THE GIFT OF 
 
 FLORENCE V. V. DICKEY 
 
 TO THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 THE DONALD R. DICKEY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 OF VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
 
 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 AND SCHOOL READINGS 
 
 .UNDER THE EDITORIAL, SUPERVISION OF 
 
 W. M. DAVIDSON 
 
 SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF TOPEKA, KANSAS 
 
 ' 
 
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS AND SCHOOL READINGS 
 
 OF KANSAS 
 
 BY 
 
 BENJAMIN F. ^EYER 
 
 Teacher in Science, Topeka High School. 
 
 Think, every morning when the sun peeps through 
 The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove, 
 How jubilant the happy birds renew 
 Their old, melodious madrigals -of love. 
 And when you think of this, remember too 
 'Tis always morning somewhere, and above 
 The awakening continents, from shore to shore, 
 Somewhere the birds are singing evermore. 
 
 Longfellow. 
 
 CRANE & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 
 TOPEKA, KANSAS
 
 Copyrighted by 
 
 CRANE & COMPANY, Topeka, Kansas 
 1900
 
 0L 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 " You must have the bird in your heart before you can find it 
 in the bush ; and when once you have it in your heart the finding 
 of it in the bush is a secondary matter," John Burroughs. 
 
 We may with profit take a look at the life and ways of 
 some ot our common birds, and study with a growing 
 interest a few of the parts that characterize them and 
 that fit them so perfectly for their life in the air. There 
 is a perpetual interest centering in the study of the 
 adaptation and fitness of the varied forms of life as it 
 may be seen about every home, "be it ever so humble," 
 and that, too, with no other equipment than one's eyes 
 and patience. 
 
 Fortunate is that person whose home or school life has 
 been of such a character as to develop a love for the 
 beautiful in nature. He may drink from the same foun- 
 tain with poets and artists, and picture to himself the 
 greatest works of art, and read first hand the most beau- 
 tiful poems in all the realms of literature. 
 
 " So it is with everything; so it is with the birds. The 
 interest they excite is of all grades, from that which looks 
 upon them as items of millinery, up to that of the makers 
 of ornithological systems, and who ransack the world for 
 specimens, and who have no doubt that the chief end of a 
 bird is to be named and catalogued the more synonyms 
 the better. Somewhere between these two extremes 
 comes the person whose interest in birds is friendly rather 
 than scientific ; who has little taste for shooting, and 
 lass for dissecting ; who delights in the living creatures 
 (5)
 
 6 INTRODUCTION 
 
 themselves, and counts a bird in the bush worth two in 
 the hand. Such a person, if he is intelligent, makes good 
 use of the best works on ornithology; he would not know 
 how to get along without them ; but he studies most the 
 birds themselves, and after awhile he begins to associate 
 them on a plan of his own. Not that he mistrusts the 
 approximate correctness of the received classification, or 
 ceases to find it of daily service ; but' though it were as 
 accurate as the multiplication table, it is based (and 
 rightly, no doubt) on anatomical structure alone; it rates 
 birds as bodies, and nothing else; while to the person of 
 whom we are speaking, birds are, first of all, souls; his 
 interest in them is, as we say, personal ; and we are 
 none of us in the habit of grouping our friends according 
 to height, or complexion, or any other physical pecu- 
 liarity." 
 
 The bright plumage and sweet, cheery song of the bird 
 fills every heart with pleasure, unuttered, perhaps, or 
 expressed in such words as Bryant's " To a Waterfowl:" 
 
 Whither, 'midst falling dew, 
 
 While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, 
 Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue 
 
 Thy solitary way? 
 
 Vainly the fowler's eye 
 
 Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, 
 As, darkly seen against the crimson sky, 
 
 Thy figure floats along. 
 
 Seek 'st thou the plashy brink 
 
 Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, 
 Or where the rocking billows rise and sink 
 
 On the chafed ocean side ? 
 
