The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-24

general distribution of the birds gives
to their work a value that is incalcu-
liable.
Caterpillars represent an article Of
food of which this bird is especially
fond. and where they are plentiful
they constitute about two-thirds Of
the food of these birds. BOrers. bark
beetles and weevils are eaten in
quantities
Its Song and Ways.
The song Of this bird. once reeog-
nized, will not be mistaken for any
other. Syllables do not give an ade-
quate idea of the character of this
song. This song is usually uttered
while the bird moves about the trees
and among the branches
Its nest is symmetrical and we'll
woven. usually of a silver gray. be-
cause Of the plant fibres and cottony
substances that are woven into it. Its
eggs number four or five.
1t is a well-known fact that war
blers are more often imposed upon by
the COW bird-which deposits its eggs
in their nest-than any other of the
FAMILY of birds. and, strangely enough
the bird under consideration appears
to be about the only one that positive
ly resents this intrusion and takes ac-
tive steps TO dispose of the alieTAeggs.
This is accomplished by building a
platform over the nest in which the
COW bird egg has been deposited
and the rearing of another house. In
stances are on record where a sam
mer warbler has built three such plat
forms before IL was left in peace To
attend TO its own work.
r.. 4 - r-gf.I OIL
The second of the two warblers
mentioned-the lOng-tailed chats
not nearly as numerous, nor so widely
distributed as the summer warbler
Neither is it. so attractive or domestic
in its ways.
This bird migrates early and passes
the winter in Mexico and Costa Rico.
and returns to Utah about the middle
of May
Because of his bright color his char
acteristic habits and his unusual song.
this bird is Of peculiar interest, but
only few words concerning him can
be given here. This bird avoids.
rather than seeks, observation VET
does not shun the haunts Of man, and
viii. if suitable shelter is at hand.
build his nest quite near the human
habitatiOns. have heard the song OF
the chat coming from a tree-usually
where the brush grows freely, about
its trunk, and have watched a half
hour at a time before l could catch
even glimpse of his brilliant yellow
vest. He is very successful in keep
ing the tree trunk between himself
and the curious bird student He NAV
be found in the garden if there are
corners in which the brush has been
allowed TO grow undistuFbed: along
fence hedgerOws, and especially in the
tangle of brush and brier which so
often marks the highways OF eur
state.
The song of the chat can hardly be
mistaken for that of any other bird
for. though it resembles that of the
catbird, in some particulars it is so
much more comprehensive and pre-
sents SO many more variations that il
soon comes to be recognized as dis
tinctly individual 1t has great imi-
tative powers, and pauses not at I'M
dertaking TO reproduce any sound it
hears. I have heard it whistle 50
much like a human being that a dog
was fooled and was led 10 rise and lift
his ears to determine who was calling
The chat often sings far into the
night. Get acquainted with this bird<
he will interest you from the first.
The Bullock oriole.
One other bird must be placed here.
because Of his tree-feeding habit-that
is the Bullock OriOle. In the south
western part of the state the Scott
oriole is the one that IS to be found
but when you hear the orioie chatter
or catch a strain of music with the
oriole favor, you may know that it is
a Bullock.
Fully Is per cent of the orioles food
is made up Of insects, an for the
most part of the nOxiOus kind. II is
fond Of cateTpillaTs. Wasps, grasshop-
pers, bugs and beetles.
I omitted TO say that these orioles
are generally distributed in our state.
though not nearly as numerous as
their value to the farmer and fruit
grower makes desirable.
The nest of this OriOle, in common
with-Others of its kind, is of the hang
nest character Usually it swings from
the pointer near the outer end-Of a
limb, to which ii Is attached securely.
1t is built, ordinarily, of strings and
horse hair. The eggs are of the ezra
tically streaked and splotehed variety.