The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-25
BIRD WOOINC.
Feathered Wooers Described by Mrs
Olive Thorne Mi Ter.

|
| Olive Thorne Miller.
Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller gave the first
of Lenten series of Bird. Talks" in New
York the other day. Mrs. Miller is the
well-known writer and lecturer on birds.
| and has devoted many years of study to
| their habits and characteristics. The pres
| ent series is on THE Life of the Bird
describing fully the different periods of its
existence. Yesterdays talk had its spe-
cial topic, THE Bird as Lover" Mrs.
Miller said that birds were as different
from each other in their methods of
courtship as were human beings; she
even inclined to believe that they exhib-
tied little more variety than the latter
did. AS means of partly illustrating her
descriptions she had mounted specimens
Of pairs of birds belonging to different
species.
"All birds court in the spring." said the
speaker. although it has been discovered
by recent Investigations that the majority
OF them keep the same mates for life
Nevertheless, when the season comes
around each year the male bird goes
through the same demonstrations and
makes every effort to charm his spouse
anew. tFaGaH3l
There are many distinct methods of
courtship peculiar to the various kinds
of birds. Most of the commoner species
WOO by means of music, having a special
song, low and very sweet, which they
never use on any other occasion. Then
there are other varities in which the male
bird takes on a gorgeous plumage at the
counting time, which, however, is only
worn during that period. and then dis
carded for the rest of the year"
As striking instance of this Mrs. Mil
Ter mentioned the scarlet tanager. Inn
mediately after he has settled down with
his mate the brilliant red color is re-
placed by a sober suit of olive-green.
which causes him to resemble almost ex-
actly his quiet little wife. The bobolink
when seen here in the north, is wearing
his counting dress of black, white and
bun, but when he starts from the south in
the spring he is of a dull reddish-brown
The peculiar thing about the way in
which he changes color 10 that the feath-
ers do not drop out, giving place to new
ones, but are worn off at the ends. show
ing the entirely different shades at the
roots"
In speaking of the aigretts so much
worn on women's hats, Mrs. Miller told
why the practice of obtaining them was
exceedingly destructive. She said that
they could be found on the birds only at
the time of counting, and that male and
female wore them alike.As a consequences
the men who are in search of them shoot
both birds, thereby destroying NOT only
the heads of the family, but condemnine
the helpless nestlings to die OF starva-
ton.
third method of wooing said Mrs
Miller, was that of the chase. In this
Audubon declared that the female bird.
though she had many admirers, always
decided herself which one she preferred.
sun another device of the male 10 at
tract the attention of his sweetheart was
TO make sort of athletic display of his
powers OF nying and spreading his wings.
This was especially noticeable in the
marshhawks and tiny humming birds.
There are many vicssitudes and uncer-
tainties in birds courtships." said Mrs.
Miller, Just as there are in those of the
higher orders"