The Washington herald., 1914-07-31
The Snake Bird.
By FREBERIcK HouGHToN


When the death rate rises above normal in cages
1 of birds at the New York Geological Park close
watch is set and usually there is reason. Just now
the flying cage" is under observation. Some person
alleged to have reported the anhinga as one of the
culprits Unless caught in the act, this bird would
never be suspected Of murder. Usually he dles his
days on the topmost branch of one of the numerous
trees Best known to the public in winter when seen
in his special glass tank cage in the water-bird
house where he dives into the water for his food he
is lost in in the foiage of the great flying
cage. In freedom he ranges from Illinois to Brazil
frequentng the larger rivers and their backwaters,
and darting from tree snag with incredible rapdity
into the waters after fish.
| Snake bird is his common name-from his long
neck, which is like that of heron, "only So"
He bears general resemblance, both outwardly and
in habits, to the cormorant; and that is not comp
mentary, will be seenSy this quotation from Para
disc Lost" Satan has overleaped the bounds of
Paradise and sits in the shape of an evil bird on the
highest point in the garden to look about him:
So clomb this first grand thief into Gods fold;
Thence up he few, and on the tree of life,
The middle tree and highest there that grew
Sat like cormorant.
Both snake bird and cormorant in the flying
cage and if the is vicious, the other may we'll be
under suspicion
Spoonbills in the cage certainly unfriendly to
lame ducks as an observer reports. Their curiously
shaped bill is intended to stir up the mud in which
they feed and in that necessary operation they swish
il back and forth in their search but in the cage they
too often grab the injured member of aling bird
and persistent in chasing It till its death. The
spoonbls are related bises and herons in the
cage but so far the latter have not been accused of
viciousness The spoonbls like the snake birds, do
not eat their kill.
Nothing, however, escapes the keen eyes of the
vutures aloft and when the meal is ready it is the
ever-hungry black and turkey buzzards that dine.
They are scavengers; and though they generally
credited with preferring dead animals, it has been
demonstrated in the Bronx that they choose fresh
meat in preference to foul and not sensitive
about picking out the eyes of invalid bird and
otherwise assisting it to swifter taking-of.
When it comes to removing these offending birds
from the flying cage will be easy matter as to
the spoonbills perhaps not difficult as to the snake
bird but the vutures will probably have to be shot.
1t will be almost impossible to net them; and even
if it were feasible, the necessary confusion would
upset the whole cage and result in broken legs.
If there other birds but vultures in the
cage, the door might be left open and they would go
out and take of themselves couple of winters
ago turkey buzzards were released in the Bronx
and soon shot by some person who perhaps
thought it wild turkey, or more likely from pure
wantonness; the other bird finally disappeared
This year family matters engaging the atten-
ton of several kinds of birds in the cage. A gull
nests in shady spot, ibis is raising third fedg
ling in tree, and two brown pelican mothers have
had the center of the stage cage for time
Near the water their tall of sticks and chips
and twigs conspicuous, and if minded you
may watch the feeding of lusty infants. This is a
famous operation and involves the thrusting of the
youngsters bill into the elders mouth until it appears
to endanger the vitals of the parent
The other day there pandemonium when a
great blue heron interfered critical moment and
grabbed the fish and made off with it These brown
pelcans are slow in wrath well in movement
but they just hustled after that heron hotfoot and
ably assisted by their sixty pound brethren The
rasping croak of their combined voices brought to
attention every bird within hearing and the beating
of their wings and the wabble of their bodies made
a stirring Yes, the heron got away with the
fish; he knew he could or he wouldn't have tried.