New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-10

hereahout consists OF English spaTrows and
starlings.
When a dainty little pair Of sparrow hawks
elect 70 build their nests under the caves OF 4
house they should be encouraged TO the utmost
These and the much shyer shrikes are our only
hope in keeping down the numbers OF the for
eign intrude-s. IN the park the hawks nest in
q hollow tree and the sCreech owls. which. too,
should be unmolested. also lay their white efgs
IL a tree. When the hawks cease their good
work at dusk, the screech owl looks out from
his retreat quayers his LtIe song and launches
out 10 hunt down the Troublesome mice and
rats; and 50 the two birds divide the twenty
four hours between them in doing good deeds
for mankind, and YET both are prosecuted al
most wherever found.
Then there are the black and the yellow billed
cucAOos valuable birds both, Kidding the trees
OF thousands Of fuzzy caterpillars Their nest IS
fraI platform of twigs. and their light blue
eggs aye always TWO in number. The b-Itec
kingfsher bores into the bank OF the river, and
in the dark chamber at the end raises q family
Of six or eight Young cuckoos and kIughshers
are the funniest Of al young birds. Instead OF
their plumage coming out little at q tiine, the
Guiu sheaths grow uubroken into long and
slender structures and the little birds look as if
clothed IN an armor T blush sticks one row
overlapping the next like the tiles a roof.
Two woodpeckers make the park their home,
the little black and white Gowny and The well
known flicker OF ''highholder." Both. Of course.
nest in holes in trees homes dark and fun OF
splinters but infinitely more cheerful tnan the
sOoty chimneys whore the young chimney swIfts
first open their eyes twitter and are happy until
they can spread their marvellous sickelike
wings and fly all day. They hatch from eggs
as white as they themselves are dingy brown.
and their nest is a mosaic OF twigs glued 10
each other and 10 the bricks Of the chimney by
their mothers saliva.
Who would ever think that the dainty little
ruby throated humming bird is a near relative
OF the stubby billed swis,2 And yet, if We look
into the hummer's nest in the Geological Park
when the young birus are just Matched. instead
OF the long needlelike bills of the parents the
nestllugs VIII be seen 10 have short, broad beaks
very much like those Of the swift There is
small danger Of the huruming BIRDS nest being
disturbed tiny bunch Of plant down. tied
firmly with strands Of cobWeb. and covered with
EcHers. exactly like hundred Of the stUbby
knots ou any tree.
Five species Of fycatchers are represented.
the least lycatcher. wood . pewee. Phoebe,
crested fycatcher and king5r9. The first two
prefer the deep woods. the third bridge beam,
the fourth hollow tree and door mat Of
snakeskin the fifth an apple tree. The Ameri-
can crow Of course, IS found in this little world
OF birds and rare cousin of MIS- = smaller
copy Of himself the fish crow, also nests here.
A single pair Of bluejays nest in the Park. but
the English starting occupies every box which
is put up. This is handsome bird and lne
whistler but when realize how surely he is
Glowing our native birds out Of their rights
his beauties vanish and We perceive he is as
much OF = villain as the English sparrow. our
beautiful purple grackle and meadow lark and
redWinged blackbird. the orioles, both Balu-
more and orchard. rear their young IN safety
here, while the cowbird imposes on many Of the
smaller species.
The indigo bunting. rose breasted grosbeak.
cardinal and scarlet tanaser form q quartet
OF beauty OF which any locality may well be
proud. and among the more sombre hued seed
eaters ind the towhee swamp. song. field
and chipping sparroNs and. unfortunately.
though as matter Of course passer domesticus,
which only wholesale and systematic shooting
has prevented from overrunning the whole park
The bank and barn swallows all through the