Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-08
BIRD LIFE IN J U NE
Written for The Evening STAR BY Olive Thorne
Miller.

The bobolinks sing in the sun glowing meadows,
But the cuckoo delights in the cool, ieafy shadows,
Where the nest and Its treasures are rocked by
the breeze"
THOMAS MASON EARL.
To one who has the love of birds in the
heart these perfect days of June are full
of inspiration and delight; so many secrets
Of bird life to discover; SO many tender
home scenes to watch. From the wild
eyed mother sitting on her nest, resolute,
though full Of terror, to the venturesome
infant Of a few weeks, calmly making his
first excursion into the world and afraid
of nothing-there are SO many things to
see so much to learn. The world is full Of
joy.
In the first part of the month bird life
seems a little subdued, for nearly all the
homemakers are absorbed in their domestic
duties. But singing is in its glory. 1t may
not perhaps have the rapturous quality of
courtship but If 1t lack the agitation and
ardor of those days, it is full of a serene
happiness that is more satisfying, and here
and there one shall see the singer patient
ly waiting on bush or tree for his home
duties to open.
After the middle of the month nests be-
gin to brm over with their lively loads,
and one may watch the life and training of
young America in nests instead of nurser-
les. The comfortable theory of the old
time ornithologists that young birds need
no education, but come out OF the egg
fully equipped for life, knowing as much
as their grandsires, has long been eX-
ploded. 1t was comfortable because it eX-
planned everything so easily, without rais-
ing any embarrassing questions about the
relation of the lower orders to the human
race.
Interesting experiments have been made
in rearing birds from the eggs to discover
how much instruction the young require
to fit them for life and it is now well
known that they have their regular train
ing, more or less severe as seems to be
necessary. The rosy gull, for example,
nesting in communities, has very early to
teach her little family to stay at home
and not CAD about too soon, seeking so
Getty, of which it appears that the whole
tribe is fond-even in the cradle. DR.. Rob
ertS, who studied a colony of rosy gullS III
Minnesota, found that as soon as the nest
lings could crawl, they started out with
the social tendencies OF their race to see
their neiShbCrS. Their visits were welcome,
too. They were cordially received, either
by a bird still sitting upon her eggs, when
she coaXed them to Gudde down beside her
or by mother already blessed with
large family. who rheerfully received them
into her nursery, and readily undertook
their support with her own. Some nests
were like orphan asylums, swarming with
tender younSinSS. f.ut the deserted
mothers did not take their loss quietly.
When one found an infant its travels
she snatched it up oy the back of the neck,
flew up little and gave it a toss toward
the home it had Abandoned Sometimes sew
eral such filings would be necessary to
reach the home, ard occasionally the doc
tor found one whose tender neck was
bruised by this rather rude treatment. But
what else could she do? Children must be
taught. Not all nestllngs begin their
schooling as soon as this for birds living
in higher and solitary nests cannot get
out so early, and nave usually no neigh
bors to visit. With these instruction be
gins-so far as mortals on the ground can
diScoVer-with the attempt to fly.
l hope one need not say at this late day
that bird mothers do not usually, If ever,
drive away, push of the nest or otherwise
force their younSlings out into the world.
The larger number of little folk whom |
have seen leave the nest, have taken flight
while the parents were absent, and those
seen when parents Were near. have been
marked by the most tender anxiety and
help, whenever it could be given. and the
utmost distress If the youngSter failed In
his attempt and came to the ground. Sto-
ries have several times been told like this
from lady know. A mother bird, find
ing her nesting ;fraid to try his wings,
flew under the twig which he was
crouchng, and in some way got him on to
her back ana flew off with him. When at
a little distance she suddenly gave great
swoop and actually left her burden in the
air, upon which he took to his own wings
and came safely down.
All who have watched birds carefully
have seen them teach the young to find
food, to battle, to follow, to sing, to fear
danger and other things. Birds brought
up from the nest by people never learn
some Of these lessons. For example. birds
so reared are not afraid of the human race.
l could give many authenticated instances
of this. Then they do not know their
tive tongue, nor understand the calls of
their own mother and do not sing their
fathers song. chewink or towhee bunt-
ing reared in a house sang the song of an
nTtn Ian cd in ha VT aap nd
fused to learn the song of his family
when placed next a singing chewink. A
captive young robin learned the song of
hooking bird, and young bluejay did the
same.
Not only has the fact of the training of
the young been brought to light, but it
has been proved that birds are creatures of
habits and live regular lives. In Alaska
last summer on the Hartman expedition,
DR.. Fisher was interested to observe that
although the sun did not set till II o'clock
at night the birds paid no attention to the
FagarleS OF that luminary, but went to bed
according to custom at O'Clock in broad
daylight, of course. If they We're disturb
ed in their slumbers they appeared half
awake and bewildered, as they do In the
dark.
One may sometimes see a case of disci-
pine like droll one seen among the do
nestle inmates of yard in Michigan last
summer. with the regular poultry were
placed a small party of ducks and little
pond for their use. The head of this fam
lily was a parsonage of dignity, who loved
quiet. and the usual emotional announce
ment of a fresh egg was exceedingly Of
fensive to his sensitive ear. When an in
discreet hen became too gushing he flew at
her, caught her by the neck, dragged her
protesting al the top of her lungS-into the
pond and ducked her well.
One of the delights of late June is to
make the acquaintance of nestlings at
home, when the mother is absent speaking
to them quietly. moving slowly, and if
touching them at all, only with the sentlest
touch of the finger. The young usually
show no fear, and will often answer ones
quiet talk. | have held conversation in this
way with humming birds in the nest strok-
ing them with my finger, and have talked
Wfth-or to-clear-eyed mourning dove
babies, fluffy little blue jays and others
Very soon after they leave the nest they
are taught not to permit such familiarities
1t is most interesting to see the processes
of training that are obvious to u.s. such as
to fly compactly in flock. The wing exer-
cises, for example. of sandpipers, who fly
as one bird-as jewellers on the seashore
provisioning one moment all silvery
breasts flashing in the sun, and the ne xt
instant gray backs that blend with the
ocean color and make them almost tnyisi-
This actj