The San Francisco call., 1910-12-04
PAOT APHtNG TAE GEARS WHILE
SINGING THEM

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located on the bank OF TIA Msrced
river not far from the wood trail It
was an ideal place and the camp was
ptcturesquely perfect. he had built a
stove from stones and caStoffs left
by former campers in the vicinity. His
tent was pitched under yellow pine
tree, so large that all the cooking
utensils were hidden from view Of pas
sers by on the trail He called It his
pan tree" Everything around the camp
was in perfect Order-nO rubbish in
sight All refuse was burned or buried
Mr.. Kellogg said he preferred camping.
He couldn't put up with the incOnven-
fences Of hotel life. He spent five days
watching with his camera in position
patiently waiting for the bears to come
out so that he could get a good pic
ture of them
Said Stephen Chalmers. who accom-
panied Kellogg on one Of his expedi-
ttOnS In Jamaica: The moment we
entered the shady precincts of the
woodland KeIogg's manner changed.
He had been talking to me about his
adventures in various parts OF America.
but instantly he forgot my very exist
ence and began calling TO his beloved .
birds. What puzzled me was that the
birds seemed to know him.
Somewhere among the trees a wood
pecker called. The call was answered
seemingly by another bird where Kel-
logg was standing. Again the wood
peeker called and again It was re-
piled to.
Did you do thatT I asked in amaze
ment
Kellogg dfd not answer. He was
staring at the tree. In a little while
tiny woodpecker fluttered on to a tree
near US. They kept up a friendly con-
verSation for several minutes and then
know what he said to il. but IL seemed
to me he was asking about the heaItk
and prosperity Of its brothers in the
woodland
Presently we saw a black and
golden banana bird huttering around
plantain blossom. It suddenly stopped
and uttered its sweet call. Tom PaineI
Tom Palmer kellogg instantly re-
sponded and the bird looked at him
and flew nearer. Then for quite five
minutes they kept up an animated
melodious conversation. At last the
gaudy bird flew away and at the same
moment the naturalist wheeled around
and replied to the coo-OOo- 100000 OF
a dove in a cottonwood tree"
This peculiar gift OF KellOgg's Is
sometimes a source OF amusement TO
his friends. John Burroughs tells the
story Of old woman who had eggs
TO sell 1t was in the West Indies Il
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asked him il he thought it was fresh.
He shook the egg and placed it to his
ear. Faint but clear came the yeap or
the imprisoned chick. I heard II and
others heard It; the old woman heard
II. and as the cry continued a curious.
surprised. incredulOus look came over
her face. 7 fear it is not fresh said
Kellogg and placed the egg to his ear
again with the same result. This was
too much for the old woman. With a
half angry, half alarmed look she
reached forth her hand and said. Gi'
me dat egg and hurrying It into her
basket hastened away"
1t happened that Kellogg was visit
Ing the camp OF an acquaintance in the
Santa Cruz mountains last week An
ancient and venerable old hunting dog
was OF the party. In the course OF
conversation kellogg introduced the
call Of the quail Instantly the old dog
was on the alert and immediately
pointed" Such Incidents are every
day occurrences with Kellogg The
stranger notices and remarks them.
Kellogg IS very keen in his criticisms
where birds are concerned. So many
things about them are misunderstood.
This IS particularly true IN what he
calls the balance OF nature" Man
is responsible for disturbing this bal.
ance by his cruel war OF externina-
ton so relentlessly waged against GER
TAIN DlIQS ana animals. All are fast
disappearing. Birds are poisoned
through an erroneous BELIEF that they
are destructive. Insect pests-the real
devaStators and the natural food OF the
birds-multiply and keep right on
working harm. What are the few
grains OF corn that the crow picks up
from the furrow TO the natural war it
makes on insect life? The hawk may
destroy a few chickens. but it also
destroys innumerable field mice and
gopherS. The harmless snakes are
killed mercilessly. They are the nat
ural exterminators Of gOphers and work
no harm to other things than enemies
OF cultivation. Nature wisely provides
means to keep the balance approx
mately true. Mans Interference dis
turbs the otherwise natural equilibrium
And. after all. na ature is the great
teacher. Listen and learn from that
unfailing source Of wisdonn
In silence and solitude the soul OF
man expands-or he goes mad Ma
ture is intense. Those who are able
to come close in touch with the great
deep heart throb of hfe-cOme back
strength and clearer vision OF truth
as old as tfme-and they preach this
truth to whoever viii listen, whoever
will heed. II is mans own fault IL
he does not better understand
Such men as John Muir. John Bur
roughs and Charles p. Kellogg have
solved for themselves many Of the
puzzling problems OF this aaaaazsS
civilization.
They find the simple life a solution
to most Of our vexatious troubles.