The San Francisco call., 1897-03-21

LSYING at full length upon my back
tSk under a thicket OF close-growing
~ osiers 1 was studying through the
tieIdglass a newcomer among my
feathered neighbors. when something
buzzed past my face, brushing against my
hair as it did so.
| thought it was large moth or but
terty; the warm week of sunshine has
brought both these out in great mum bers,
and paid no attention, so engrossed was
/ in my observations. Still the creature
hovered about nv head with beating of
wings that, had 1 given heed to, should
have recognized, but not until flash of
brilliant color darted across my vision did
glance away from the glass. Then saw
that the mite that was inspecting me quite
as curiously as l was watching his big
brother was brilliant little hummlng-
bird. l gave a start of surprise and he
was off, but | could see him cleaning
jewel wise among the foliage OF the grease
wood close at hand. 1t was the Anna
hummer, one of the most brilliant of all
these beautiful little oirds The Anna
hummer belongs exclusively TO California.
He is rather larger than the Eastern ruby
throat, which he somewhat resem bles.
This was male bird, with head like a
cleaning ruby, metallic red and purp.lsh
coat and a green Vest-brave irapplngs
these in which to go a-woo:ng. Every year
| am sure there will be at least one pair
of these humming-bIrds nesting in q
tangle OF sweethrier here beside the stream.
Whether they are the same pair, return
ing year after year, l cannot say, but they
are very tame. l have known one to fly
into the midst of a group Of people and
futter about a speakers face with the
same familiar curiosity that marked this
ones inspection OF me.
The hummlng- bird and the least fly
catcher are the only wild birds L have
ever observed who do not take instant
fright at the sound of the human voice.
The barking OF dog, the neighing of a
horse, the mewing of cat, all sounds
closely connected with humanity, do not
alarm the birds. They will listen atten-
lively if you whistle to them, but make
an articulate sound and they are oil. do
not know why this should be. 1t is not
very plimentary to Us.
The bird l was watching, when my tiny
visitor claimed attention, was the ruby
crowned klnglet, beautiful little creature
whom, until this spring, l have never no.
ticed in this vicinity. This year l have
seen two, both males. The birds are about
the size of the goldhnch, with upper parts
of dark oIive-gre dusky wings and tail,
tipped with yellow, two whitish bars
across his wings and brilliant dash
of red in his crown. | have not heard
them sing here, save to utter q half-whis-
pered, warbling sort OF twitter, among the
willows, but the bird has the reputation,
in the East, of being a brilliant songster.
They are only birds of passage with US,
however, paying Us brief visit on their
way to the mountains, where they build
their nests and rear their young.
We are just now in the full height of
our spring season, and the recent warm
days have brought the flowers out in
earnest. In some one OF his pleasant
essays John Burroughs takes the poets to
task for making buttercups and dande-
lions bloom at the same time. The dan
delions he declares to be full month
later than the buttercup. They are out
before the buttercups here, however, and
our Californian poets may make them
neighbors with no fear of offending
mother nature. The blue-eyed grass is in
bloom now. This is another blossom that
seems to differ in its habits from its
Eastern sister. Our blue-eyed grass may
be gathered, and will, if placed IN water,
last for several days, to cheer and comfort
its human friends, but the Eastern flower
droops and dies almost as soon as IL is
seyered from its root. The blue-eyed
grass is really lily, and with us most of
this family last well if placed in water.
Anagalis, the pretty wee pimpernel, is also
in blossom, dotting the young meadows
with its friendly little red flowers.
The pimpernel Is an exceedingly Iowa
BILE little weed. 1t does no harm In field
and it has such happy. cheerful faculty
OF getting living out of the baresi,
brown, sun baked clods of earth. The
mallows are blooming in great abundance
on the sunny uplands and in low, marshy
places, and l know a hilltop that is Just
now carpeted with yellow violets. These
flowers seem to love the wind-swept noun
tain tops and to flourish where scarcely
another thing can find a roothold. The
brodlsea, too, is purpling the hillsIdes, and
lupin and poppies make the meadows and
roadsides to bloom like fair gardens. The
poppies hereabouts are by no means pie n
tifuI. however. If people are not more
careful l fear the time will come when
they will be rare indeed. l rarely take
nv walks broad during these days that
do not come upon forlorn masses OF these
blossoms, ruthlessly plucked and after
ward left in the road to die. The verlest
weeds would not flourish under these con-
dilions, nor will our poppies do 50 for
ever. l know lover of flowers who make
a point of carrying packages OF the seed
with him on his walks and scattering
them in waste places where flowers do not
appear. I do not know why this Is not
desirable course to pursue with reference
to many of our wild flowers.
Clim bing up a steep bank the other day,
l came upon bed of tell. nodding
flowers, the shooting star. Sinking upon
my knees beside them, the wide pano-
rama of foothills and valley, the distant
cries and the broad blue bay faded from