St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-05-16
A NEW HABITAT
GROUP AT MUSEUM

ETY. of very interesting habitat-groups,
representing the different characteris-
tic environments which favor living
forms. They include mud-f1ats, a riv-
err bank. a marsh: desert, low mead
ow. and a few nesting-sites of birds.
To these has been added this week
a new habitat group which shows the
best work of the able taXidermist, w.
Z. Balch of Lunenburg. Y is snow
group. representing the unique condi-
tons of the northern winter, with its
beautiful snow and ice scenery and its
attractive Winter-bir The group is
very beautiful and artistic in it's con-
ception and will show to summer WIS.,
itors in st. Johnsbury the contrast
ing conditions that exist in this re-
gion in winter, as we'll as recalling to
Nature-lovers many pleasant memo
ries of the haunts of their winter
bird-friends.
The scene is a ravine with brook
let running down in the middle, and
forming with the melting snow a pool
Of water-a most attractive spot for
the birds to find shelter from the cold
winds, and feed. drink or bathe. A
small spruce and scrub-apple tree
form the support for the merry group
of birds. Most conspicuous on one
side, is a flock of grosbeaks, the lar
gest and most strikingly-colored of
the winter-visitors from the frozen
north. The pine grosbeaks in the
foreground show the beautiful red,
or olive-green plumage of the male.
female and young birds. most life
NJ iC of 10 iy6
on the ground. who, having taken a
bill full of water, has his head tipped
back in the attitude of swallowing it,
The others are resting on the ever
green tree, where they seem most at
F, home.
| A pair of evening grosbeaks have
come to join their cousins. The gold
/ plumaged male is perching on a fall
len branch, just high enough for him
to reach the snow which he is fond of
eating in winter to moisten his dry
seed-diet. The more soberly-colored
mate is just alighting on the ground
below, with its wings atilt showing its
yellow wing coverts. The. little Pine
Siskins are seeking shelter on the 9TH
er side of. this friendly spruce, and
hungrily looking for their food.
|
! pie tree, a little chiekadee is playfully
hanging and swinging with his eyes
riIeted on the snowy bark, hoping to
see. some insect-eggs that he may be
able to deftly excavate with his slen-
der. pointed bill. His companion, the
white brested nuthatch, is running
hurriedly down the tree-trunk, a feat
which only the nuthatch- tribe have
mastered.
A pair of the favorite white-winged
crossbtlls have lighted on the forward
| branches of the tree, and the rosy
male is about to fly down on the
ground to Join the grosbeaks at the
| pool for refreshment. A small flock
of dainty redpolls have found the pop
ular spot and are hunting for weed
seeds. -st-
Under the tree are some snow-bunt-
ings and q horned-lark which have
discovered a few stalks of meadow
sweet sticking up through the snow
laden with fatty seeds which they es-
pecially like for winter-food While
in the middle of the background, high
up on the ravine, sits blue jay, in
his suit of cerulean blue with bars OF
rich black and tips of white. He
group of birds and to lend beauty by
contrast to his snowy surroundings
and all the other less brilliantly plu.
mayed neighbors.
| The author of this attractive grour
is a man who combines the skill oil
three. the naturalist, the artist and
the technicion. From the age of IL
years, William f. Balch has been 6
collector of whatever his bright eyes
and keen mind have noted as of un-
usual interest or value. He has re-
fined taste and good judgment, and
has worked Internationally to know
Natures secrets and become acquaint.
ed with all her ways. He sees the
dramatic and the aesthetic features
of the living world in large degree
and has the rare ability to represent
these life-conditions so that others
may know them too. He has a mu-
scum of his own in Lunenburg, where
he generously shares his treasurers
with visitors. Some of his finest
groups are in the Fairbanks Museum
where he has been the taxidermist for
28 years. Besides making all the
habitat-groups, he has mounted all
the birds and mammals. giving to
each one q lfelike attitude. The mu-
scum is jutly proud of this splendid
work of their faithful Nature-artist.