Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-04-12

white breasted nuthatcA aud robin oplv
nest In April. The song sparrow ana
ph@be twho returns in March) wait until
May; and the goidfinch and cedar birds.
both sturdy residents, wait until almost
the end OF June.
Inc song sparrow conceals its nest with
the greatest care, either In the msxes Of q
low bush, In the division OF the branches
ola shrub Just above ground, where Bit. OF
bark and dry leaves have collected, or on
the ground itself between grass tussocks
that not only conceal the nest. but are
sometimes woven in with the rootiets.
plant fbers and shredded bark OF which
the nest Is formed. Like the chipping
sparrow or "hair bird, 2 It sometimes uses
horsehair for an inner lining, and the four
or fve blush white eggs, profusely
marked with reddish brown, are always
softly bedded by fine grasses.
The sweet singer does not always use the
best OF Judgment in choosing the struc-
ture that is to hold its nest, though this /
have found applies strictly to the second
nest buift in middle or late June, when,
being attracted to the flower garden by
the bird-bath in the corner, a pair of
sparrows built nest among the flower
heads OF a bunch OF feverfews, that faded
and left the nest exposed at the very time
that the youngsters needed the most pro-
lection.
Much as they resent the company OF
humans near their homes, they made no
objection TO the straw berry basket that
WAS secured under their nest to keep it
from tipping sidewise and dumping it's
load on the bare earth; neither did they
take fright at an old palm-ieaf fan that
was turned into an umbrella to supply the
shelter that the fading flowers had
promised.
II you wish to have song sparrows about
the house, remember that there is no
greater lure for them than water. II may
be that constant bathing is one OF the
secrets Of their good health, for certain
1t is that they are free from many OF the
epidemics that destroy so many birds.
have seen the pair OF birds belonging to
the fan-coyered nest bathing when the
June twilight was so deep that could not
distinguish their markings, and identified
them by the sharp alarm note OF 'dick,
dicki" and the fact that while they were
splashing in the bath, the nest, in which
the young were then well -feathered, was
left unguarded for the moment; but as
soon as my motions attracted their sus-
PIGEONS they appeared close by, and tried
to scold me away and preen their soaking
feathers at the same time.
All through the long nesting season the
sweet singer is an insect eater, both in the
feeding Of its young and largely in its own
diet, while for the rest OF the year It may
be counted in the front ranks Of the weed
warriors, and at all times it may be in
ciuded among the birds who do no harm
berries as II takes usually being Of small
wild varieties.
The chief dangers that threaten this
wholly lovsble bird are from egg hunting
boys, the domestic "reIapsed" cats, and
the sort OF civilization that not only cuts
down woodlands for the evolution OF the
land to building lots, but fairly scsrifies
the field edges and roadsides in q foolish
craze for cleaning up, removing the wild
hedges that mean so much to ones inner
sense OF beauty and the pleasure of the
eye.
I have spoken OF the adaptabilty to the
many climates OF its range Of one species,
the eastern song sparrow. The changes
wrought by the necessities that have de-
vcloped many species in more widely
separated parts OF our country are very
interesting and worthy to be remembered.
Our Eastern bird Is cloaked in reddish
brown and with black streaks; tail with
. decided reddish tinge, under parts
streaked with black, edged with rusty
brown, these strcaks being so close in the
middle OF the breast o. to form . large
spot. Our bird ID less than six and one
half inches long and has good sized bill
II has an unmistaksbie song, and yet,
though its notes vary indefinitely even in
. single bird, its quality is typical OF the
whole tribe.
The size and plumage OF the other song
sparrows nearly . score in numbtr, vary
with the climate and rainfall of the
locality in which they are found, and II
Is interesting to follow these variations
on tho map.
Our sweet singer lives altogether east Of
the Rockies. At the extreme northeriy
portion Of Alaska 10 found the largest bird
OF the tribe, the Aleutiau song sparrow.
Coming down to the coast OF British
Columbia and southern Alaska, whore the
rainfall Il LIS inches . year, We ind the
sooty song sparrow, the darkest OF all In
color.
When We reach the arid regions Of Me-
vsda and Arizona, with rainfall Of only
six inches, We ind tie palest Of all, the
desert song sparrow; and, finally. on the
Mexican Central America border lives the
Mexican song sparrow, the least Of all.
30, whether ws live North, South, East or
West, We shall have this sweet singer with
M. who vill surely reveal himself; and IL