The progress., 1904-05-21

who saw the birds going in and out
Branches too small for a fiickers nest
are sometimes used by downy wood
peckers.
Robins seem to nest in every or
chard, and twice, at least,1 have seen
the home of wood thrush in an apple
tree In one instance the tree grew
close to house. the occupants OF
which, passing in and out, could plain
ly see the. parent bird as she sat on heI
eggs.
OF the hanging nests, perhaps the
one most frequently found in apple
trees is that of the orchard oriole, but
occasionally we may find also those OF
the Baltimore oriole, yellow-throated
vireo, and white-eyed vireo. The vel
low-throated vireo is one of the most
charming of our bird neighbors. be-
ing one of the tamest and gentlest.
Several instances are recorded of birds
stroked on the nest; one I know of
which would come down on its land
lords hand for food, and l have myself
had the pleasure of lifting yellow
throated vireo from her nest, and of
seeing her nestle down on her eggs
again when | put her back. My ex-
perience with white-eyed vireo,
whose nest l once found in an apple
tree, was very different. The little
home had been visited by cowbird.
whose large mottled egg had been de-
posted with the four much smaller
ones of the vireo. If l remember right,
the birds we're away, but when called
a few days later, the little mother vireo
was much in evidence. None of her
own eggs was Matched, but the young
cowbird was on deck. and from her
actions 1t seemed as though she was
afraid was going to steal him. "Yira-
go" would have been better name for
her. as she few into bush quite close
to me and. looking me right in the face
with her strange white eyes, poured
forth torrent of abuse. People are
often angry with you IL you happen to
discover that they have done some
foolish thing; and had not discovered
that she had Matched cowbird's egg?
But l knew that there was trouble
brewing for her, SO | went away and
did not return for a week. When | did
come back. the young cowDlrd not only
filled the nest. but hung over on all
Sides Beneath. him | found one poor
little starved vireo; its brethren had
probably been pushed out of the nest
by the usurper. But the foster mother.
far from admitting her mistake. pro-
ceeded to abuse me worse than ever so
left her to her problems.
other small birds which sometimes
claim the apple tree as home are the
chipping sparrow. house wren, yellow
warbler. least fiycatcher and ruby
throated humming bird. Near the top.
on the outer branches, the kinebird
often builds his nest, and lower down
we may fird. toward the end of June
the homes of those late builders. the
goldfinch and cedar waxwing.
On one occasion, was entering a
very old orchard. when heard a loud
whistling of wings. ard looking nm
| saw a pair Of mourning doves fiyinc
straight from large apple tree. and
on going up | found their partly built
nest in wide crotch, within a few feet
OF the ground. But a more unusual nest
to find in an apple tree was one found
on the Connecticut coast, a few years
ago. | was visiting q colony of green
herons in a clump of cedars. Among
the evergreens there was q large apple
tree. and on the top of 1t there lay the
nest and eggs Of a green heron.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNEs.
Truth in Old Saw.
she-You say you are unlucky at
cards?
He-very.
Well. you must be lucky at love.
! suppose,-
Il am I've never been married -
fonkers Statesman.
Directions
Bring me some coffee said Mr.
Nurox. as he finished mis- dessert.
Demi-t1sse1" iuouired fl,o wstfo~