 There is a Power whose care 
 Teaches thy way along that pathless coast, 
 
 The desert and illimitable air, 
 Lone wandering, but not lost.
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 All day thy wings have fann'd, 
 
 At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere, 
 Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, 
 
 Though the dark night is near. 
 
 And soon that toil shall end ; 
 
 Soon shalt thou find a summer home and rest, 
 And scream among thy fellows ; reeds shall bend 
 
 Soon o'er thy sheltered nest. 
 
 Thou 'rt gone, the abyss of heaven 
 
 Hath swallowed up thy form ; yet, on my heart, 
 Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given, 
 
 And shall not soon depart. 
 
 He, who, from zone to zone, 
 
 Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, 
 In the long way that I must tread alone, 
 
 Will lead my steps aright.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS. 
 
 THE PLUMAGE. 
 
 In the spring a fuller crimson comes upon the robin's breast ; 
 In the spring the wanton lapwing gets himself another crest ; 
 In the spring a livelier iris changes on the burnished dove. 
 
 Tennyson. 
 
 The eye never tires of watching the easy, graceful flight 
 of the bird as it makes a trackless path in the air, some- 
 times far above the hills and valleys, as the hawk or 
 eagle, having always before it a view, magnificent. No 
 other animal that flies does so by any such apparatus 
 as the bird employs. Flight in the bird is made pos- 
 sible by means of outgrowths of the skin the feathers. 
 When they are removed from a wing it looks more like 
 an arm than an organ of flight, and, indeed, it is but the 
 fore-limb of the bird, and is almost like the arm of 
 man. The wing of a chicken, as it appears on the 
 table, affords an excellent opportunity for comparison. 
 .The feathers that grow on the wing convert it into a 
 more useful instrument than an arm would be in the 
 life of a bird. The large feathers of the wing have a 
 wider web on the inner side of the shaft than on the 
 outer. This is because the inner web underlies the next 
 inner feather and gives a firm resisting surface against 
 which the air reacts to support the bird in the air. The 
 webs of the large, strong feathers of the wing and tail can 
 be separated into many small, thread-like parts (barbs) 
 (9)
 
 10 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 attached to the large central shaft that extends the entire 
 length of the feather. The barbs interlock with each 
 other by means of still smaller parts growing out from 
 them, giving the web a remarkable firmness. The inner 
 end of the feather terminates in the quill, which is con- 
 nected with the blood-vessels of the skin that supply it 
 with nourishment. They are moved by muscles just un- 
 der the skin and have a limited period of growth, when 
 they fall out and new ones appear. This gives rise to 
 the annual (sometimes oftener) moult. The duck family 
 lose their wing-feathers nearly all at the same time and 
 are hence unable to fly for a time. 
 
 Feathers do not all answer to the above description. 
 Some, under the outer layer, are soft and fluffy because 
 the barbs of the web are not bound together by the little 
 hooks which we found on the wing-feathers. These are 
 called down-feathers. Then there are the long hair-like 
 forms plainly seen after " picking " a chicken, and which 
 are removed by singeing. These are called hairy feath- 
 ers, because they look so much like hairs. 
 
 A singular fact about the. arrangement of feathers is 
 that they do not grow from every part of the skin that is 
 apparently covered by them, but grow in. tracts, so that 
 there are feather tracts and bare tracts. "If we com- 
 pare a bird's skin to a well-kept park, part woodland, 
 part lawn, where -they do not grow is the lawn." The. 
 ostrich and penguin are exceptions to this, for they have 
 a continuous feathering on every part of the skin. 
 
 We are quite sure, too, that the bird's coat is warm, 
 making an excellent wrap. It serves him in this quite as 
 well as in flying, for his heart beats much faster than ours 
 and he requires more oxygen in proportion to his size than 
 we do ; and were it not for this warm coat, much of his 
 heat would be lost.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 11 
 
 The irregularities of the body are filled up and made 
 smooth, so that it offers the least amount of resistance 
 when passing through the air. No matter how great the 
 exertion, there is no perspiration. Perhaps it is because 
 perspiration would cool the body too much by evapora- 
 tion or cause the feathers to mat, and thus seriously in- 
 terfere with flight:
 
 BEAKS AND CLAWS. 
 
