The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1893-09-08
INGENIOUS BIRDS. NEsrs.


Some Curious structures.-.rhs Mud
Hens Floating Home.
Up In one Of the river valleys nos
ffaiy miles dS,tant are many water
blackbtrds, which weave unique
l,ests among tho thles, says San
Diego letter to the Christian Union
A specimen u una1Hal design Which
I discovered not long since was bound
about with meshes to tie upright
tuls stems. laced over, under, hi snd
out. In tho most intricate manner,
until the little baskct-shaped ro-
teptscls was Of tho desired size Tho
whole was thcr rooted with second
Sasket-shaped structure. likewise OF
tule fibers, stretched across, Tho
entire workmanship was most per.
fect. and that small canopy top
proved very effective in shutting of
the suns rays.
In this river valley recently made
acquaintance with the mud hen OF
tho grebe ismily. had met bor bo-
fore. but never hid opportunity 80
study her, and knowledge of her hab-
Its IL exceedingly interesting. Here.
under the trees on little laguna's
bank, have watched for hours as
she has been swimming, diving.
splashing, darting. Tutoring and
spattering foam from her lifted wings,
and budding her voting up on the
bank to eat grass in the sun. She
has no beauty, but those tiny canary.
oolored mud chickens, tipped with
soft down. arc rather pretty.
This mud hens most IL u weody.
reedy, fibrotts structure, composed
mostly of dead, gray ends Of tules and
miscellaneous matter. and is usually
placed far out from shore. without
anchorage. where 1t drifts to nni fro.
grading Its eggs nnsily. 1t presents
to tho eye simply tho somblance of n
mass Of wasting vegetation One who
knows birds WELL and who has mado
them Il study from these same trees
on the laguna's bank, tolls me that
he has many times wadod out to
search for nest, and espied II only
when sweeping away with his hand
what he supposed to be accumulated
rubbish of leaves, but that proved
The cradles countcrpane with which
the careful mother had shielded her
treasure.
Here eggs. or young, deposited Oh
the bottom, were Usually half sub
merged. the water oozing through
every interstice AS through siovc,
and no sign OF Il parent bird near.
Retreating to II distance, Il Tas often
necessary 10 watch closely. and
through glass, when presently tho
mother grcbc might be discovered
smiling up swiftly, uncovcring the
floating cradle and shyly settling
down 10 breast It's contents. When
they were evidently sufficiently
warmed she covered them carefully
with moro debris and sailed away as
swiftly am ing the wafer reeds
Tho orioles IL one OF the daInticst
nests found in California trees Ono
has recently been built by an ps,hot-
ic couple in magnificent fan palm
in private grounds, where great care
is taken not to Brighten tho birds
away This pcnsile, airy thing Is Of
the pale. straw-colorod iibrcs Of the
palm. and Is great beauty. Another
parent pair have chosen rolled ban
ana leaf for resting place This has
been stitched tightly across from sido
to side Something in ball-cover fash
ion) with palm threads The sewing
implements must have been dex-
terously handled, the result Is so trig
and complete No moro cunning
sight can be imagined than the heads
OF the baby birds pcering out from
the lance-shaped roll of this living
nest ON the green banana tree