The Monroe journal., 1921-08-09

apple Tree clos o. ana iHe Eutntl
laid fiye speekled eggs IN the nest
and soon was broOding Tie male
which is a beastiful bird with light
yellow breast. brown wings and 4
b!dck crest on its head put ia most d
his time on a twis OF a nearby tree
singing. The mother bird was success
iul in hatchinc but one egg and after
some delay elected the other eggs
from the nest.
The parent bird seemed as well
satisfied for few DAYS as II the
whole nest was full but soon they
abandoned the little fellow and h.
starved for lack OF food and water.
Now the case OF the mocker
which built in bush close ~. Is
exactly the reverse The first nest was
built in a low peach tree near my
barn. As the nest was quite low and
the m0cker never hides his nest like
most birds. the children found the
nest and in showing Il to the other
children put their hands in n Or
moleSted il in some other way. and
that is an act that will make most
birds abandon their nest. So true Ia
nature these did leave their nest and
rebuilt in a elump of apple sprouts
nearby. Three eggs were laid in the
nest they abandoned and only two
were laid in the new nest. But how
the female bird kept from laying
while she was constructing the new
nest is mystery TO me. Still she
was content TO sit on the two eggs
and for some reason only Matched
one of them. They took good care
of him and only Yesterday | saw the
mother giving him a few lessons in
flying and soon he will fly away.
A Mou>e-killine Bird.
Since have seen this am almost
convinced that birds have no set rules
or requirements. But since the oriole
is OF wild nature and the mocker Of
the tamest. probably my visiting the
nest had something TO do with her
abandoning her young.
The screech owl Is bird that il
more often heard than seen He is of
the true owl kind and is not much
larger than the meadow lark They
stay in the hollow and crevices of
dead trees that are. dug out by the
yellow hammer They often lay
eight eggs and since their young are
great eaters the parent owls have a
job TO keep their stomachs full. But
they are the greatest foragers in the
bird class and not only catch field
mice by the hundreds but house mice
as we'll if there is a place where they
can get to them
Some nights ago one flew AGAINST
the screen over the window near
whore | lay. | am not certain. but
am confident that his sharp aye hni
detected a mouse which was doing
damage in my room at that time
ily mates for lie am not certain
about this but iudsiHg BY the screeeh
they make. which is about their only
song or cry. thcy must all be widows
or bachelors. The bird is looked on
as 4 had omen by most people. The
negroes detest them When one sets
up a shrill screech in some dark place
in twilight OF evening the picduninies
stick the ire shovel in the fHo 70
burn their toes and the older ones
turn "a shoe upside down 10 cOniure
him and do many other foolish
things But the most superslitiouS
idea Is borne BY the boys and girls.
Il one comes near while a young
man is calling on his best girl it
foretells a falling out between them
and all the giils abhor them. But
getting back to facts there is not
many of these harmless birds des-
troyed, and those that are killed are
done so Tor the sheer JOY of killing.
The little owl Is not only one of the
useful birds that are killed for the
Joy of killing. The little kitty
hawk or sparrow hawk as he some
times is called bears the same per-
secution Although Of the hawk
family, which is enough for the ay-
erage person to bear malice AGAINST
them. their habits and food are not
like the name they bear A great
part of those killed are done so in a
mistaken identity for while soaring
they fly like the blue tailed darter
and while at rest on a snag or post
their silvery breast shines like that
of q larger hawk and usually their
eyes are scrutinizing the ground for
grass-hoppers. mice. crawiish or the
larger of the bug family so closely
that they are easily approached and
killed.
Battling With Field Mice.
An observer at the extension de-
partment at Raleigh a few years ago
caught a number of mice, and taking
them to an open field near kitty
hawk nest and as close to snas
where the hawk was perched as pos
sible, let a mouse loose. AS soon as
the mouse had gotten few yards
away the hawk made graceful
glide. catching the mouse UP in his