File:Birds and nature (1905) (14564328229).jpg

Identifier: birdsnature1821905chic (find matches)
Title: Birds and nature
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds Natural history
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Mumford, Publisher
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
no entrance stepnor porch, but the roof of the well-curb,close by, served for this purpose. The Sparrows decided to keep theWren from feeding her family. In con-sequence, a regiment would line up onthe roof of the house ready for battle.The anxious mother, returning with herdainty worm morsel, was sorely dis-tressed. Her cry brought me to the res-cue. Flirting my apron at the Sparrow intruders I completely routed them—for the time being. The Wren was quick to learn her re-lief party. She would alight on the roofof the well-curb, just opposite thearmy, drop her bit of food and sing asweet, trilling song, to let me know ofher return and need of help. (When theenemy was absent she failed to call me.)After the birdlets were fed the lit-tle mother would pour forth a seemingextra song of thankfulness. This performance was repeated untilthe Wrens family was able to go intothe busy world of workers. The Spar-rows never ceased to bother; the Wrennever ceased to work and sing. Harmonia Tate.
Text Appearing After Image:
pa ^ -^ THE PHOEBE. (Sayornis phcebe.) Phccbe! is all it has to say In plaintive cadence oer and oer,Like children that have lost their way, And know their names, but nothing more. —James Russell Lowell, Phcebe. The homely and confiding Phoebesare, perhaps, more generally esteemedthan any other birds.. They are favor-ites with all who have made their ac-quaintance, and are always welcome atthe North when they return in the springfrom their winter home. The farmerrealizes that their presence is a blessingand, being careful not to molest them,the Phcebes confiding nature leads themto seldom build their nests at any greatdistance from human habitations in set-tled districts. While their favorite nest-ing sites are under bridges, cliffs of rockand earth, in caves, and under protectingrock shelves in quarries, they are almost,if not quite, as well satisfied with suitableplaces in barns or sheds and the porchesof houses. They have also been knownto nest in tin cans, and Mr. Dawsonspeaks o

Note About Images