The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-30

passage that have seen this favored
cline, gather in fiocks and journey hith-
er. The mountain sides, mesas and val
leys OF California of the South, not only
always contains seeds for the frugivopous
birds, but there is not day in winter
when even the insectivorous flyers may
not successfully forage for insect, grub,
worm. or crawling thing. There ia food
here in abundance, all winter long. for
all the focks that fly from the wintry
North and resort to the land of perpetual
summer.
One Of the most interesting OF our
winter visitants is Robin Redbreast.
He is little larger here than the Eastern
bird, and of lighter hue on the back;
but his notes, flight, and ways are the
same, except that he is good deal more
suspicious of man. But all winter our
aviary has contained fiocks of robins.
Their cheerful notes have regaled the
ear. and the flashing of their red breasts
has charmed the eye as they have dart
ed through the orchards and hoped
across the lawns.
One unique sight is the long files of
cranes that, high in air fan the cold,
thin atmosphere with their lazy wings,
far above the snow-clad peaks, their
weird cries at times descending from
above the very clouds. They come from
their nesting places in the far North, and
in early spring return thither.
And so do numerous waterfowl. such
as ducks, looms, and other aquatic birds,
that reach here in early winter and re-
main until the voice of instinct calls
them away to where they we're born,
perhaps in Manitoba, or perhaps in that
great American archipelago that extends
from the Columbia to the Yukon. 1t
is thought that some of the shrewder
birds have discovered that short fight
of few miles from the warm valleys to
the lofty mountain canyons gives
charge of seasons as great as degrees of
latitudes on level ground, and SO find
their tropics and semi arctic regions
their North and their South, in sight of
each other.
cannot tell how many of the birds
in our aviary are, like myself, migratory,
and only remain here during the winter;
but have the oriole, two kinds of wren,
the bluebird, the indigo bird. the tana-
ger, the butcher bird, the phebe, two
kinds Of quail, the meadow lark, the
mourning dove. the mocking bird,
the linnet, the kingfisher. the crow,
the crow -blackbird, the golden wing
wood -pecker, the "chippy" and other
sparr ows. several warblers and fly catch
ers, the finch, the grossbeak. the sand
piper, several kinds of gull, the loon, the
pelican, the cormorant, hawks, eagles,
buzzards and owls. the condor, the wild
pigeon, and that curious ally of the
cuckoo the paisano, or road-runner, or
chapparal cock, a tall bird with long bill,
long tail, and tall top. knot, running with
swift gait along the country roads.
The two quails found here are beau
ties; the valley is somewhat smaller than
bob White" with pretty plume
pointing forward. and the mountain
larger than bob White" with two
plumes pointing backward.
At the North and East there is but
one humming bird, the ruby-throat;
and he is seen but a short time in sum.
mer. Here there are no fewer than six.
the Anna, the black chinned, the Costa,
the Allen, the Rufou, and the Caliope,
and some Of them never leave the few
acres of their habitat, where. every day
even in winter, they can poise motion
less before the bigonia, or the vases of
hundred different blooms aud find
their daily food. Not day passes that
do not see some of these animated
morsels darting about our doors.
Our aviary extends from the noun
tain slopes to the margin of the sea, and
every rood contains it's feathered denizen.
OF course the best-known birdc are
those oftenest seen about our homes. In
January and February, when all through
the frozen North,
Forth from his lair In the fierce Northeast.
The snowstorm rushes like wounded BEAST
here, under the sunny sky an almost
June temperature prevails, and the
birds that love mans vicinage are
sprightly and full of song as elsewhere
in summer. One of the most attractive
is the meadow lark. He is here far
more brilliant singer than east of the
Rockies. His song seems to articulate
in notes indescribably mellow and mu.
sical oh how-beau-tiful," and this
he reiterates from the first day of Janu-
ary to the last day of December. Scarce
ly a pleasant day in summer or winter
for he stays here the year round
that does not hear him repeat what is in
every ones mind-"Oh how beautifulr'
OF course the mocking bird is easily the
prima donna; she. too, rears her domicile
here and never leaves the Land of Sun
shine" and is the queen of the aviary.
Nearly every chimney in the suburbs is
the favorite perch of the singer, and
sometimes for miles, they are never out
of sight on the telegraph poles One
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