Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-09-11


be pleased to hear from all lecturers
who use this feature and have their
opinion of its value
J. w. BARROW.
Question 1.-Where does the crow
establish winter quarters.
Answer.-While crows are abundant
as far north as Washington all win
ter their winter quarters are in the
Virginia woods. 1t is also said by Mr.
Burroughs that they 20 into winter
quarters also a few miles north of
Newburg. on the Hudson, flying south
in the morning and returning again at
night.
Question 2.-What may be said Of a
birds vision? How does it compare
with mans?
Answer.-The bird has the human
eye in its clearness, its power and its
supremacy over the other senses. The
birds eye is superficial. 1t is on the
outside of the head. 1t is round that
it may take in full circle at a glance.
A mans does not take in more than
a quarter circle.
Question 3. - Describe the wood
thrush and its ability as songster
Answer.-The wood thrush makes
his appearance in May and before the
end Of June is tame and familiar II
the quality Of melody be taken as the
test the wood thrush. the hermit
thrush and the veery thrush stand at
the head of the list of songsters. The
wood thrush. says Mr. burroughs. is
truly a royal minstrel. The song Of
the hermit thrush is in a higher key
His instrument is a silver horn. which
he winds in the most solitary places
The song of the wood thrush is more
leisurey, and its tone comes near TO
that of some rare stringed instrument
The wood thrush is also the handsom-
est species Of this family. Its car
rage is music to the eye"
Question What bird is it that
seeks the nests of other birds in which
it may lay its own eggs and have
them Matched out by another?
Answer.-T is characteristic of
the cow bunting or COW bird Occa-
sionally the cuckoo imposes upon a
robin or thrush in the same manner.
The COW bird seems to select the nest
of bird smaller than itself Its egg
is usually the first to hatch. and its
young grows with great rapidity and
crowds out the rightful occupants Of
the nest. The warblers and small fly
catchers are generally the sufferers.
but the cow birds may be seen ut the
right season prowling through all parts
of the woods watching for the opportu-
nifty to steal their eggs into some nest
Question 5.-How does the bee de-
post pollen in the hive? Describe how
the bees make the comb.
AnSwer.-When a bee brings pollen
into the hive he advances TO the cell
in which il is To be deposited and
kicks il off as one might his rubber
boots. making one foot help the other.
Then another bee, one of the indoor
hands, comes along and rams il down
with his head and thus packs il into
the cell The making of the comb Is
the real hard work of the busy bees
lives They can have the honey for the
gathering. but the wax for the comb
they must manufacture. When wax
is to be made the wax making contin-
gent Of the bee workers fill themselves
with honey and retire for private
meditation, as Mr.. Burroughs puts it.
They hook themselves together in long
lines that hang in festoons from the
top of the hive, and after about TWEEN
ty-fOur hours the miracle is performed.
the honey is turned into wax. minute
scales of which are secreted between
the rings of the abdomen of each bee.
This is taken off and from it the comb
is built up. 1t is calculated that about
twenty-five pounds of honey are re
quired to make one pound of comb.
Question 6.-What is the only com
mon bird whose song the hooking bird
cannot initiate?
Answer.-lt is the bobolink He has
an unusually fun throat. which may
| help account for his great power Of
song. No bird has yet been found that
could initiate him, or even repeat or
suggeSt single note, as if his song
were the product of a new set OF or
gans 1t is said that the hooking bird
is dumb in the presence of the hobo
ink. The English skylark is quite as
| tuccessful as the mocking bird as
mimic, but he cannot steal the bopo
inks thunder. He will make no ar
tempt to plagiarize.