The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-07
SONG BIRDS OF
THE SUNNY SOUTH
Brief Notes on Their Habits and Vocal
Powers.
GLlMPSES OF HOME LIFE.
I'm Southern Virginia Where the NO
men are Queens Endowed with
All the Graces of Person ana
Beauties OF Character.
GLlMPSES OF HOME LIFE.

,1vDr, PARK. VA. April 26.-This Is
- hnrl dav and the orchard ana
a,aodiand are crowned with wreaths o.
bursting bloom and blossom. me Nos-
wood IS pitching his white tent III '"o
meadow and the crOcus opens us cups
az gold 10 catch the morning Dew ulOiS'
The daffodn mods his yellow pluihes pS
the murmurlng brook and the purple ~
LET IS peeping It's head from IT'S mOlHci-
bosom. Golden orioles and bright p'u-
mayed birds. whose silver throat5 are
ouiyering with melody, dart i'm and out
among the tender buds and leaflets, lisp
INC their miniature calls or tWliterlhs
their qossamer mcdleys. Watch one OF
them. Now he perks up his long, slender
tail or brandlshes # Ike tiny war cluoi
now he swings arily from twig 10 t"ls'
and anon he darts and almost turns
somersault IN pursuit of fitting insect.
The baltimore oriOle whistles blthc'y
but makes little melody and exc
cutes no tune. But there is some com
nensation. his gorgeous suit Of black and
sold far outshinos the attire OF his rel-
alive. the orchard oriole, clad In modest
br,ck-red and black a comparison or
the vocal talent OF these two species leads
me 10 say that Lord Baltimore has as
GOOD n voice as his cousin. but lacks the
orchard orioles technical skin and var
led EXPRESSION. Ills song IS quite viva
cious. the very essence Of cordially ana
good will. II is not a mean musical per-
Torrance either. but is distinguished by
sweetness Of tone and variety OF ex-
nresgion that arc by no means 20 he
desplsed. Some Of his outhursts are quite
saucv as II he we're guving YOU or dar-
ing YOU 10 put salt on his tail ~ YOU can
A kind OF whispering sometimes floats
down from the trees which IS the GUM
fessence Of anectionate sentiment-no
doubt a love song meant only for the
ears Of his mate
IN THE SOUTH.
Last April we made tour OF inc @uil
States. spending a week along the coasl
where was q busy loiterer on the alcrt
for birds April I'm this latitude Il the
counterpart of June in our Middle ana
Now Tngiand states. There can be no
-, ,ha. these orioles breed on the Gulf
cast Tor while have found M nests
,aw one female carrying building ma
torial IN her heak. II Is strange now
nature endows some OF the humblest Or
her creatures. when we observe the
ous,nt homes built by these feathered
Architects. The graceful. pendant nest
~ the oriole. tho dainty chalice 81 the
burnnine bird. the mere excavation or
sand as made hy tho ostrich. or the IN
Vulnerable and varied forms 81 nests
constructed by the hosts 81 tho feaih-
cred tribes each and all present re-
rnarkahle adaptation % the Individual
reouirenerts Of the builder But there
era certain extraordinary forms which
have been described by travellers that are
esnec4allv deserving OF notice on account
~ their great size or popularity or con-
s.ruction IN regard 10 size NAV Ne men
tioned the nest Or the monnd-buIiulhs
rnegapodirs n bird of Ansfraha. wnlch
an color and size resembles the partridge.
A nes, OF this bird measured oy me OF
n,thologist Gould was fourteen feet hsh
and had a circumference OF one
Sn,drea and City feet. Compared
,.s ,ha slze OF the bird the
r,,,.,s,o,s Of such a mountain are al
,,os. nrodigious and we ask how with'its
- e,d claws only for pick axe ana
,,tire means Of transport II contriNes 10
yet together such mass or materlhls'
one 81 the first birds 10 attract my houce
va. the summer tonagcr whtrh LOOKS a.
most Ike carmine rose nitunS III 'no
live oaks and pines. lie Il nrst COUSIN
"A the scarlet tanager. whose summer
habitat "a more northern and VINO rears
,ts family IA Ohio and Kentucky. l
watched female summer tanager con.
s,yuctina, her nest near Rixloxi, one OF
- ms, beautiful points on the delight
fri trin between Mobile and New Orleans.
ehe was dafntiiv LAYING her flexible UNI
,ers In n crotch on the horizontal branch
o, pine tree about twenty feet from the
ground. and citing her pretty oiive-green
bosom 20 the cup and planting the ma
teriai with her bill could not help al
miring her for she wore an orange yell
low sash around her body, tho rest or her
attire being OF decidedly darker SAGE
Nor was she NJ all shy or demure but
went On with her BODYBUILDING while !
stood te'ow and played tho rols or faui
Fry with my opera glass. ou'te re
rrentlv the male tanagers sang their
brisk solos.
MALES THE sINGrRs
1 Tnert are many WHO 60 not know fnss