The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-05

only catch, now and then, faint, shrill
sound like the highest, most attenuated
note OF violin.
But the tiny chap made as much fuss
over the performance as though he had
been a nightingale. He swelled out his
little throat ruffied his feathers, flirted his
tail and nearly fell off the twig in his
musical ecstacy. Then he flew away to
make his report.
California is particularly rich in this
variety of bird. There is only one hum
| ming bird found east of the Rocky Noun
| tains, while out here we have eight differ
ent representatives of the family. During
my stay under the tree | had visit from
rufus hummer, the brilliant little ruby
throat, who is more like jewel than a
bird.
| He did not come until afternoon, how
| ever. When the first one, the "broad-
tailed" humming-bir had gone, l had a
much larger visitor. This was stranger,
all the way from Oregon. One fascinating
feature of bird study is that you never
know what moment you may be called
upon to. entertain distinguished strangers
from any part of the continent. The study
varies, too, through the year. There are
few if any, varieties of birds among my
trees that were here six weeks ago. The
winter birds have all gone to the noun
tains. to Washington Oregon and British
Columbia They will be back when sum-
mer is over, and my gay-colored, fair
weather visitors will all depart.
This particular Oregonian is a very hand
some bird. 1t is the Oregon towhee,
member of the sparrow family, and to the
evolutionists of great interest because of
the notifications it has undergone in color
ing from the common striped ancestor of
this great tribe. The Oregon towhee is
nearly the size of robin. He has a shin
inn oh lore rrit
and white wings, very long tail and
bright red sides. His song is few low
notes and call that has earned for him
the name of Western catbird. He has
native cousin, the Californian towhee,
sometimes called the ground robin. or
brown finch. The Californian bird is
Quakerisl: in his dress, with Just faint
dash of red on the under tail-coverts.
The next bird in my bush was a singer
indeed. l heard him sing before L saw
him, and it needed but glance at his
crimson head to recognize the burion-the
naughty little house-finch, who is in mis-
chief from morning until night. | sus-
pected this to have been the very chap l
discovered the day before pulling the
clothesline to pieces to get lining material
for his nest, but forgave him for the sake
of his sweet song. So
While / was listening to the finch
golden-crowned warbler came dashing
down into my greenery. He was an i'm
petuous creature, and was off again in a
minute to the roof of the wagon shed.
Here passion-vne was being trained by
strings up the side of the wall. The warbler
espied these strings and was soon having
high frolic with them. He would seize one
in each claw and, head downward. swing
back and forth in a perfect frenzy
of delight. He hung, first by one claw,
then by the other, all the time keeping up
an interrupted melody, as though he
could not stop singing, even for his play.
By and by Il lady of his own kind alighted
upon nearby scrub-oak bush. Instantly
our warbler was at present arms. Such a
Fighting of HIMSELF Such a preening of
wings and ruffied plumage, and then our
gay young bachelor darted over to the
scrub-oak bush, quite evidently a-wooing
gone. He spread his wings and tail, sing
ing softly the while, and fiuttered about
the sober little lady, al a-quiver with
anxiety. She, meantime, was considering
him quite seriously. He was brave to look
upon, but could she take him as mate?
Could she trust him to hunt and fend for
her. and protect her through the nesting
mysteries of maternity.
| cannot tell how she was guided in the
matter Perhaps she had witnessed the
swinging performance, and deemed him
altogether too light-minded a bird to as
sumo family cares. At all events, with a
final eloquent fiirt ofthe tail, she presently
flew away. He sat disconsolate for min
ute and then darted after her. do not
doubt but that he pressed his suit further
on some other bush.
But speedily forgot all about him and
his moving, for with great rush and
whirring of wings there suddenly famed
about my bush half dozen orioles, a
blaze of orange and white and sun reflect
ing black. They perched upon the highest
boughs, and in an instant the tree was
alive with melody. How they did sing.
these sunbeams of birds! Whoever heard
them could never say, again, that we have
no singing birds in California.
After the orioles had departed there
came to my bush, singly, and by twos and