 You slay them all ! and wherefore ? for the gain 
 Of a scant handful more or less of wheat, 
 
 Or rye, or barley, or some other grain, 
 Scratched up at random by industrious feet, 
 
 Searching for worm or weevil after rain ! 
 
 Longfellow. 
 
 Beaks and claws are more strikingly diversified than 
 any other parts of the body, because they are so closely 
 identified with the daily necessities of life. They are the 
 bird's best helpers his hands and feet; and it is not at 
 all unlikely that these parts alone can tell us a good deal 
 about bird- way s. 
 
 Downy's beak is so sharp and chisel-like that, guided by 
 a sharp eye and active head, it soon digs a comfortable 
 home in the old dead limb. The hammering of the 
 Flicker in early spring is a most familiar sound. A 
 number of these birds frequented a group of large cot- 
 tonwood trees every year, where they regularly nested. 
 Early in the season they would be on hand, drumming 
 merrily on the dry limbs of the old trees and calling 
 loudly to their mates. These were familiar sounds in the 
 warm, bright days of April. No spring day in the woods 
 would be complete without the musical drumming of the 
 Woodpecker. 
 
 What sort of a foot would be 
 needed for such a climbing, 
 pecking bird ? When linemen 
 who are sent out to repair tele- 
 graph lines need to climb to the 
 top of a tall pole, they buckle 
 
 (12)
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 13 
 
 on their feet a pair of iron claws that can be thrust into 
 the wood, yet not without fear of slipping. The Wood- 
 pecker has no such fear. His toes are arranged in pairs, 
 with sharp claws, two in front and two behind, which bite 
 into the bark or wood and insure " good footing." 
 
 But we must not conclude that all birds that climb 
 will have yoke-toes like the Woodpecker, for the Nut- 
 hatches and Creepers have a foot more like a robin. 
 
 The fish-hooks that fill so large a place in the life of a 
 boy when the ice has cleared from the creeks and the days 
 are warm and inviting, are not unlike the instruments 
 used by one of our American birds, the Osprey or Fish- 
 hawk, for the same purpose. ( See cut No. 2.) The fol- 
 lowing account of the Osprey is given by Wilson : 
 
 "The flight of the Fish-hawk, his maneuvers while in 
 search of fish, and his manner of seizing his prey, are de- 
 serving of particular notice. In leaving the nest he usu- 
 ally flies direct till he comes to the sea, then sails around 
 in many curving lines, turning sometimes in the air as on 
 a pivot, apparently without the least exertion, rarely mov- 
 ing his wings, his legs extended in a straight line behind, 
 and his remarkable length and curvature, or bend of wing, 
 distinguishes him from all other hawks. The height at 
 which he thus elegantly glides is various, from one hun- 
 dred to one hundred fifty and two hundred feet, sometimes 
 much higher, all the while calmly reconnoitering the face 
 of the deep below. Suddenly he is seen to check his 
 course, as if struck by a particular object, which he seems 
 to survey for a few moments with such steadiness that he 
 appears fixed in the air, flapping his wings. This object, 
 however, he abandons, or rather, the fish he had in his 
 eye disappeared, and he is again seen sailing around as 
 before. Now his attention is again arrested, and he de- 
 scends with great rapidity, but ere he reaches the surface,
 
 14 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 shoots off on another course, as if ashamed that a second 
 victim has escaped him. He now sails at a short height 
 above the surface, and by a zig-zag descent, and with- 
 out seeming to dip his feet in the water, seizes a fish, 
 which, after carrying a short distance, he probably drops, 
 or yields up to the Bald Eagle, and again ascends by easy 
 spiral circles to the higher regions of the air, where he 
 glides about in all the ease and majesty of his species. 
 At once, from this sublime aerial height, he descends like 
 a perpendicular torrent, plunging into the sea with a loud, 
 rushing sound, and with the certainty of a rifle. In a few 
 moments he emerges, bearing in his claws his struggling 
 prey, which he always carries head foremost, and, having 
 risen a few feet above the surface, shakes himself as a 
 water-spaniel would do, and directs his heavy, laborious 
 course directly for the land." 
 
