New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-06
THE MINSTRELS OF MARCH.
A TALK ON SONG BIRDS BY MRS. OLIVE
THORNE MILLER.
CHARMING; STORIES OF THE BLUEBIRD. TIL
ROBIN, THE SPARROW AND OTHER
uERA1.ps pr SPRING.

ROBIN. THE SPARROW AND OTHER
uERALps pr SPRING.
Mrs Olive Thorne Miller gave the first Of
series of talks on birds yesterday morning at the
Waldorf Hotel It was just talk: and the gray
haired lover OF birds, who has charmed genera
ton with her stories Of bird lore, mad every one
IN the banquet hall her disciple when she had nm
shrd The subject The Minstrels OF March
Mrs Miller was seated a slightly raised plat
form on her right hand side stood n small tabic
with stuffed specimens of the birds she spoke
about. Mrs Miller spoke OF what the lover or oirds
can motto for himself day b. day. She said IN part
The ordinary man and woman probably xh ,N. !,
OF six birds The fact u.s. those with wish to
learn more about flowers and birds are met BY
t through books crammed with technicalt!es. The
object OF ;his series Of talks is to make those
he bird and telling OF It's habits. It's song rs
fayorte haunt rs Toongs and M t Ta5T where s the
course OF my talks hope to tell OF our r reg lar
our Ministries Of March are, the bluebird the
one knows and lhc!r song that heralds spring The
s,ns sparrow s 50 mucn Ike It's English cousin n,,,
the black blotch that Is under the neck Of the
English sparrow Is In he middle Of he breast t, 9f
includes tho nnches. huntngs and grossbeaks. Is
the ypr nat only ns' al 1a 5d ,s
Md sPsrrow good d.al bigger RI and
for is strange cry. "Old man Peabody, Peabody
are all great insect destroyer | know case OF a
farmer who fearful OF losing ell his cabbagcs
owing to an inroad OF catterpiliars. He employed
several help him to get rid OF the pests. but
9d h1 At N hn eny ai mat he
birds werc not TO be molesied and got rid Of every
spread around among tho sparrows. for soon a
nock Of over 9o were husy eating the pests They
I'D more good than dozen men. Another story ~
have OF chipping sparrow shows how birds VIII
protect their younr one 81 ihSss pros had nuit
" vine that had crept up the side OF an clubhouse
walking ground. and one day saw chipping
'front.' OF tho parro, win diGlcuty Before ! could
r.: - The most o. deis lar~ Explained he matter
Tho mtnoeuvrc was repeated whenever Polly began
There are matrimonial quarrcls also among birds;
~ rue, IN" female rules ne roos'. but once
lwf,y angry ami ;iue and time again tr.cd TO
S NJ lam ,b. mo ho. IN H. m dsa drive yee her
oat at last and ab.outeiy divorced her, for he vas
Ge !" IH mngSt T hc Sm f" quarrel w "9 from n'
ncEhborng bough. and. must say. never saw
IN. )unro. " snowhrl. Is n most gregarious bird
aal "a always . b. l,una IN n3ehs Kept (lst ~
n tho roots u 'recs TINT have been blown over.
That birds are consldsrate Of one another Is Ger
ain. / know e case where some friends ot nine
haI fel npck ~ iuncos during long spell OF
ia weather Taey goi. 50 tame that they Sonli
-1mc NJ the stoop 20 BE- 'cd. hut i was noticed mat
90. ORD ilNays remained on the fence ana me
u.hsr ores fed TIC b RI hpd an injured wing.
and IN c,se OF ldcn danger would rot have been
no.e TO leave with the fock In the rush. so IL was
.c't In a place - safety nnI fed
The snow bunting IL to be seen around New
York only In hlzza RI times when there nrc snow
gcu-rcs around The purple inch is charming
sonxsier. and IN woolns time IL most gorgeous IN
color a coupe once watched were most amusing
The male with every feather pured out cried out
A-woot"' a wlpt" and the female. apparently
Indifferent jug, gave A pip when abe FOUND
grub Rut SECOND male arrived and Vas AZ once
lgnOmin ousy driven away by the female me
male approx ches the nest hut ent"ftalns the
vhnlc family by almost continuous concert
They are said 20 do much harm 10 frut trees. nut
they are really % the greatest blessings the
frli, grower has. The black throated bunting with
cry OF "Chlp- h.p-chl- ch-chi" hides Nsef In the
cover and nests there. bringing out II" young be-
,,re the rAlpcr brings his scyihe The little Indigo
hirI is the most persistent summer sonRster we
have The BIRD nests IN low bushes. but the male
bird always looks for the highest twig on which 10
perch and carol forth It's hymn.
Thee lectures. which VIII be held ~ tho Waldorf
a, II a N. every TUESDAY during Lent. under
the patronage Of Mrs. VI. X. Bates. Mrs. J. Crosby
Brown Mrs T.. VI Bryson Mrs J. Wells Champ
no. Mrs william starr Dana. Mrs. Mary Napes
Dodge Mrs Richard 4. Elmer. Mrs Almon Good
v-r Mira Burton y. Harrison. Mrs William Tod
iIe,mu;h Mrs c. : Longstree:. Mrs Seth Low
Vrs Charles 4 Miller Mrs James Herbert Morse
Mrs l.. G. Ruukle and Mrs William Seward Webb