Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
SOME OF OUR OWN BIRDS.
What Capt. Besdire says About some Freaks
in feaihers.

In Feather.
HOW EE NEARLY LOST g;s LIFE wErLr BIRDS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF PRAIRIE oHrckExs-
QUEER WAYS OF THE GREAT HORNED OWLS
sEsTINo or PASSENGER ProEoSs
4 B1RDs-NEsTING ADVENTURE THAT
: Il came near ending IN . tragedy is described
by Capt Bend;re in a monograph on the birds
of North America, issued by the Smithsonian
Institution and the National Museum Jointly.
Tho captain was riding along the hAI.ks %
hllitto creek. Ariz.. one hne day in the wear
1872, when he saw big black hawk lie fol-
lowed the bird and ut distance OF abou, ave
miles from camp he found it perched on a dead
limb OF n tall cottonwood tree On nearing The
tree he discovered bulky nest placed in q fork
close 10 the main trunk ana about forty fee;
from the ground The mate OF the hawk which
be had been following was sitting on the nest.
With the intention Of robbery the captain
climbed up 70 the nest, in which he found a
single pale blue egg, the paren: birds mean
while cireliag around and Inanifestiug their
anger BIZ shrill screams. he put the egg which
was as big as hens egg. into his month. and
was aboat to descend. when he caught sight
from his elevated perch Of several Apache In
disns crouched down in a little canon about
eighty yards distant They were evidently
watching him.
1t was Gaze where the only chance OF safety
lay IN presence OF mind. Without exhibiting
any signs OF having made the alarming eiscov-
cry the captain proceeded to descend in a.
leisureiy q manner possible still retaining
the egg in his mouth. IL ne had manifested
symptoms OF being in a hurry the Indians
would have perceived that they were spied and
they would have been waiting for the epc
hunter at the foot Of ha s.sno ~
get down. In that case death by torture Of
hendish ingenuity would doubtless have been
his fate. As il was he reached the ground in
safety, mounted his horse and started for camp
In an instant the Apsches were after him
and they chased him nearly to the carnp before
abandoning the pursuit. lie got there all
right, however, with the egg in his mouth. Ii
was unbroken. Owing 70 lite large size the
captain had great difficulty in getting il out OF
his mouth without injuring II. but he finally
succeeded, though, as he says. his jaws ached for
some time afterwsrd. Ii Is now included in the
Smithsonian biological collection.
PRAIRIE CHICKENS
The captain tells 10. of funny things about
prairie chickens and their courtship. Unlike
human animals, who make love all the year
around. these "pinngted grouse" as they are
properly called, do their wooing in the spring
time. At daybreak they assemble in parties OF
from dozen TO fifty on high, dry knobs where
the grass Is short. The cocks have a loose
patch Of yellow skin on each side Of the neck
These patches cover sacs which the birds can
blow up like blsdders. Thew are ornaments
which they display for the admiration Ct the
females by blowing them up until they lock like
two ripe oranges, the feathers being at the same
time erected
While the males strut about and exhibit
themselves in his fashion the timid females
cast shy side gances at them, evidently admir-
ing. From time 70 time one proud cock or
another will rush through the midst of the love-
sick hens at top speed. making a booming noise
as he goes, which eau be heard al a distance Of
two miles In the still morning air. Hundreds
of such voices can be heard sometimes on the
prairie at early dawn, producing a chorus that
Is very agreeable TO the ear, the notes being like
the deep notes of alarge organ, though softer and
more powerful Any one who has heard such
concert can never forget il.
After the cocks have been making this display
for little while the hens begins to show inter
est by moving about quickly few yards at a
time and then pausing. These actions, con-
unued by a score of birds simultaneously pre-
sent curious spectacle. and the observer
easily imagines that they are moving to the
measure of music. The lovemaking party
breaks up when the sun ia half an hour high
and the assembly is repeated every morning for
a week or two until all the birds have made
satisfactory matches. Toward the latter part
OF this mating season there is a great deal of
uSuSll.S among Inc COCKS, winch probably
due to rivalries.
Prairie chickens, the captain saws. show very
poor Judgment In selecting their nesting places
fuIly % per cent OF their eggs are DESTROYED
annually by fire in dry seasons and BY water in
wet years. The nests are made in the grass
and prairie fires consume them by Wholesale
One OF the most curious things about these
birds lie that only tine females migrate TO warmer
regions in winter. leaving the males 10 brave
the cold-very much as women leave their hus-
bands in town during the summer and fly TO
the seashore TO escape the heat.
THE HORNED OWL.
One Of the most remarkable birds that the
captain knows of is the great horned owl, which
is more destructive than all other birds of prey
put together. Sometimes it is called the ''hoot
owl" 1t hunts usually at night, though some
times it goes abroad for food on cloudy days
The female is much larger than the male. and
sometimes she kills and eats him. This often
happens under conditions OF captivity. One of
these owls has been known to cut on the heads
OF three turkeys and several chickens in a sin
gle night, leaving the bodies uninjured and fit
for the table. The bird does not hesitate TO
enter coops and kill the fowls which they con-
tain. 1t is the most relentless enemy Of all
game birds and is wonderfully omnivorous. its
bill OF fare being filed out with such small
mammals as rabbits, opossums, squirrels musk
rats, rats and skurls, while it will eat fish when
procurable.
When provender is plenty the great horned
owl eats only the heads of its victims, thus de-
handing great number for the satisfaction of
its appetite. Its sight is very keen and escape 1
from its pursuit ID difficult. In one nest of
this bird have been found. together with two 4
young owls. mouse, q muskrat, four ruffed /
grouse, one rabbit, eleven rats, one woodcock.
two cells and four bullheads, representing nearly /
eighteen pounds OF food. The heads of all 1
these animals were eaten Of, the bodies being
left untouched. These owls used customarily
to make their nests in hollow trees, but the ak
Of the lumberman has wiped out the primeval
forests to such an extent that hollow trees large
enough for the purpose have become very
scarce. For this reason the birds nowadays
usually lay their eggs in the old nests Of crows
and the larger hawks.
The courtship Of the grea. horned owl is said
by the captain to be very funny indeed. In
one case that was observed the male and female
sat together on a branch and he approached
her carefully and gradually, while she half
turned away, like a timid girl. He stroked her
with his beak two or three times aud then
bowed solemnly. Next, he rubbed her bill
with his and bowed again, continuing these
caresses, which seemed to be bashfully received
by the female. After q little while they few
away together, presumably on their honey
moon trip. The hooting cry is the love song Of
the male. These owls are often attracted By the
campfires of hunting parties and their fight is
SO silent that the fret notice one has of the
presence Of one Of them is the pertinent query.
who-cooks-for-youT" from tree top