Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-05-09

SHINE. even at night, his only note being
a loud nasal ''peert." Though it is
possible that the sound made with the
wings may be music in his ears. re-
sembling1 the cricket in this.
These birds arrive in the spring at
Sioux City about May IL and depart
for h south in the late ummer.
gathering in large flocks for the our
pose OF company on the long journey.
THE sELTED kiNGFisHER.
To see a drum major throw his baton
in the air and catch it on the fly is
interesting, but not half as fascinating
as to See a Kingisher do much the
same thing with a fish. To observe
this feat you probably viii have to be
q patient watcher for a considerable
length OF time. but it will be we'll
worth your while, when YOU do see it
done. Perhaps he may be sitting
quietly on a limb of a tree, OF hover
ing over the water. when. suddenly
darting down. you may see a fish
jerked up out of the water. thrown into
the air a few feet, to be caught ex-
ultantiy by the bird before it can reach
the water, and borne off to a branch
OF a tree to be you're Or it MAJ
be that the fish will he. scarcely no.
ticed by the observer, until the bird is
perched on the limb of a tree.
From this, it will be seen that the
bird justly deserves the name of the
king of fishers, but Audubon declares
that "belted should apply only to the
female"
Though a king, he much prefers the
solitudes. is not at all of a social ma
ture. n very seldom is more than
one bird seen at a time. Tn secluded
spot by some trout stream, shallow
Il rNnSnd nv CSronl1 AL T.. - R--.--sA-
haunt. though the birds are very COM
mon in the vicinity of Sioux City and
along the banks Of the Big Sioux river.
something better in the way of a
house would naturally be expected from
SO elegant a bird. out to tell the truth
The best he a provide for his family
Is a dugout. and Mrs. Kingfisher is a
Wretched hOusekeeper, being really
filthy about it. The Kingasher dwell
ing is made by digging out a hole in a
high bank by a creek. river or pond
feet. with an enlarged cavity at the
n of the unnel. Here, on the pare
soil, or at most on a bed of fish bone,
which the parents ave found indi-
gestible and thrown up in the form
of pellets. the eggs are laid and the
little ones Matched; but the mother
bird takes no interest in keeping this
place clean. and by the end Of the sea-
son 1T becomes truly filthy. From six
to eight glossy eggs form a complete
set.
Those who have tried eating the
Kingtsher say that the flesh has q
disagreeable taste. but that the eggs
are excellent eating.
THE HOUSE WREN.
There are few birds that have thu
faculty of winning the affections of
people like the wren. 1t il at home
alike in the city, village or on the
farm, does not seem to care particu-
larly which. just so it is near the
habftation of man.
Activity, fearlessness and friendli-
ness are qualities OF it's character in
inverse ratio to its size. But to tell
the truth it is sometimes inclined to
pe irritable n a little quarrelsome.
Aluch larger birds, such az the martin
and bluebird find them combatants
hard to conquer. The English SPAR
row is The wren's worst enemy. as he
Is OF so many other birds. and many
are the battles royal they fight during
trouble may be avoided II a human
friend will put up a box with a hole
IN II just the size of a quarter of a
dollar. This is ample room for the
wren to go in and out, but is small
enough to keep out the sparroWs and
other bird enemies. Do not forget to
put a step just underneath the hole
IN the box. SO that he may have some-
thing on which to alight. This should
always be done with bird houses.
"A nice box with a hole just the right
size is much preferred. but almost
anything will do for a nesting place IL
a box Is not handy. Many are the
stories told Of d places where wrens
nave Quilt their nests, such as old tin
cans. starch boxes and, In some in
stances. the pocket of u farmers old
coat hanging in the summer Kitchen.
when a pair " once made up their
minds as to q desirable place for nest
building, you might almost az we'll let
them go ahead. even If it IL not the
place OF your choice. for It makes little
diHerence now often their nest is de-
build it.
The nests are very bulky
with the size Of the bird,
largely Of sticks. lined with fine grass
or hair. The eggs are six to eight in
number. pale pinkish white In color
very p~rofusety specked and spotted
with brown. Two brOods are reared
each year. incubation beginning ON the
first set generally about May 80. When
the baby birds arrive. then the real
work begins. n papa and mamma
wren must search far and wide for
Insects to feed the little ones. Their
favortte hunting ground is in the
~shrubbery off the gardens and orch.
ards looking first of all on the ground.
In this way they find and destroy
many Injurious insects overlooked by
the other birds.
The song. which is at its height In
n counting season. is a merry little
~rOundelay, Inc has been described az
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