The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-05-23
SOME BIRDS I'VE MET.
BY JOHN M. HOLMES.

Some years ago l was invited by
some gentlemen in Cris6eld, Md, to
go cunning on the great salt marshes
which lie along the Tangier and Poke
moke Sounds.
was given gun, gamebag and
some ammunition and we started for
day'ssport. was soon separated
from my companions and strolled lei
surely along the shore enjoying the
music of the waves, the smell of the
grasses, the bracing salt air and the
great stretch of blue water under a
cloudless sky, when beautiful bird
lit on the shore near me.
Its breast was snowy white, it had
jet black ring around its neck, and
its wings and back were delicately
marked and shaded. 1t ran along
the shore and uttered its low musical
note, and / tried to repeat it. 1t
stopped, looked back at me, and call
ed again, and answered, and follow
ed after, ,admiring its beauty and grace
fulneSs.
l had gun in my hand. but no
more idea of killing that beautiful
creature than had of shooting n.y.
self it was too lovely to destroy.
After while it flew away to join
its companions and I went home with
an empty game bag, clear conscience
and pleasant memory of the beauti-
full bird that had talked to me on the
marsh.
1 was visiting in Hartford county,
Md, a few summers ago, and one
morning, while sitting on the back
porch, saw rain crow light on the
garden fence not twenty feet away
from me.
was very much surprised, as had
always heard it was very shy bird,
and its habit was to keep in lonely
places, so it was seldom seen.
had occasionally heard its mourn
ful note from the deep woods, and
had been assured that it was sign
of rain, as it was never heard only
Just before a shower, and that was
why it was called the rain crow.
All these traditions received rude
shock when 1 saw it on the garden
fence about o'clock in the morning.
The breast was a delicate yellow,
and the back wings and tail yellow
ish brown, and every movement was
grace itself.
After resting a moment it flew down
among the tomato vines, and soon re-
appeared with large brown cater
pillar covered with sharp stiff bristles
or spines that sting and burn as fire
when you touch them.
He first killed it by crushing its
head, then the neck and went on
gradually down to the tail, biting
every part and breaking off all the
stiff bristols, cleaning it perfectly be-
fore he swallowed it. When he few
sr1S1r $500 Z. fa.a|>-~ --1
stiff enough to break.
Not being an ornithologist I cannot
give the correct name of this bird,
but when 1 related this incident to
one who professed to know, he told
me the rain crow was the cuckoo.
Last summer / was visiting near
Delta, Pa, where they have the ru-
raj free postal delivery service.
A small iron box is placed at the
gate of farm or at the crossroads,
and all mail matters is put in it for
the postman who takes it away when
he comes, and leaves any he may have
for the family.
In the letter box near the home OF
the Misses McCurdy little wren de
cided to build her nest, so she began
by carrying in twigs and grass through
the aperture for putting in the letters.
At first the ladies did not want her
there, so they threw out all her ma
terial, but they had calculated with
out their wren, for when alittle wren
makes up her mind to build in GER
tain place, your patience must stretch
from April to October to stop her.
So every time they threw them
out she carried them all back, until
at last her patient persistence won
their sympathy and she was allowed
to proceed without further interfer-
encc. She built her nest and raised
her young in that letter-box, though
she was disturbed every day.
When any one raised the lid totake
out letters she would fly away, but re-
turn as soon as they had gone. She
raised two broods there during the
spring and summer, and sometimes
when the postman took out the let
ters there would be FIVE little birds
sitting in a row.
When I was there in August she
was still keeping around the letter
box, going in and out, apparently un-
able to leave the old nest from which
her birdlings had down.-ChM1t
Standard.