New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-04

DISAPPEARING BIRDS.
Magic Trick of the Little California Psra
tridges.

tr1dges.
By c. William Reebe curator Of ornIshoiosyv
New-York biological Society
Young birds have to be taught great many
things. but there some feats which thsy
know without instruction In large open atr
cage in the New-Yorx Geological Park IS a
covey Of six California partridges. about one
third grown. and their little bantam stepnother.
She dozes at one end of the range or walks
slowly about. pecking among the blades CT grass
The small sextet keep close together and Il
We watch them for several minutes. we VIII see
some Of the things which must have come To
them as their feathers and little bills came
from the egg. Unlike the hen, they are suspt-
cious OF your every movement, but in short
time they forget that you are not q ufsIess
tree trunk or other harmless object near theis
cage. They select a sunny spot. always or tho
dead leaves, never on the green grass and here,
after much cuddIing and pushing. but never Al
peep, they squat. usually IN an Irregular circle
with heads outward. Unless there are dead
leaves some similarly colored surface in thstr
cage, they never settle down contentedly for a
sun bath.
We watch them nestle close to the ground and
close their eyes; then some movement on tbs
part OF the hen may attract our attention fo-
a moment, and. on looking back again, We ara
amazed to find the little birds have disappeared
1t is a fact that if we lose sight of them even
for short time. the eye at first refuses 90 Dis
tnguish them from the dried leaves. Their IT.
tie backs are dull dark brown IN color broken
by irregular fine white lines. very much like shs
mould lines on fallen leaves. while the lighter
sides OF the head. instead Of being at all con-.
spicuous. are exactly Like the lighter shades OF
some old leaves. the imitation being more per-
feet from the fact Of the coloring being thus
broken I'D. Even the little brush OF appraised
feathers in their heads-hintS Of the beautiful
recurved helmets OF the old birds-appear like
small. frayed out pieces OF grass or leaf
II We look toward them with half closed eyes
not a trace Of the birds Is visible All appear
sound asleep, and the little heads sag drowsily
10 one side. but at the slightest noise each
rying pairs OF legs. or rounded. whtrring wings.
carry their owners 20 the further side Of the
cage. as il an unfelt wind had suddenly caught
up some OF the dead leaves before US and tossed
them along the ground. IL is all beautiful biz
Of magic. which never becomes less wonderful.
no matter how many times We witness IL
When how wonderfully these little
partridges protected from danger by their
color. wonder how the mother partridge
keeps hidden during her three weeks vigil on
her nest The male bird Is indescribably beaut-
ful-dotted and sashed stained and shaded with
different tones of color, some OF his feathers
looking almost Ike the scales or nsnea ais
head is decorated by two interiacins white lines
and the tall helmet OF beautiful recurysd
feathers which added to his black throat make
him 2 very conspicuous bird We ind that his
little wife while TO a certain degree. sharing
many OF his beauties. has them in such sub
dued tones that they do not make her at all 40
ticsabIe among surroundings or dried grass and
weeds.
The young birds are still further provided
with means OF ESCAPED from their many enemies.
for almost from the moment they are hafcnad
their little wing feathers shoot out. and when
only a day old they futter a full yard fnto
the air. In fact have known one OK these
hardy chicks 10 fall out OF a nesting box eisn-
teen inches from the floor. and somehow gec
back alone on the day OF Matching Imagine q
common chicken attempting this.