 It will eat nothing but live fish, and will not, it is said, 
 pick up one that is accidentally dropped from its talons. 
 All of our hawks and owls have a well- 
 developed seizing, or raptorial foot (see 
 cut No. 8), which is also adapted for 
 perching, and to work with it there is a 
 strong hooked beak 
 (see cut No. 1), fitted 
 for tearing tough 
 skins and flesh. The 
 eye, too, as a helper 
 to beak and claws, is 
 large and sharp, and 
 can detect a moving animal suitable 
 for food at long distances. 
 
 A number of young hawks were once 
 taken by the writer, and an attempt 
 made to tame them. They were carried from the place of
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 
 
 15 
 
 capture, a mile distant, on a stick to which they held by 
 their claws. They would eat bits of meat and live mice 
 with the greatest relish. When a dog or cat came too 
 near, an encounter of claws and fur was sure to result. 
 A curious habit with them was that of placing themselves 
 upon their backs when they were suddenly attacked, and 
 fighting with feet uppermost. It was a sad day for the 
 dog who got his nose too near their unerring talons. 
 
 At another time a nest containing young, high up on an 
 overhanging limb of a cotton wood tree, was approached. 
 The parent bird promptly came upon the scene and re- 
 fused to leave, although not actually attacking the 
 intruder. They were, to say the least, exceedingly tame. 
 
 There is another fisherman better known to us than the 
 Osprey. He justly deserves the name he bears King- 
 fisher. He flies up and down our larger creeks and rivers, 
 sure to know where fish may be taken in season and out. 
 His legs are very short and 
 hardly used for walking. The 
 outer and inner toes are grown 
 together, making a flat sole upon 
 which he can comfortably sit 
 on the limb of a tree overhang- 
 ing a stream, watching, waiting. 
 ( See cut No. 5. ) He spies a fish 
 below him. Down he goes with 
 a harsh sound, a hungry chuckle, and with his long sharp 
 bill catches his victim, even plunging into the water after 
 it. If the fish is small, he swallows it at once. If too 
 large for this, he carries it away to his favorite perch and 
 beats it soft against a limb. 
 
 In this, type it is the beak that is especially adapted for 
 fishing, and not the claws. He cannot tear the fish to 
 pieces, as does the Hawk, for his bill is straight and
 
 16 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 sharp-pointed, but must swallow it whole. Imagine what 
 a time he must have if his capture is over-large I 
 
 This may remind you of another fisherman frequenting 
 our ponds and marshes the Heron that has a longer 
 bill (see cut No. 3, bill ) than 
 the Kingfisher, and long stilt- 
 like legs. This spear-man for 
 
 ^~ - ' ~ " such he really is can fly as 
 
 well as the Kingfisher, but he 
 
 does not need to fly down after the fish, frogs and other 
 water animals he considers palatable. He wades out into 
 the water among the grasses and rushes and 
 waits with much patience for his food to 
 come near him. ( See cut No. 1.) If you 
 were to steal near enough to one you would 
 surely think him asleep. But wait! here 
 comes a lunch dangerously near. All has 
 changed ; with great rapidity he darts his 
 bill into the water, and if it is a fish, swal- 
 lows it headforemost, so that the spines will 
 not interfere. If not caught so that it can 
 be swallowed that way, it is tossed into the air and again 
 caught. 
 
 This type is called the walking or ivading foot. It has 
 not the grasping power of the Hawk's foot, and has a 
 small web between the outer and middle toes. 
 
