Nests and Eggs of Birds of The United States. Gentry Thomas George

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      The female, on the contrary, less attractive in style and dress, has fewer human admirers, and is permitted to roam ad libitum, and with as much freedom and confidence as any of the little feathered creatures that crowd about our doors.

      But a change comes over the males after the lapse of a week or ten days. They may now be seen along our thoroughfares, and in our fields and gardens, acting with none of their former timidity, but endeavoring, by their beautiful plumage, agreeable manners, sweet song and useful service, to ingratiate themselves into the favor and esteem of their human brethren.

      Thus affairs continue for nearly a month, the sexes crossing and recrossing each other's paths in their many journeyings, and so intent upon the procurement of food, that the object of their mission is either entirely lost sight of, or else is held in check, for the nonce, by some strong impulse of their being.

      Events, however, are ripening for a speedy fulfilment of the business that has called them hither. The males exhibit less anxiety about food-questions, and a positive distaste for the unsettled and lonely lives which they have been leading. A similar feeling, but less conspicuously manifested, pervades and animates the gentler sexes, if outward actions afford proper criteria for judging of internal emotions. But exceedingly more coy than their imperial lords, they keep at a respectable distance, preferring to be wooed and won, rather than assume any other role in the drama.

      The duty of taking the initiative step falls to the lot of the male. In order to accomplish this purpose more effectively, perhaps, as he thinks, he seeks the tall tree-tops, and for many a long and weary hour, thrills the ambient air with his sweetest music. We have seen many a venturesome fellow, seemingly unconscious of his surroundings, and wholly absorbed in his voluntarily-imposed task, take his station upon a lofty tree by the road-side, in full view of passers-by, and pour forth his harmonious utterances with all the animation and pathos of his being. Tired at last, he ceases his efforts, preens his feathers, and is off to try his fortunes elsewhere. Thus he keeps up these movements, with necessary intermissions of rest and recreation, during the livelong day, until his song has arrested the attention of some impressible female. This ditty, which is uttered in a low and pensive manner, and which may be rather accurately represented by the syllables chi-chi-chi-char-ee-char-ee-chi, has been likened to the well-known notes of the Baltimore Oriole, but we are unable to trace the least resemblance thereto.

      His efforts being finally crowned with success, the happy lover is profuse in his attentions and caresses, and leads his willing bride to other scenes, where they spend a brief season of enjoyment, before entering into preparations for establishing a home. As they move through the branches and foliage together, they utter their affection in a low whispering warble, and in tones of singular sweetness and tenderness.

      Having celebrated their nuptials, they settle down to the duties of nest-building in earnest. The selection of a site is the first thing that commands attention. This is a matter of no little importance, and one that requires the exercise of considerable judgment. Both birds generally go together 011 this essential business, and carefully ransack the fields and thickets until a location is obtained which is wholly eligible. Nothing occurs in these examinations, if we are to judge from the behavior of the participants therein, to give offence, or mar the happiness of the wedded pair.

      The places selected vary according to latitude and the fancy of the builders. Orchards, and groves of chestnuts, oaks, and nut-trees are frequented, and often a preference is manifested for swampy woods if not too dense. In places contiguous to human habitations the builders, especially the male, act with less carefulness than in more retired localities. They are here more secure from the depredations of rapacious birds, the latter having a decided aversion to man, their inveterate and merciless foe.

      Building operations are usually begun about the fifteenth of May in the latitude of Philadelphia, towards the close of the month in New England, but never later than the first or second week of June. In its southern breeding-quarters, following the examples of its more distant relatives, it doubtless nests earlier.

      The nest is placed upon the horizontal branch of a fruit-tree, usually on the edge of a wood, but occasionally in an orchard. Sometimes it is built over a crotch, which constitutes a more stable position. When a nest is located on the outskirts of a thicket, some species of oak, or the tulip-tree, is generally selected as the recipient thereof. In an orchard, the apple claims and receives this honor. Its height above the ground is mostly from fifteen to twenty feet in sequestered situations, but in cultivated districts, a much lower elevation is chosen.

      The labor of building is performed mainly by the female, her partner lending but little assistance. The time devoted to the task seldom exceeds a period of four days, and so loosely are the fabrics put together, in the majority of cases, that they scarcely survive the season for which they were intended.

      A structure before us is rather symmetrical and neatly built for the species, and quite shallow. Externally, it is composed of dried twigs, weeds and grasses, variously intermingled. Internally, there is a lining of fine roots, grass-stems, and the inner bark of the chestnut and oak. The outside diameter is five and a half inches, height two inches, diameter of cavity three and a half inches, and depth about half an inch.

      Mr. Nuttall describes a nest examined by him as composed of rigid stalks of weeds and slender fir-twigs joined together with narrow strips of apocynum and pea-vine runners, and wound around with thin wiry stalks of the helianthemum, the whole so loosely and thinly plaited as to admit the light quite readily through the interstices.

      The Plate represents the average structure. On examination it will be found to be nearly circular above, although somewhat irregular towards the lower two-thirds. The hase is rather loosely constructed of strips of bark, fine stems of vegetables with dried flowers attached, and rootlets of woody plants. Upon this as a basis is wrought, with more compactness and finish, a framework, which is beautifully lined with reddish-brown stems of herbaceous plants, and fine strips of inner bark. The external diameter is five inches, and the height, two inches. The diameter of the cavity is three inches, and the depth one-half of an inch. This nest is shown in its natural position over and partly between a forked branch of one of our common species of oak. The female bird is placed upon the right, as though about to assume the duty of incubation; while her illustrious partner occupies a very dignified position on the left of the picture. All the figures, however, are reduced one-third, so as to bring them within the scope of the page.

      Having completed her home, the female almost immediately commences to deposit her complement of four or five eggs, at the rate of one a day, in as many consecutive days. This business being attended to, on the day succeeding the last extrusion, she takes the nest, and for a period of twelve or thirteen days of rather close sitting, supplies the warmth necessary to develop her house-full of children.

      It is a remarkable fact, and one that beautifully displays the wonderful wisdom which is taught by Nature, that the brilliantly-colored males studiously avoid the nest, and only approach it, when necessary, with caution and stealth, for fear of betraying its presence; while the females, with their plain coloring in harmony with the surrounding foliage, sit thereon, and care for their helpless offspring without danger of molestation. But if the nest is approached with hostile intention, or is actually invaded, the males emerge from their places of concealment, and assist in carrying its precious treasures away. But how this is accomplished, it is impossible to say. Mr. Minot has known instances where the young have been removed, although many of the cases seemed to be beyond the ability of bird-ingenuity to accomplish.

      On one occasion, while our worthy friend was ascending a tree which contained a nest of this species, and that, too, with as much care and quietness as was possible under the circumstances, he was surprised to see the parent birds return several times to the tree upon his arrival at a point which commanded full view of the inside of the domicile. Although the nest was known to contain eggs, which were seen through the interstices from below, his astonishment was undoubtedly heightened, СКАЧАТЬ