The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-02-16
BIRDS HAVE LITTLE SENSE.
Their Mental Powers Not as Well De-
veioped as Those of other
Creatures.

Few species OF birds are endowedwith
! the acute instinct that characterizes
other members Of the animal creation
| They are very "set in their ways" and
seldom move out of their accustomed
| groove. The chirping sparrows have
persisted in building their nests in
the roof cutters of the next house, ig-
noring the fact that rain is not un-
known in this climate, and that a
heavy shower will flood their tene-
ments and drown their offspring. Not
only this, but next year and the year
after they win do the same, falling to
learn by experience how to accommo-
date themselves to British weather.
Jackdaws, when untainted by civiliza-
tion, dwell in holes in the rocks, but
quickly adapt themselves to new cir
cumstances.
The writer has been almost smoth-
cred by smoke caused by nest which
completely blocked his chimney ten
feet from the top. As the chimney has
been built only few months, it is
obvious that as site it must have
been unfamiliar to the troublesome
birds. Now that time is far distant
when first chimneys were invented, and
the first jackdaws descended their
blackened depths, yet a long expe-
rience, while it has shown the birds
the convenience Of chimneys for hold
ing their abominable sticks, has not
taught them that their premises can
not be insured against fire. Perhaps,
after all, the brains of jackdaws are
sharper than is supposed. The nests
are placed in the chimneys just when
the fires arc being given up for the
summer, so that the jackdaws enjoy
the use of the chimneys more than the |
man who pays for their erection.
If we look toward them with half |
closed eyes not trace of the birds |
is visible. All appear sound asleep,
and the little heads sag drowsily to |
one side, but at the slightest noise |
each black bead Of an eye is wide
open, and six scurrying pairs Of legs,
or rounded, whirring wings, carry
their owners to the further side of the
cage, as il an unfelt wind had sudden
~ caught up some of the dead leaves
before us and tossed them along the
ground. 1t is all beautiful bit of
magic, which never becomes less won
derful, no matter how many times we
witness it.
When we see how wonderfully these
little partridges are protected from
danger by their color, we wonder how
the mother partridge keeps hidden
during her three weeks vigil on her
nest. The male bird is indescribably
oeautiful-dotted and slashed, stained
and shaded with different tones Of
'olor, some of his feathers looking al
most like the scales of fishes. His
head is decorated by two interlacing
white lines and the tall helmet of
beautiful recurved feathers, which, Il
added to his black throat, make him
very conspicuous bird. We find that
lis little wife, while, to certain de-
yree, sharing many Of his beauties,
has them in such subdued tones that
hey do not make her at all noticeable
'mong surroundings of dried grass
md weeds.
The young birds are still further
provided with means of escape from
heir many enemies. for almost from
he moment they are hatched their
little wing feathers shoot out, and
when only day old they can flutter
full yard into the air. In fact, I have
lnown one of these hardy chicks to {
all out Of nesting box IS inches from ]
he floor, and somehow get back alone
N the day Of Matching. Imagine a
ommon chicken attempting thisl