 It is not difficult to read the story of a foot where the 
 toes are connected by a web. It looks so much like a 
 paddle that it would at once be associated with the water. 
 They are not at all like the feet we have already examined. 
 The hand function of grasping has been lost, and they are 
 not so well fitted for walking, as one can see by the 
 clumsy, awkward steps of the Ducks and Geese*. There 
 are several kinds of the swimming foot. The Pelican has
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 
 
 17 
 
 the three toes in front and the 
 hind toe, all joined together by 
 a web (toti-palmate) (see cut 
 No. 4) ; the Ducks and Geese 
 have the three front toes only 
 united (palmate) (see cut No. 
 2); while in the " Mud Hen," 
 " Coot," each toe has a separate 
 
 lobed membrane on it (lobed). 
 (See cut No. 3). 
 
 A type that must not be 
 overlooked is the perching 
 foot ( see cut No. 1 ) of the 
 song birds, of which those of 
 "Downy," the Kingfisher 
 and the Hawk are varieties 
 adapted for special uses. The 
 toes of the robin are entirely 
 separate. They are all on the 
 same level, and the hind toe is 
 long, in order to more effectually 
 grasp a twig. The toes do not 
 spread out so much as in the 
 Hawk, nor are they so rough on 
 
 the under surface. This is the perch- 
 ing foot. ( See cut No. 1 ) . 
 
 To sum up, then, we have noticed 
 three principal kinds of feet, the 
 perching, the walking or wading, 
 and the swimming. 
 
 A bird that finds its particular 
 kind of food from the water's edge, 
 or on the bottom where the water is 
 shallow, needs a wide bill with an 
 2
 
 18 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 arrangement to let the water escape ( see cut No. 1 ) that 
 was taken up with the food. This is the plan in the 
 ducks and geese, where the 
 edges of the bill are finely 
 ridged. 
 
 The Nighthawk, w h i c h is 
 not one of the Hawk family at 
 all, like the Whippoorwill, its 
 nearest relative, comes out 
 bright and active about twilight in search of its favorite 
 insect food. A look at its bill would at once convince 
 you that it is neither a fisherman, a seed-eater, nor 
 a bird of prey, for its bill is very small. What is lack- 
 ing in this respect, however, is made up in the size of 
 the mouth, which opens widely, making a splendid trap 
 for the moths, and other night-flying insects, which it 
 eats. The wing, too, is long, giving the bird speed and 
 agility. 
 
 In the Whippoorwill, the mouth is thickly set with 
 long bristles that assist in trapping the luckless insect. 
 (See cut No. 4.) On such journeys 
 the Whippoorwills frequently approach 
 houses, and, regardless of their sur- 
 roundings, sing with remarkable clear- 
 ness and power. 
 
 The Swallows are another family of 
 insect-eaters. They, too, have a small 
 bill and large mouth. Small as is the 
 bill, one of our Swallows (Barn Swal- 
 low ) makes a kind of hod of it, in which he carries pel- 
 lets of mud for his nest. 
 
 Along the banks of a small pond a large number of 
 dead, but recently tenanted, snail-shells could be seen, 
 and in the shallow water the live ones were abundant.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 
 
 19 
 
 The tracks on the bank all about gave unmistakable evi- 
 dence of the cause the Sandpiper, a shore bird with 
 wading legs and long, pointed beak, which he had used 
 to take the shells out of the water, and had then picked 
 out their tender flesh, leaving the empty shells along the 
 shore. 
 
 Some of the Snipes use their long, flexible beaks to 
 probe into the soft mud in 
 search of worms (see. cut No. 
 3), which they are often able 
 to trace by means of the sen- 
 sitive tip of the beak. 
 
 The seed-eating birds Sparrow, Quail, and Chicken 
 have a somewhat cone-shaped bill, very strong, and with 
 sharp cutting edges. 
 
