Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-25
QUEER BIRDS FOR THE FAIR.
Interesting Ornith oil ox ical Groups Prepared
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Interesting Ornitholoxical Groups Prepared
by the National Museum.
One OF the most picturesque features Of the
exhibit Of ;he National Museum at the worlds
fair in Chicago will be q series Of groups of odd
sorts Of birds. These have been prepared by
DR.. Robert Ridgway.
The crocodile bird. for example, Is illustrated
by an actual crocodile about eight feet long,
stuffed in life-lke manner, with its mouth
wide open. while along its back are walking two
or three birds Of this curious species. One Of
the latter is standing inside the mouth Of the
saurisn, pecking parasites from the reptiles
tongue. This is the kindly Office which the
bird performs for the crocodile. at the same
time procuring food for itself and relieving lite
rsptiliau friend Of annoyance. So far nat
urslists are aware, the latter never returns this
kindness with the ingratitude Of gobbling its
benefactors.
Another group shows a pair Of bower birds
disportlng themselves about their play house.
Purely for the sake Of amusement these quaint
feathered creatures are accustomed to build
covered structures Of twigs and other materials,
In and about which thev scatter every bright
and pretty object they can find, such "a shells.
Furthermore, they hang garlands Of flowers In
front Of their play houses, and, when these are
faded, they procure fresh ones. II is even
said that they plant seeds, which sprout and add
to the decorative effect.
Not less remarkable than the bower birds are
the butcher birds-a small shrike that lie widely
distributed in this country. These birds cap
ture small animals of various sorts and DELHI
erately impale them upon thorns, presumably
for suhsequen. use az food In parts Of the
west where there are barbed-wire fences they
use the wire points instead Of thorns for i'm
paiing their victims upon. Thin group shows
pair OF butcher birds in . BUSH with grass
hoppers. mice and a little bird stuck on thorns
here and there.
One of the most interesting groups exhibits a
pair OF woodpeckers Of an interesting species.
They are engaged in inserting acorns into holes
in tree trunk. In summer, when food Is
plentiful, these birds devote their time to
making great number Of holes in the bark of
trees. When the acorns fall in the autumn
they gather them and put one into each Of the
holes which they have made. Thus they pro-
vide themselves with a supply Of provender for
the winter. Otherwise. when snow covers the
ground, they would be likely to starve.
Other groups show Q number Of prairie
chickens engaged in their love-making dance,
famingoes with their curious nests Of mud,
hollow stump with parroquets hanging in
side by their bills, which il their manner Of
roosting, and wild pigeons, which are interest
ing because they are threatened with extinction.
One group that was prepared for Chicago will
not be sent there because II is too horrible II
represents the sheep-eating parrot of New Yea
land attacking q sheep. This bird was not
originally csrnivorous, put is supposed to have
acquired a taste for mutton during a very cold
winter, when, for lack Of other food, it assailed
the carcasses of killed sheep. Subsequently it
took to proving upon the live animals. clinging
to their wool and actually eating its way through
the flesh 10 the kidneys, of the fat surrounding
which it is especially fond. The poor sheep,
unable to defend itself against its winged foe or
TO escape, eventually succumbs Fortunately,
this parrot has been nearly exterminated in New
Zealand by the sheep farmers.