homes in OF very near the busiest thorouRh
fares. Az an instance. II was mot 10 lonl
ago that the yellow brsastsd chats, . sh,
bird, nssted In the yard Of the Pennsylvani,
hospital, at the corner Of Eighth and Spruce
streets. Philadelphia, and soon learned e
mimic many = familiar street sound. sucl
instances AZ these wsrs more common be.
fore the unfortunate blunder Of introdus-
ing the English sparrow. But IL is In tn,
country emily whore ~ ind boys really posted
In the matter of nests. and I wish ] could
that they always adopted the rule Of
"hands of" whAp these nssts come undsl
their notice. II means far more mischief
than most people think 10 disturb 4 nest
and 20 let every boy decide that he will no,
be guilty Of such wanton cruelty. This
however, docs not shut of every boy anG
girl in the land from studying these nests
and I more dsliRhtful subject can never
come under youthful investigation.
What il q bird's nsst2 Everyone knows.
after . fashion, and yet few have ever son
sidsrsd how much that bunch Of twigs,
hollow In q tree, or hole In the ground
really means. Like 80 much that il
familiar, We glance at IL in a careless way
and never stop to consids- liz falls ignif-
canoe. Except IN . very few instances. a
individuals labor. Even II but one bird
does all the work. there has previously been
q decision reached BY two birds whore the
nest shall be placed. and how much this
means! At n 9 We are brought to consider
that an Interchange of thought has taken
place. The pair have discussed, literally,
the merits and drawbacks of the situation,
and have had in mind not only their own
safety but that of their offspring. The fact
that they make mistakes. at times, proves
this. We're this not the case, or, Ii nests
were placed haphazard, in any tree, Or bush
would have a happy time for a short season
and then birds, like many Of the worlds
huge beasts, would become extinct On the
contrary, birds have long since learned to
be very careful and their ingenuity in this
apparently simple matter of choosing q
nest site is really astonishing. This too,
has J esultsd in q%uickening their wits in ali
directions and the bird that il really Z
BOBBY is SCARCELY to be found.
Bids suffer at times from their misjudR-
msnt Or ~oyer,conidence, and this, it must
be added, reflects upon US. The instances
are mum berless whore birds have quickly
learned that certain people love them and
they lose Rii fear. Again, naturally timid
birds soon learn when they are free from
persecution. The writer frequently passes,
- oAo WILLS, Ny u ZOOlORlCHl garden on tile
bank OF a liver. and has been impressed
with the abundant illustration Of birds in
telligence to oe noticed there. The crows
have iea ned that firearms aie not allowed
TO be used anyWhale near, and So they fear
!ess!y hop about not only the enclosure of
road Just ontaiae; showing no tlmidity even
when the locomotives rush by. Stranger
still, wild ducks gather in the river almost
directly under the railroad b idee and do
not always dive out of sight as the trains
pass by, and | have seen them take wing,
even II the whistle blew the quick, short,
Penetrating danger signal.
10 come brck to their nests: birds have
other enemies than man to guard against.
and SO are never in a hurry in the matter of
determ1ng where to build. Time and again
a location has been discovered unsuitable
alto" a nest has been commenced and the
structure abandoned. have observed this
many times. Indeed, my own curiosity has
led the birds to move, they not quite an
proving my constant watching of what was
going on. ! we'll remember seating myself
once. in q shady nook, to eat ray lunch. and
found myself almost attacked by a pair Of
black and white ies-creeping WARRIORS.
Their actions were plainly a protest against
my staying where l was, and on looking
about | foond | had almost sat upon their
nest, which then was Just completed. but
contained no egg. I visited the SPOT the
NS~S 49, AAA AS"kA " lux oUGs OuV HIt !
coming was a mistake on my part, for the
birds now believed I had sinister designs
u abandoned their new-msde home.
The method of building of course varies
as much as the patterns of nests. Even
when the same materials are used. thew ara
differently treated, md a nest Of sticks only
may. in one case, be merely thrown to-
gether as it were; while in another thew ara
so carefully interlaced that the structure ia
a basket and holds together if held by the
rim only. Another, tho same in general
pieces if similarly treated. A reason for
this 10 discoverable in some cases, but not
In all. 1t we examine q great many nests.
the rule will hold good. ] think. that where |
are very loosely put together, the To-
cality is such that no natural disturbing
disaster. Until l studied this point the oc-
currsnce of exceedingly frsil nests was ever
d cause OF surprise, for il is to be remem-
bered that the same species of cat-bird or
red-bird does not build after a uni
form fashion, bnt adapts its work to the
spot chosen for the nest. II would be very |
to say that a nest was built BY
his or that bird, unless the builder was
,ean In possession.
50 difficult is it to watch a pair of birds !
while building that the method of their
.ofking ls largely to be guessed at from
he work itself; but by means of q field
a good deal can be learned. II would ,
appear a. II a great many twiss were
brought for the foundation Of . nest. such .
10 a cat birds or song sparrow's thai were ,
Unsuitable: have occasionally seen 4 twiR :
tossed aside with a flirt OF the head yor1 .
'uggestive of disappointment. The build
70 90 not always carry with Thorn a dis
met idea of what they want when hunting
or material, n 80 labor more than would
% necessary if a little wiser. Very funny
li8pute1. too, often arise. and this il most
when wrens are finishing their |
luge structures in a box or some corner Of |
n outbuildink. A Feather, or bit or thread.
= . small rag will DO carried in by one bird
tossed out by the other with a deal of |
and loud words'' that 10 positively
tartling. But whom the framework ia finally
ompleted. OF any ordinary open or cup-
hRped nest. the lining Ia mot 20 difficult n
natter. Soft or yielding materials arc
sed that to a greater or less extent have a
'felting" property, and by tho birds weight
lone assune sne shape desired. This is
ncilitatcd by the bird in two ways: The
uildsr sits down, % II the eggs were al
oady laid, and with it's hoax pushes the
lose material between il and the Frame
'ork, and tuoks odd bits into any too open
r~evicss. While doing this, II SLOWLY
loves arolud until II has described Z COM
lste circle. This again brings ont any de-
scts in the outer structure, and the bird
often bs seen tugginp away Ut some
ieeting end; or It's mate. outside of the
cst, rearranRing a twig hero and there,
bile the other bird-shali l sayp-was Civ
~ directions.
Ex.-.-s-- 49, - 1