Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1908-07-16
TREE SWALLOWS TENAclTy IN
HOME DUTiEs-MALE vIREo
SITS ON EGGS.
CUCKOO IS NOT A BUILDER
Lays In Other Birds Nests-lnstanees
Of courage-Partridge Attacks In.
truder In Fierce Manner, usu.
ally Driving or Opponent.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

II you are looking Tor luck, put u
starch box with hole In II on your
roof and get a tree swallow for a
neighbor. The bird is equally at home
above the city streets and above the
country streams. All he asks is
place to nest and welcome.
The Indian held the tree swallow
with the purple martin. a mascot OF
mascots. In the olden days every
tepee pole had gourd at Its top for
the use of either species, and the
brave who had no summer bird twit.
tering above his door looked for evil
happenings.
The tree swallow (Tachycineta b.
COLOR originally dwelt in hollow trees
along the water course. The custom
is followed largely to-day. but the bird
has found that among men there Is
protection from its natural enemies.
and so II is gradually forsaking old
ways and seeking civilization. This
swallow is a beautiful bird. 1t has
pure white underparts. while Its back
and shoulders. when the sun strikes
them, are a shimmering green.
An experimenting friend OF mine
put box on the roof Of his city resi-
dence. A pair Of tree swallows came
and dwelt there. The mother bird de-
posted Ave pearly white eggs. The
experimenter took the eggs. The birds
were loath to leave. In a few days
there were Ave more eggs in the box.
While his heart smote him, the ex.
perimenter took these treasures also.
The birds still remained about the
box. Four more eggs were laid. and
were taken. The tree swallows would
not give up. The female laid three
more eggs, and the hand Of the de-
spoiler was stayed. The birds raised
their young, and the next season they
returned and were not molested.
Not long ago q Georgia man wrote
to me and suggested that gourds be
hung up for the purpose OF determin'
ing II purple martins would use them
for homes in the north as they do In
the south. A gourd was swung from
q pole in the yard Of a friend. The
purple martins overlooked 1t, but o
pair Of tree swallows pre-empted II.
and in the swinging home raised
family.
There were several feet of cord at
tached to the little home, and when
the wind blew the gourd was thrashed
about alarmingly. The mother bird,
however, saved the eggs from destruc-
ton with the close. soft feathers OF
her breast, and before long four little
tree swallows peeped out Of the en-
trance hole ready for their first flight.
One OF our most abundant wood.
peckers, the flicker (colaptes aura
tus), like the tree swallow, is loath
to leave the place 1t has chosen for
summer home. The flicker nests In a
hole which 1t hollows out Of decayed
tree.
Persons with callous consciences
have taken set after set Of the eggs
of the flicker, the bird keeping up the
laying and the attempt to raise fam
lily until nature was well.nigh .ex.
hausted.
The flicker has nearly 40 names.
II is known In different parts Of the
country as high, yellow-hammer,
pigeon woodpecker. yarrup. yellow
shafted flicker, and so on to the end
of the list. It is abundant every
where, and in recent years 1t has be-
come q bird of the lawns, where 1t
eats thousands upon thousands Of de-
structive ants. An investigator con-
nected with the biological survey
found 1900 ants in one flicker stom.
ach. The bird needs protection, for
everywhere It meets with the persecu-
ton Of the thoughtless.
The warbllng vireos is a bird with
q lesson to teach man. The husband
vIreo shares all household duties with
his wife. He is on the nest cuddling
the eggs fully half Of the time. and. so
far from entering complaint, he sings
joyfully at his task. Find warbling
vireo's nest, and II master vireo Is In
charge he will be found singing at
his sitting" He finds Joy in drudgery
and Is not ashamed to let the world
know It.
The warbling vireo (vireo gilvus)
has olive gray upper parts, with wings
and tail of dusky brown. The under
parts are white shaded. with greenish
yellow at the sides. A white streak
runs through the eye. The birds
nest is hung in the fork Of tree. and
Il compactly made Of inner bark. veg
etable fiber and dead leaves. The
lining occasionally Is made Of pine
needles. Il is one Of the prettiest
summer homes fashioned BY bird