The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-21

fighting native birds. drive them away
They feed insects to their young. but eat
all the time themselves, when not quar-
reling. and the range OF their appetites
goes from the fruit IN ones trees 20 the
dirt Of the street. At my home In the
country they fight the bluebirds, martins.
and robins. and I fight them. So far
the battle has been with them, am al
most ashamed to say"
"Will a robin. born in n tree Of your
garden. return each spring 20 the grounds
about your house2"
Il believe so. The little robin learning
TO fly in your dooryard think. will
grow up to be your permanent ncighbor
and good friend
What is your theory concerning the
manner in which animals and birds. pig
cons. especially-ind their way home
from long distances
DO Birds Reason.
You have brought 40 a subject" Mr..
butcher replied. that has been debated
by ornithologlsts for years No one, much
less myself. could give an uncontradicted
answer TO your question
John Burroughs once told me. said
that birds have visional knowledge but
lllhl iltN thllioA Alllhh lllfliASNlheo Jul VI
new situations
Mr.. Burroughs Is a writer, a philoso-
pher. and a man OF education. / would
not venture. therefore. 10 enter upon a
discussion with him, but let me tell you a
little story. In this city, and I speak
from personal observation. a Baltimore
Oriole built its nest on tree IN Central
Park The long. heavy nest OF the
oriole is suspended from a small limb
that moves with the wind The bird
speak OF was either an INEXPERIENCED
builder or Il made an engineering mis-
take Anyway. the nest was so near the
end Of the limb that its violent swinging
endangered the eggs. How do you sup
pose the oriole made It's home safe
against accident? It got a piece OF Irvine
for a guy. swung 1t across limb over
head and strongly wOve the two ends
into the edge OF its oscillating nest. A
family was raised without accident and
late in the autumn the parents and chill
dren started South to spend the winter %
Have birds living in communities like
bees and ants. any laws regulating their
conduct toward one another
Have Fnn,iIy Lives.
/ 4 think they have. when living IN com
muhities. as do the water birds along the
coasts have visited breeding grounds
/ and reservations. but have never wit
/ messed any disorder Birds Of the same
! species live IN peace. which Is more than
can be said OF man Some birds mate
/ but once. and then for life, and, so Far
as I know. are never divorced. Other
birds mate only for a season, but wives
and husbands seem 20 be affectionate
/ Industrious. unseihsh. and faithful. In
my opinion birds that live IN colonies
have some form OF social organization
at al events. there appears 20 be q
mutually OF rights and obligations"
do wild birds suffer from disease.
that carry them on2'
Surely Grouse and quail. hunters vii
tell you, die In great numbers az times
Millions of birds die or are killed eacf
year. Small birds coming North I'm IN,
. spring have run into warm snow storms
and their lifeless bodies have covered tn,
ground for many miles. ] have had 90
birds sent 10 me that were killed in
single night by flying against light
house The mortality Of birds in thei
migrations North and South is verl
great, and man turks IN almost ever
field to help increase the harvest o
death
And finally" asked. ''how oai
women be prevented from wearing IN
feathers and bodies OF birds on thei
hats2'
wouId Protect SOnEsterS.
Il wish l knew" Mr.. butcher an
swered. we feel that most mothers ar
hopeless cases. but we hope to persuad
their little daughters TO be more kind
toward the wild songsters Of the air an
! 20 be less barbaEous IN their manner @
! dress The Indians. you know. though
themselves very fine n they had plent
OF feathers in their hair. They didn
powder their faces, 70 be sure, but paint
ed them. Persons engaged I'm the mil
Inery busir ess, commercial individuals
l OF course. are ruthless I'm their slaughte
OF birds. They have caused the practice
extinction Of the white heron. fr0r
which they get the aigrets worn O
> women's hats Such plumage Is wort
from so 10 $50 an ounce. In fact IN
o price on the head Of the white hero
is so large that the few remaining in on
reservations are hunted day and nigh
and we have the utmost difficulty j
saving their lives.
Many OF the feathers worn by Amer
% can women come from abroad The Dir
OF paradise, native or New Guinea. an
the lyre-bird. of Australia have almo,
ceased TO exist England is trying {
, lcgislate against the bringing OF foreig
! feathers or birds into the country. BIRD
i killing in Europe will have TO stop or pee
pie. in time. viii starve to death.
Q Il am perfectly rational when I sa
s that the world will yet he devoured h
n insects unless the birds, natures checl
are let alone.
! Copyright. 1902. by James B. Morrow