The Portland daily press., 1896-08-19
AMONG OUR BIRDS.
Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller Speaks of
Some Delightful NeighbOrs.

and the shy Wood Robin.
One of the most delightful features of
the New England Fair is the series of
lectures on birds, which Mrs. Olive
Thorne Miller is giving in City Hall each
afternoon and evening. Mrs. Miller is
describing, in clear and simple man
uer, the common birds of Maine. On
Tuesday afternoon she spoke of the finch
family.
IN beginning Mrs. Miller spoke of the
charm of knowing the birds, not soien-
dfcally rs classes, families, genera and
species. but as individuals, and of the
general ignorance which prevails regard.
ing them. This ignorance she attri butes
largely to the teohnicalities which fill the
books. and make it difficult for the un-
scientific to get the assistance they must
have at first.
She emphatically disclaimed antago-
nismeto scientific ornithology, but she
wished to help the many who would like
to know the birds and be able to identi-
fy them, yes have neither time nor incii-
nation for the study of the science, by
showing specimen of the more DOM
mon song birds while giving some &C.
CUNT OF their ha bits and bnus making
her hearers familiar with each In turn.
Altar brief explanation of the differ
enGe between resident BIRDS aud MI
grants, Mrs. Miller announced that In
these talks she should speak only of
THE SUMMER RESIDENTS
lin this latitude, birds that might be seen
In almost any country neigh borhood in
Al pan nsvl-
Yania.
She then introduced the great family
of 1nches, which includes sparrows,
buntings and grosbeaks. Beginning
with the sparrows, he showed speoimens
Of the song and vesper sparrow; chippy,
or the hair bird; tho field sparrow and
the white throat, and pointed out the
differences in marking, by which these
common species OF a puzzling family
may be recognized at sight, She told
gtories of the Intelligence of thu chipping
sparrow in leading too inqulsltlye
cockatoo away from her nest and OF the
matrimonial infeicities of an English
sparrow, who divorced his mate ana
wooed and brought home bride
The two snow birds, junco and the
snow bunting, which come to US in win
ter, were shown; the purple finch. sweet
est singer of his family, prosecuted by
TURNER'S DGCt1US3 Ub blllu6 OAb UuC IL ulu
buds, though a careful student OF bird
p ways says that for every quart OF fruit
he destroys 10 bushels ara able to grow;
the bIack-throated bunting, or d1okcls:-
sci, and the indigo bird; the thistle bird
and his bull-colored mate, and lastly
the grosbeaks.
Of these were presented pair of cardi-
nal grosbeaks, the male In brilliant
crimson. his mate in olive brown
Cardinals. Mrs. Miller said, must be
common in Pennsylvania, and they are
q of great interest because of their indi-
yiduality. She told of Watching
THE ENGLISH SPARROW
learning to snatch food from the beaks
of young cardinals. Lastly was shown
the rose breasted erosbeak, by many con-
sidered one of our finest singers, and
valuable to the agriculturist because of
his peculiar fondness for the pota to bug.
Of nearly every one of the birds men
tened the speaker told anecdotes, often
from her own experience, and at the
close ore was quite ready to agree with
James Russell Lowell, that 1T is good
for us now and then to converse with
world like Gilbert Whites, where man
is the east important of animals"
Tuesday evening Mrs. Miller spoke of
the Thrushes. In this lecture as in all
the others the discourse is illustrated by
large collection of mounted birds.
''Tbis evening"" said Mrs. Miller, 81 am
going to talk to you OF the thrushes,
which ornithologioally are large fami-
ly, including the robin, bluebird. the
different thrushes, the water ousel and
kinglets. The bluebird ia one of our
earliest yisitants, and one of the last to
leave US. Tt loves the haunts of men,
but is seldom familiar, and in kind of
naughty way keeps it's thoughts to itself.
1t used to nest plentifully in the city and
surrounding country, selecting some &C.
olud G nook or hole in trees and fences
1t will build in boxes set up for its ac-
eommodation. These boxes should have
nc perch, and. if possible, should be
hung from bough. This will prevent
their enemy, the English sparrow. from
usurping the nesting place.
The female bird is the queen of the
home, and usually selects the place for
the nest the male bird sometimes lend
ing beak in building it, but most of
the time singing his sweet song to en-
courage his mate.
THAT
THE FEMALE IS QUEEN
is shown by little story related of q
sparrow. She was Matching her eggs,
and was relieved now and then by her
mate. while she went off for exercise and
food. One day the male bird was late,
and the female called loudly for him.
He camo at last. and she gave him an
unmeroiful drubbing, which he took
without nurmur. Thoroughly ashamed
OF himself, he sat down meekly on the
eggs.
"Ihe robin is the most familiar of our
birds. Running over the lawns, with
head down. il suddenly grabs worm,
which it shakes as a cat does mouse.
Having swallowed it, the robin looks
up with infinite pride. They are great
insect destroyers, though they insist on
having the earliest spring peas, and the
frat mulberries, raspberries and grapes.
The robin is the great enemy of the bird
observer, giving warning of his approach
to every bird in the neig boring thickets.
They are brave, and will help any bird