The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1895-06-12
The Birds That May Be Seen
About the University.
BY MIR. BROOKS.

BY MR.. BROOKS!
| The university campus seems to be
d faVorite resort for most Of our more
common birds. The deep rayines on
either side, the Monongahela river at
a short distance, and the large num-
Der of trees, both deciduous and ever
green, furnish favorable feeding places
for many of the SparroWs, Warblers,
B1ackbirds, ,Thrushes, Wrens and vi
reos, which venture so far away from
large forests. Sometimes, indeed, the
rare, forest birds, which are very rarely
seen outside of some dense woodland,
stop for few hours as they are MAX
ing their semi-annual migratory
| flights.
As many as twenty species can be
seen and heard almostanyday, on the
campus or in the immediate vicinity.
Some make themselves very eonspicu5
Gus, but Others must be searched for
with the greatest care, if they are to
be seen at all. The Turtle Doves
which are now nesting in the old
graveyard, are SO silent most of the
time, that we might stay near for sew
F eral hours without knowing they were
there. In early spring they could Of
ten be heard, but now they spend the
whole time at their work. This spe-
cies remains here throughout the year
and commences nest building near the
first Of April,
Ihe Cuckoos may also be mentioned
in the class Of quiet birds. Occa-
sionally they may be heard in the APP
pie and cherry trees, but are rarely
seen unless one deyotes an hour or
more to searching for them. OF course
they may be seen at "a distance, but
not plainly enough to distinguish the
two species. The YelloW-billed and
Black billed Cuckoos reach this lati-
tude from the first to the fifth Of May.
Both species are of great economic.
Importance because they feed on hairy
caterpillars which most birds will not
eat.
The Carolina Wren may be seen oc-
casionally in the ravines. 1T is not con-
spicuons except when 1t suddenly flies
from q pile Of brush to sing its loud
song. In rural districts this large
wren is rarely seen about dwellings,.
The House Wren has full possession
there, and the Carolina Wren finds
suitable breeding places in the woods,
but, about this town, I have never
seen more than two OF three House
Wrens, while the other is quite com
mon.
Perhaps the most conspicuous birds
are the alien, songless. and quarrel
some English Sparrows. AS many as
twenty pairs nested this spring ID the
holesof the stone work about the main
college building.
While talking Of the English Spar
rows, we naturally are led to think of
our own modest American Sparrows.
The Song Sparrow is, perhaps, the
most widely known species. The stu
dents can hear d fine specimen Of this
sparrow every morning. 1t sings Id
the shrubbery nearProf. Rane's house.
The Chipping and Field SparroWs are
quite common near the building The
former species nest Id abundance
among the trees, while the latter IS.
more common in the open ground
down toward the Mechanical Hail.
20 careless observer these two closely
allied species may appear to be lust
alike but the difference will become
very noticeable after 4 little careful
study The Chipping Sparrow has 4
dark colored bill ana a cicada-like
song, while bis relative may always