The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-06-05
CLIMATE AFFECTS PLUMAGE
Gay and Gaudy Hues Chiefly Confined
to Tropical Regions.

never gave the color OF the plu-
mage of our birds much Thought, did
YOU! And you rouldn'l come within
mile. probably. Of namin. the pre-.
dominating hue. if vnu were asked
suddenly without warming, SAYS an
Omaha letter t." the New York Her.
aid.
l"n ar" aware. however, suppose,
that the birds OF these temperate re-
"I"nS arc, for the most part, plainly
marked. while down in the Guilt
States and the further tropics, ihriv.
IN" as they Il" under the vertical ravs
OF the sun, most Of them are clad in
gay and %audy lIucs.
The birds we have here in Nrbros-
kH--and We have them i'm greater
ah''nlanr" and greater variety than
they d" in any other State in the
unI"n~~that have bright colors dis
play them, as Il rule, on only re-
STREETS parts of their plumaoc: as the
scarlet Spl"tclI on the win. Of the
marsh blarkbird and most Of the
w""dprrkrrS, the orange throat OF
blackburn $ warbler. and the purple
lrldrScrncr on the wings Of the mall
lard and teal ducks.
The exceptions to this rule, though
Few, are somewhat remarkable. Brown
ami black, with Il little yellow or rcd.
are the prevailing colors, the yellow
beng much the more plentiful. True
green, like that ct the leaves Of all
our Indigenous trees. is never fm,nd.
though clear ."livc, with decided green
reflections, and metallic grccnisl, lus.
ter on black feathers are common
enough. We have but three blucbirds.
and yet not one strictly all blue. Our
common bluebird, the one for whose
note we all impatiently await in tho
early spring time. he with the re-
hrrtl"n Of the skies upon his back
and the bronze Of the earth on his
breast, is an example Of the most vivid
and rurcSt blue Of them all, the male
"utShining the female. But only thc
upper parts, the head. the back, the
wings and the tail, are blue: the
breast Is Il ruSSct red and the undc,
parts pearl or whitish.
The only all blue bird we have here
Is the tiny little indigo. This beautiful
little buntin" is no more common
anywhere than right here in our own
state close roundabout Omala lie
has hrrn well named, for his color is
lurrSl indigo. both above and be-
meath. with no white MARKINGS any
where. The blue lrcrcnS to blacliish
"r 'hlSkH OH the wings and tml, whle
ON the head and shoulders arc some
"rr"niSh reflections. lie has brown
little mate. like the sparrows, to
which family the bird belongs. She
builds her nest in low saplng inst
within thC border rf the woods, or
IN secluded thickct, and while the
nest is quite crude and bulky looking.
1t is most costly constructed.
The male is Il lively scrsslrr, with
Sccplng canary-lik" notes that arc 10
ID" heard almost anv"'nerc aloro ou
Cuict country roads ar;, lanes from
'Hrlr May mli! late in August Ills
tav"ritc site when Si.lginc; is on the
t"p-most 'wig Of son." high ircc, but
as he frcqucnts the dccpc: and NOR.
hidden foliage, despite his conspicu-
ons coat, only the real bird student
and the cioscrS see and Intimately
know MIN.
Our uplands is the real home Of
this little finch, and yor will find
1t by industrious searching IN any pf
"nr overgrown pastures. along the
edge Of the woods and bushy road
sides. Late in September | have found
them in the corn fields and even in
our city gardens. The female laws
from four to five eggs along early this
month, and they are white, tingcd with
blue.
The indigo bird feeds upon insects
and seeds, but chiefly upon the lat
ter. lie searches industriously for
food and often covers a wide range
OF territory while foraging. Tie flies
rapidly and usually at a considerable
height from the ground. AS type he
is shy and retiring.