Evening star., 1901-12-19
A PARTRlDGE'S. WAY.
How the Youngnis Warned When
Danger sssems Near.
THE MUD-DAUBE as 4 MASON
sFate sai
Birds Do Nofs Soar Until They
Reach a Wind Current.
OTHER INTERESTING TRAITS

VI LIN 4ANS
Copyright, 1901, by Hughes ohsiey, Louisville)
While out walking, in the late summer 1
climbed on the top OF an old rail fence to
rest AS sat Idly watching few lazy
clouds floating above the blue of the far
away hills became conscious OF something
moving about just below me- in the rank
weeds and grass. sat still and watched
closely and soon discovered two old par
tridges and their entire brood of young.
After looking at them for some little time
I jumped down. Infan instant the young
birds had disappeared. 1t was almost as If
by magic-as though the earth had opened
and swallowed them The old birds did
not hide, but began to warn their young
by their repeated calls The male bird ran
short distance into the edge, of a tangle
of briers and weeds and stood in full
view and told his babies to lie close. The
. female came near my feet, stumbling along
with a wing and leg dragging, feigning
lamenesS. She moved in this manner for
some distance, striving her best to toll me
away from her young. knew her trick
too well and stood trying to see some of
the small birds %
attract my attention. The male still stood in
full view, giving the babies a peculiar
alarm call. 1t was low, cultural series of
notes which 1t is impossible to describe. /
have heard one of their calls which is
somewhat similar. 1t is the call which
comes floating over the fields late in the
summer twilight and seems to be their
sleepy song as the covey is going to bed.
While the male continued to warn his
babies to lie close 1 hunted carefully
through the grass and weeds to locate some
of them. Although I searched for a long
time 1 did not succeed in seeing a single
young partridge. The sun was sinking and
I had to hurry homeward. AS 1 climbed
the hills beyond I stopped to listen and
heard the old birds whistling their babies
together with low, soft covey calls. What
loving sound 1t was as it foated up the
hillside to me. I felt a good, strong warm
ing about my heart, for l knew the old
birds had found all their babies again just
where they had crouched at the parents
warming call.
Soaring Birds.
Ever since I could remember what l had
seen in the world ofanature about me, the
wide, sweeping circles which the soaring
birds made through ,thg upper air have been
source Of delight, to- me- There is moth
ing in the wide blYe above us more beauti-
full than the stately soaring of hawks buz
pair of opera glasses you cannot detect the
fiutter of the highest quill feather as they
swing. The wings ares set and rigid at a
slightly raised angle as the bird swings up
On calm, still day soaring bird. on
rising from the gr5tnds flaps it's wings con-
tinuously. 1t does not even try to soar
until 1T catches a breeze in some of the
is stirring few lazy Strokes of the huge
wings are all that is necessary to give it
Its balance and momentum before 1t be-
gins to swing in circles. If the breeze is
fitful, the momentft checks the bird begins
to use its wings again to hold itself in the
air. jsnf "a - .as.----- So
We know that helupper currents of air
are usually more constant than those on
the surface of thefearth, and it is probably
for this reason that soaring birds imme-
diately rise to some height. OF course, this
high vantage gives the bird wide range
Of vision in searching for it's food, but the
currents Of air probably play as important
part in Its selection Of the high upper
air. 80 s7-i
The sailing of boys kite is practically
an application Of the same principle as the
soaring of these birds But the objection
will be raised that the kite is kept at
constant and rigid angle by means of a
string Let the birds mentality play the
part of the kites string, and you have the
explanation. If any one will watch soar
Ing bird carefully, he will at once notice
how systematically it sails, constantly tip
ping its angle to meet the varying inten-
s1ty OF the wind as it comes In gusts
Wasps as Builders.
This shiny, black wasp with its long,
| mer about pumps and hydrants. In fact.
1t is to be found wherever there Is enough
| water to make good, stiff mud for nest
! building. Those who do not know this in
| sect by its correct name, thread-waisted
wasp, are probably familiar with it by it's
| everyday title Of mud-dauber. Its nest
| when completed looks very much like a
handful of mud stuck against the side of
shed or house and often against the
| rafterS or roof plate.
If the reader will frequent the edge of
| pond or stream where there is stif mud
during the warm months. he will
| these wasps busily engaged in getting the
mortar with which they build their homes.
The wasp appears to stand almost on its
| head as 1t pulls and works to get a roll
| of mud in its jaws. As soon as it has got
| the ball tight in it's mouth, it rises heavily
| and flies to its nest. Often the feet are
| used to help to hold the ball of mud on
| the homeward journey AS the wasp rises.
| It usually circles. like the honey bee. be-
fore making a 'bee line for home.
The mud Is worked into place on the
| growing nest and the wasp hurries for
| more. This action Is continued until a
| tube or cylinder is made, like that shown
| on the upper part Of the first photograph.
| During the construction of the cylinder
! the wasp is continually running In and out
| of 1t, in order that the interior may be
| kept smooth. Unlike the paper wasps.
| these mud-daubers are solitary In their
| habits and never work in large colonies.
| After the cylinder is finished, the wasp
goes hunting for spiders. 1t sights vic
tim and at once pounces upon it, singing it
into state Of complete stupor. The spider
| is not killed, but remains In comatose
| condition indefinitely. The spiders are
| placed in the earthen cylinder until 1t is
| filled. usually taking from eight to twelve
| spiders to stock tube.
Then the wasp lays ian egg on the last
victim and seals the opening with thin
young grub begins to eat the helpless
spiders which ares at Its mercy. The third
photograph shows rthSI grub after it has
| The side Of the tightly sealed cylinder has
been cut away. IN, order that it may be
seen as its appeaIS just before making its
covering for undergoipg its change to a
| Suicide In England.
From the London Mal4e