The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-22

his suite at Como, Mr.. Bluebird arrives
very spick and span, with his suit case
covered with Southern labels. The
blUebird is something of a dandy, and,
like human dandies, is always on dress
parade. The bluebird arrived in ST
Paul as carly as ten days ago, and he is
already furnishing his apartments at
Como In anticipation of Mrs. Bluebirdsss
arrival for like Mrs. Robin, Mrs. Blue
bird arrives later than her spouse. The
sparrow, of course, we have always
with us, and the chickadee spends the
winter in ST Paul.
That Is why nowadays at Como one
hears lively chattering, although as
yet there is no very beautiful singing.
But next month the ruby crowned and
golden crowned kinglet will be here,
and the warbling wires, all beautiful
singers. They are only migrants for
they nest in the far North, but they
make quite a lengthy little visit in the
vicinity Of st. Paul and fill the park
with melody ,zzzte-
The wood pewee will be here this
week If he has not come already He is
such a Shy little bird that it is only
the persistent bfrd-lover who is able
to learn anything of his habits While
Intimate details Of the sparrow's and
the robins private life may be had
for the asking almost, the pewee is ex-
elusive and does everything in her
power to keep her name out of the pa
pers 1T is so vulgar, my dear, all this
notoriety," one can fancy her saying
to Mrs. Brown Pewee
While the birds are the surest har-
bingers Of spring, there are otter in
d1cations Of It's near approach here In
st. Paul. Out In Merriam Park and in
st. Anthony Park patches OF green.
grass are already showing, and over at
the Indian ha ci5 -
those mysterious heaps show already
multitude of tiny new green grass
blades.
st. Paul Women Study the Birds.
There are a number of women In
st. Paul who are interested in the
study of birds, and parties of these
may be seen every day now in the var
ious parks observing the birds through
field glasses and carefully writing down
the results of their observations in neat
little notebooks. So many of the birds
that come to Minnesota in the spring
are migrants that the earnest bird
student must sally forth to bird haunts
every day If she would learn all about
these visitors. Apropos of these bird
students, a very interesting contest is
being waged here in st. Paul between
two clubs made up Of bird-lovers and
bird students
The bluebird is at the bottom of 1t.
Some authorities on birds insist that
the bluebird is one of the greatest
bird rascals unhung. That he spends
his time destroying other bird nests.
and even killing and eating the baby
birds. Other authorities, apparently
just as reliable, insist that Mr.. Blue
bird Is much maligned; that IT, unlike
Caesars wife, he is not above suspi-
cion, that suspicion is based upon cir
cumstantial evidence and that nobody
has caught Mr.. Bluebird in the act
Clubs Will Compare Notes.
The two clubs are carefully observ-
Ing the suspected bird, notes are taken
and every little incident of which he
Is part Is carefully written down.
AT the end of the summer the clubs will
compare notes. In the meantime Mr.
Bluebird's reputation trembles in the
balance
Here in St. Paul, May, of course, is
the supreme month for BIRDS Those
who have come here to spend the entire
summer are all arrived, and others who
are merely passing through the city,
have not yet taken their departure for
the far North. The scarlet tangier.
the latest bird to arrive and the first to
leave, flashes his brilliant coloring in
the sun; the catbirds, first cousins to
the hooking birds, are filling the parks
with melody and all the other birds
with rage, for the catbirds are great
mimics and no bird Is sacred from
their representations. The blueiay's
babies scream all day long and all night
long in their nests-the young blue
jays are awful cry-babies-and de-
sp1sed swallows are staggering about
everywhere trying their best to hold
their own and generally succeeding.