File:Birds and nature (1901) (14746152604).jpg

Identifier: birdsnature9101unse (find matches)
Title: Birds and nature
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds Natural history
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Mumford, Publisher
Contributing Library: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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especially fittedfor obtaining their food, which consists toa great extent of the seeds of cone-bear-ing trees, such as the pine, the hemlockand the spruce. The ornithologist Wil-son says: On first glancing at the billof this extraordinary bird one is apt topronounce it deformed and monstrous;but, on attentively observing the use towhich it is applied by the owner and thedexterity with which he detaches theseeds of the pine-tree from the cone andfrom the husks that inclose them, we areobliged to confess on this, as on manyother occasions where we have judgedtoo hastily of the operations of nature,that no other conformation could havebeen so excellently adapted to the pur-pose ; and that its deviation from the com-mon form, instead of being a defect ormonstrosity as the celebrated French nat-uralist insinuates, is a striking proof ofthe wisdom of the great Creator. As an accidental malformation thisstructure of the bill has been noted amongother birds, and, it is said, with some fre- 2
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About 2/> Life-size. quency among the crows. A mediaevallegend gives as the cause for this con-formation of the bill and the red color ofthe plumage that it was acquired in rec-ognition of the pity it bestowed on thesuffering Savior at the Crucifixion. Probably due to the nature of theirfood, which can usually be procured inany season, these birds are apparently notunder the control of the usual laws thatgovern migration, but wander about ina seemingly aimless manner and are notinfluenced to any great extent by thechanging seasons. They do not seem tobe a constant inhabitant of any given lo-cality for any length of time, but appearand disappear as if constantly dissatis-fied with their surroundings. The two sexes vary in color, the bodyof themalebeingadull carmine-red, whichis brighter on the rump, and that of thefemale is brownish, tinged with olive-green and with brownish yellow on therump. The young males are similar incolor to the females, but pass through achangeable plumage wbirdsnature9101unse

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