The Holly chieftain., 1901-07-05

destroying the buds Oh the ornamental
shrubs.
In sharp contrast with this robber
Is the whisky Jack or camp bird
most familiar resident OF the mining
camps. His friendly manners have
made him a great friend to the lonely
miners shut up in their winter camps.
\ very conspicuous bird in the south
western portion of the state IS the
American raven. His sepulchral ap
pearance and harsh voice, however, is
not calculated to render him a popular
favorite.
The American crow is only common
is northwestern Colorado.
The distant relatives Of the crows
grouped together under the head OF
black birds the red wings, the yellow
headed black bird and the COW bird
are exceedingly common in the
swampS. Their migrations in large
tiOcks are one of the most prominent
Indications of the beginning and close
Of the summer. In some cases where
food is abundant considerable num-
bers will remain throughslt the
winter
The song Of the western meadow
lark Is the most noticeable of the sum
mer residents of the plains. This bird,
although SO closely resembling the
meadow lark of the eastern states as
TO be regarded as an identical species
for many years, possesses radically
different song. The brilliant yellow or
the plumage of its breast is in marked
contrast with the browns and grays OF
its upper surface, which enables him
to SO easily conceal himself in the dry
hcrbagc of the plains.
We will often hear the song of n
bird in the cottonwood trees that we
are unable to identify. Finally one de-
tects brilliant plumaged bird-the
golden black of a bullock's oriolc. This
bird does not visit us until the leaves
are out on the cottonwoods. He pru
dcntly conccalS himself 50 that days
may elapse without sight of the
songster who is constantly serenadins
us at morning and evening. His hang
ing nest Is so strongly built as to defy
/ the winters gales, and is perhaps the
/ most common of the nests which we
see after the leaves have fallen.
] The tinches are in Colorado in great
/ numbers. The most conspicuous Is
4 the dear little house finch, the most
/ common bird of Denver. The habits
of this bird are in some respects like
| those of the eastern sparrow, but its
| cheerful song is happy relief from
| the irritating sQuawk of the eastern
! invaders.
Until recently Colorado has not been
| bothered by the English sparrow. Not
! withstanding several attempts to intro
: duce these birds, they did not COM
mence TO increase until within the last
five year. Now in several parts of the
! state, and particularly in Denver, they
are as numerous as in any eastern
town. \ struggle for existence is in
progress between the house tinches
and the English sparrows. Despite
! the rapid increase of the sparrows, the
! song Of the finch is still heard even on
/ the busiest business streets of the
cities, and it may be questioned wheth-
cr they have suffered from the attacks
of their pugnacious enemies.
/ The mountain ptarmigan is one of
! the most Interesting of the Colorado
/ birds In the summer its plumage is
| like the brown and lichen-colored
rocks among which it feeds. With the
approach Of winter white feathers be.
/ gin to appear until with the coming
of the snow ii is only distinguishable
/ by motion from the vast snow fields of
the range.
| The little water. ouSel. sometimes
I known as the humming bird of the
Sierras, is n most interesting occupant
J of our mountain canonS. 1t feeds on
/ water insects and lives almost 4 half.
submerged life, often running for min
utcs underneath the foaming waters
of our mountain cataracts.
| One of the birds that is practically
extinct in Colorado Is the large, white
pelican of the gulf states.
Among the numerous water fowls
are several birds that are usually
found only along the sea shore, such
as the gulls, the double crested cor.
morauts and some terms. The herons
have several rockeries along the
streams of Colorado.
One of the rarest birds among the
game birds of the state is the Amer.
lean woodcock
The wild turkey may still be found,
but doubtless will soon be eXtermi-
mated. y bird that is now extinct in
Colorado, rs in many of the northern
states, is the pretty little Carolina par.
oquet.
In Colorado ornithology one of the
most difficult feats is to determine the
true species of the various kinds of
snow birds. The common so-called
snow bird, SO abundant in the city
streets after or during Il storm, is not
the true snow bird of the eastern
states, but should be properly called
horned lark.
ter about three-tifths of nile mes.