Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-01-26
NM1eN


placed upon his head As the quail
disappears the potato bug thrives and
the potato crop diminishes.
The hicker's chief delight is a din
ner of ants. If you ever have tried to
get ants out of your lawn and your
flower beds you will from this mo-
ment appreciate the flicker more and
more. The meadow lark, too. can do
more than Sing He is a strong, lusty
bird that makes way with numerous
bug and worm pests, fighting valiant
ly for his sustenance
All the birds have good qualities
aside from song and graceful adjuncts
to the home landscape They are of
inestimable value TO the grower of
crops, while one family Of them make
splendid policemen. refer to the
kinghsher, that fiery little fighter who
attacks hawks with impunity and
makes a black crow ashamed of him
self. According to J. p. Gilbert of the
University of Illinois, every hawk or
owl, forager Of vermin that he is, is
worth $50 TO the farmer
The boy who learns to love birds,
who defends them against other boys.
will remain n bird lover all his life.
The pair of robins that come every
spring to build their nest on the wide
drainplpe under the caves will be
welcomed as harbingers of spring and |
violets, and. no matter how old the |
man may become or how feeble he will |
watch their operations with interest,
gazing on their work with affectlonate
eyes. Once again the story Of life is
being told in reality.
The bird lovers come I'm the early
spring when the last SHOWS are filter
ing down, hiding the worms from their
eyes and making them shlver with
chill. but with the returning sun they
take on a new spirit and begin to bill
and COO And soon Mfr. and Mrs.
Robin are carrying to the same old
robin fiat the pieces of yarn and string
you have thrown upon the lawn for
them.
The old mans eyes glisten and grow :
young again as he beholds the Infinite
rare they take to weave comfortable
nest, and his broken old laugh filters
md articulates into low chuckles as
he watches some funny antfc Of the /
mother bird trying to carry a double l.
Dad or getting snagged on her way TO \
he fast growing nest.
And as the old man watches the Sc
ret OF life Is repeating itself. Two A
my, though red ana scrawny, heads
re raised above the brim of the nest
wabble and disappear I'm awkward l.
ess, and the mother aud father birds a
re not only very happy. but are very
nsy Juggling worms and bugs to the l.
lpacious maws OF their youngsters l.
Day follows day. and the heads that L.
npear are beginning 20 thatch with Al
lnny feathers, and then arrives a
ost exciting time. Young Ril Robin L'
'comes so strong and so bold that ne L'
'cides to take a look az this thing his a.
other and father have been calling
e world He aops around in the nest
I'll he gains the rim % it and. look.
& over. beholds mcs. rasnarkable
nation The thing beneata a. get at In Z
IKE the blue sky above and "a Gov ~.
ed with green and queer SoxiIke %
sts IN which something living moves -
out. something big and queer thar In I,
> In something BY the window and ~
Ks while a cloud or something ~.
mes from its mouth. =
hl Robin has seen the old man SIT
3 BY the window smoking hts pine
] the old man sees Bul Robin. too
begins % wonder where Tom. the lie
is pas
Mother be calls. then robins Il Pas
ittin' ready 70 hy. Keep Tom shut lie.
IN the cellar" Pas
nd BIN Robin never knows how the Pas
ny thing With the cloud coming -
of it saves his NE. which Is fuSf
q yCunE flckananes anvtau- Ar