The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-09
THE STUDY OF NESTS.
From the Washington Post.

would hardly suppose that the study
of birds nests was a whole field for or
astrological investigation by itself
But it is, and the Smithsonian institu
ton has two or three men who by fol
lowing this speciality have lately added
a number of new facts to the itera
ture of bird-nesting. OF course, the
birds nest specialist knows good dea,
more than simply birds nests, but after
he is an ornithologist or mamalogist
and taxidermist to boot, he has only
a good, broad foundation for the study
Of aerial housekeeping.
Mr.. Palmer, one of the taxidermists
of the Smithsonian, has for some years
| past given his spare time to this study.
The great feature in all the nests is
protective imitation, and the ingenuity
that some of the birds display is won.
| derful. There is one nest of the blue.
gray gnat-catcher that is perfect imi.
tation of a lichen-covered knob on the
limb where the nest is placed. The
nest is not much bigger than the half
Of hen egg, and is attached to OF
| rather seems to grow out of the upper
side of a limb, about as thick as the
base of the nest is wide. The inside OF
the nest is thick, soft felt of vegeta BILE
fiber, as good piece of felt as the best
hatters ever turned out of their fac
tories, and as soft as a mullen leaf
This felt lining is surrounded by an
other circle of stronger grass weaving,
and over the outside of this is the pro-
lection in the shape of lichen flakes
fastened on with spider webs. The
lichen is the sort with which the rest
of the limb is covered, but taken from
some other part of the tree, so as not
to leave single bare spot in the neigh
borhood. 1t is taken in flakes about a
quarter of the size of lady's finger
nail, and fitted as deity over the sur
face of the nest as ever a society girl
fitted together the fragments of that
defunct article of adornment, the crazy
quilt. Each fake Of lichen is caught
across with one or two single strands
of spider web, that are scarcely visible
to the naked eye. and the completed
nest at the distance of two feet would
defy detection but for the presence of
the mother bird. and even she was
shielded by an overhanging tuft of
leaves.
This was one of the three nests that
rewarded two-days' search early this
spring through the rushes back of
Four-Mile Run. They were the first
specimens of this nest ever gathered in
this region, though it was known for
years that the bird, tiny thing,
scarcely bigger than humming bird,
was indigenous here.
Spider webs are common building
material for a mum Der of birds. though
they are SO delicate that their presence
would be scarcely detected by the casual
observer They are used by humming
birds and by nearly all the smaller
birds in fastening protective decora-
tons to the outside of their nests. The
reason given by Mr.. Palmer for the de-
lection of the nests by man with COM
parative ease is that the bird does not
build to deceive the human nest hunter,
but to hide its home from nest-robbing
animals and birds of prey. Thus every
humming birds nest is protected from
above by a leaf or bunch of them
hanging directly over ii, and as rule
the nest is also protected from surprises
In the rear by stout limb rising per-
pendicularly out of the branch on which
the nest rests. so that the mother bird
has only to guard with her eyes the
part of the field within easy range of
vision. Though the nest so situated
- ,.-.@aa-al from animal
bird foes, it may be quite distinctly
visible to a man nest hunter who
knows his trade and where TO locate
the birds retreat.
There is singular persistence IN the
way different species of the same bird
adhere generation after generation 70
minor differences in form and location
of nests For instance, there are four
varieties of yellow-throated vireo 10 be
found about Washington and each one
of them hangs its nest TO the tree IN
different way, though the nests them
selves look almost exactly alike. Let the
outstretched hand represent the limb OF
tree, with the thumb a smaller
branch at an angle OF forty-hve &c
grees, one variety Of vireo Will hang
its nest directly in the crotch between
the thumb and the forefnger. while
another will hang il 10 the smaller
limb. and still another Will select the
side OF limb that has 10 smaller
branch projecting.
Some of the nests IN the collection
have hanging from the bottom cur
ious tuft OF dead leaves. waste and veg
etable fiber This varies in length IN
the different species The use Of the
tuft is a matter of conjecture. but X Is
supposed that as the bird using The
neat builds along the Hood line % the
woodland streams the streaners OF
leaves and trash is intended 20 CON
ple.e the resemblance o: the les; -
the mares nests OF dri.. that are
caash; in the bushes around l. The
nest has the outside covered with the
same rough stucco work OF refuse-
Strange a. il may seern- the time
taken for the completion Of bird :