Birds and Nature, Vol. 10 No. 4 [November 1901]

Оглавление

Various. Birds and Nature, Vol. 10 No. 4 [November 1901]

AN AUTUMN EVENING

THE PINE GROSBEAK (Pinicola enucleator.)

THE ANNUAL NOVEMBER CONFERENCE

THE FIELD SPARROW (Spizella pusilla.)

DISHRAG VINES

A SNOW-FLAKE

NEIGHBORING WITH NATURE

THE CAROLINA WREN (Thryothorus ludovicianus.)

THANKSGIVING BY THE NINNESCAH

THE BLACK-POLL WARBLER (Dendroica striata.)

TRAGEDY OF THE AIR

OFF FOR THE SOUTHLAND

TURQUOIS

TO THE MEADOW LARK

THE OUTRAGED BIRD

NICODEMUS

A WEED PICTURE

THE STRIPED HYENA (Hyaena striata.)

A BIRD INCIDENT

GROUSE

THE GIRAFFE (Camelopardalis giraffa.)

THE FLAG

IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND (From an Ornithologist’s Year Book.)

SONG OF THE STORMY PETREL

THE SPIDER MONKEY (Ateles hypoxanthus.)

NOVEMBER

Отрывок из книги

The name grosbeak, or great beak, is a common name for a number of birds that possess large, thick and strong bills which are adapted to crushing fruits and seeds. Unfortunately this name has been indiscriminately applied to the representatives of several bird families.

The true grosbeaks are related to the goldfinch, the finches, the sparrows, the buntings and the crossbills. In fact they have some of the marked characteristics of the latter birds, as neither develop the fully adult plumage for several years.

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There were several of the Woodpeckers present. The little black-and-white one with red patches on the sides of his neck, who is called Downy Woodpecker, tried to speak for the whole family. “We all must have our insects. God has given us long, strong bills so that we can peck holes into the wood in which bugs and grubs are hidden. Sometimes merely our tapping charms them so that they crawl out for us. If they do not, we can run out our long tongues and catch those beyond the reach of our bills.”

His big red-headed brother went on: “Oh, yes! we can find enough to eat. I can leave the trees for hunting places for the rest of the family. There is plenty of food good enough for me in fence posts and telegraph poles. Besides, I can eat cedar berries, nuts and other things. No need for me to go off on a tramp in search of food. Ha, ha!” chuckled he, “I have already begun to lay aside for winter. You’ll not catch me starving here. I know just where to find knot holes, cracks in railroad ties, loose pieces of bark and loose shingles on houses which hold a good supply of beech nuts and acorns. If I find an apple on the tree, I can bore into it for the seeds. Then there are choice bits to be found around the cow sheds and barns. We have no thought of going away.”

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