The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-26
HAP TALKS.


WINS ahout bird nests. rad by nest week
thu Haphammor hopes TO have several
letters from the members upon This sub
jcct. The study of the birds md trees
is always Of interest, aud though c~pc-
chilly appropriate for spring and sum
iner. can also be confined during the
winter, There are many empty nests
now 10 be found IN trees and bushes, and
some Of tho IIaps must tell how these
little homes are made. No two birds
make nests alike, 80 there can be much
variety in the descriptions
During the cold winter it would GER
tainIy Joe well II birds would occupy
somr Of the beat of deserted nests ~
sleeping pinces but they do not appear
to q" 80. Ia late Snowe'orm IN North
efn town. blnciay muitrrcd aud scoid-
ed at intervals all through the night. He
wac perchcd on boueh near the window
IN very exposed position. Down in the
hedge he might have found deserted
village with plenty of houses. rent free.
besides the shelter of boughs londrd with
brilliant bnrhcrries Perhaps he longod
for human companionship aud liked 10
see the r"d-cyed fire.
The swallows mudbuilt nests under the
caves have long since been despoiIed,
but within the barn may he seen still
the rude nests of the bird which feeds
IT, young on milk--thc pretty blue and
white pigeon.
l.,la
not, by what strange chance has the
yellow throat learned TO place her nest
in the skunk cabbage ia order to protect
IT, II il thought, from the COW bird
which ia so Influenced by the odor that
she VIII not ~ near it to deposit an .rr
thcrcint Think what the heroic little
mother must endure inhaling such am
atmosphere during the long petod Of
nesting. Who suggested 10 the yellow
bird that she should build n two or even
Unrestricted nest in order TO rid herself
of the parasitic egg of the cowbrl which
lazily builds her own nest too ehnllnw
10 mold MI her own eggs Has the lack
daw some incipicnt ideas of theology
that he builds in tho church atccplc
What lends the African grosbcak to
form companies and huill hundreds of
nests together, thus undertaking sort
of cooperative housckccpngY Is il tho
force of hereditary custom which leads
tho bird of Burmah to light up his three
storicd dwelling with captive fircflies.
and the garden bird of papra not only
to construct II waterproof roof to hit
Il
lay out and ornament his yard. Then
there is the hover bird which mako, n
place for public amusement. and the
'blucbcard" of birds. tho hornbll, who
plnstcrs up his wife on her nest. leaving
only a hole for her bill in order to feed
her during her Imprisonment
If there Is no parnllclsm between nest
building and intelligence, why IL it that
the beautiful nssassin, the shrikc, 80
often selects thorn tree for her com.
Portable nest? She has been described
sitting ON her casket Ms resembling IAN
antique lid of oxidized silver" But il
must be admitted that although mdivid
nal birds vary their INST construction, ns
rule each tribe builds according to tho
fashion of ancestral habit. The swift
seeks the chimney, the swallow the barn
and the woodpccker never forgets to make
circular tunnel In n tree to serve AS a
nest. The whip-poor-will uses hollow
ON the ground and the kngfishcr makes
n burrow In bank. Tho scientific nam,
frog lodytes--cave dweller---is given TO n
little bird which loves secret hooks and
corners,
The crosablll breeds very early in the
season while the air is still sharp. A
gentleman took the nest of one Of them
Az he was descending to the snowy