The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-04-24
BIRD
STUDY
CLUB
Interesting Spring Meeting,
Being Resumed
A Good Paper on Humming
Birds Is Read

|
ing good progress. and the president,
Mrs. w. c. Hawley, is endeayorlng TO
extend It's sphere Of usefulness In
every way possible IL has been de
cided TO resume the Friday evening
meetings instead of holding sessions
on Tuesday evening. and the next
melting will be held Friday evening.
At recent meeting each member
was asked to contribute 10 cents to.
ward meeting certain current expen.
ses, and aside from this there has
been no money 20 pay All are in
vited to attend the meetings.
At the last meeting an interesting
paper was read on the Humming Bird
from which the Journal has been al.
lowed TO make the following extracts:
The smallest bird and one that no
one can mistake for another Is the
humming bird. The length is given
as from 2M to az inches. Some
South American hummers are as
large as srarrows. or four hundred
varieties known on the western con.
tinent, only one is common in the
Eastern states, the ruby throat; and
In our state. the rufous. We also have
three other varieties less common.
Aliens humming bird. which Is very
like the rufous. the black chinned,
which corresponds to the Eastern
bird, and smallest OF all birds--no In.
habitant OF the tropical countries OK.
cepted--is our little Lake county ma.
tive. the caliope humming bird
The rufus humming bird. so named
from the red on It's back, Is very com.
mon The old fashioned flower gar.
den with honeysucklc, columbine.
nasturtium. gladiola, and other tube
flowers. Is a perfect paradise for him.
Red and orange are his favorite col.
ors, as blue is the bees and pink the
butterfy's. which are the best dec.
orators among the blrds?" says
Blanchan. while many show true
striyings after the beautiful. one hes.
ltates between the parula warbler and
the humming bird"
Two tiny white eggs In the dain.
test little nest ichen covered and
lined with white down from the pussy
willows. on the branch Of an ever
green. is the little hummer's home.
The young are ready 10 ny within a
week after Matching
During the nest building and incu
bation, the male Is aggressiyely on
the defensive and often discloses the
location OF the nest lie works dil
gently collecting nectar and insects
for the little ones but he soon goes 10
the mountains for vacation leaving
his wife 10 bring the children when
they are strong enough for the trip.
The females and young have me.
tallic green instead OF the males m.
fous. and lack the beautiful gorget
The body. when bereft OF feathers. Is
as large as the first Joint OF a lady's
thumb and seems one mass OF muscle
His annual migrations from Central
America TO Oregon. seem long enough
but the bright flowers OF the short
Alaskan summers. offer him nectar
in return for his help in cross fertil.
izion and he gladly Journeys on. even
as far as the Artic circle.
SAYS Blanchan. Even the tiny
hummingbird is desperate hghter
and will lunge his rapier.like bill. like |
any duelist. into the jeweled breast |
Of an enemy at the slightest provo
cation. All the heat OF his glowing |
throat seems 20 be transformed 10 his
head while the fight continues. some
times even 10 death-a cruel but mar /
velously beautiful sight as the glist
enlng birds dart and tumble about be
yond the range OF peacemakera.
II you see what apears 10 be- a hum
ming bird about your flowers AZ night
be sure that II Is no bird al all but
sphinx moth.