 The tongues are not without interest, although not usu- 
 ally noticed. The Woodpecker has a long, barbed tongue 
 tipped with a horny spine. This he shoots out with won- 
 derful precision, as the following incident related by Bur- 
 roughs of a tame " high-hole " ( Flicker) will show: 
 
 " Did you ever notice that the high-hole never eats any- 
 thing that he cannot pick up with his tongue ? At least 
 this was the case with a young one I took from the nest 
 and tamed. He could thrust out his tongue two or three 
 inches, and it was amusing to see his efforts to eat cur- 
 rants from the hand. He would run out his tongue and 
 try to stick it to the currant; failing in that, he would 
 bend his tongue around it like a hook and try to raise it 
 by a sudden jerk. But he never succeeded, the round 
 fruit would roll and slip away every time. He never 
 seemed to think of taking it in his beak. His tongue 
 was in constant use to find out the nature of everything 
 he saw; a nail-hole in a board, or any similar hole, was 
 carefully explored. If he was held near the face, he
 
 20 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 would soon be attracted by the eye and thrust his tongue 
 into it. In this way he gained the respect of a number 
 of half-grown cats that were around the house. 
 
 "I wished to make them familiar with each other, so 
 there would be less danger of their killing him. So I 
 would take them both on my knees, when the bird would 
 soon notice the kitten's eyes, and leveling his bill as care- 
 fully as a marksman levels his rifle, he would remain so a 
 minute, when he would dart his tongue into the cat's eye. 
 This was held by the cats to be very mysterious ; being 
 struck in the eye by something invisible to them. They 
 soon acquired such a terror of him that they would avoid 
 him and run away whenever they saw his bill turned in 
 their direction. He never would swallow a grasshopper, 
 even when it was placed in his throat ; he would shake 
 himself until he had thrown it out of his mouth. His 
 ' best hold ' was ants. He never was surprised at any- 
 thing, and never was afraid of anything. He would drive 
 the turkey gobbler and the rooster. I would turn over 
 the stones and dig into ant-hills for him, and he would 
 lick up the ants so fast that a stream of them seemed go- 
 ing into his mouth unceasingly." 
 
 The Hummingbird that, like the butterfly, sips nectar, 
 has a " double-barreled tongue two tubes placed side by 
 side, serving as siphons to extract the nectar of flowers." 
 
 Ducks and Geese have a large, fleshy tongue, while the 
 Kingfisher can hardly be said to have one at all. 
 
 Besides the use of bills as hands to supply the needs of 
 the body, they are extremely useful tools with which to 
 construct the home the object of so much care and 
 anxiety to the parent birds. We are hardly aware of the 
 great number of nests near at hand till winter robs them 
 of their leafy screen. Then we see how skillfully the 
 little builders have hidden their homes from the weather 
 and their numerous enemies.
 
 BIRDS OF KAHSAS 
 
 21 
 
 With the beaks, also, the feathers are neatly combed 
 and smoothed. When they wish to oil their feathers they 
 squeeze a drop of oil out of the oil-can at the root of the 
 tail, and then, passing the feathers through the beak, oil 
 and smooth them. The oil gland is always found in 
 waterfowls, that need to have a water-proof plumage. 
 
 Awl-shaped bill of Humming Bird. 
 
 Fishing bill of Pelican, showing large pouch.
 
 TRAVELING AND WOOING. 
 
 In sunshine and tempest, the seasons go by ; 
 The orchards of April grow warm to the eye ; 
 More joyful than daylight, the beauty they bring 
 The first of Auroras, the presage of spring ! 
 Across the bright vista of hillside and plain 
 The note of the wood-dove falls mellow as rain ; 
 The snows are retreating, 
 The river runs clear, 
 Then list to the greeting, and blessed be the year ! 
 
 Dora Read Goodale. 
 
 We may divide our birds, according to their habits of 
 travel, into summer birds, winter birds, and resident 
 birds. Before the frost and snows of winter lock up the 
 favorite food of our summer songsters, they are away for 
 the warm sunny climes of the South, where their food can 
 be easily obtained. Here they remain till the northern 
 winter is past and the bright, warm sunshine of spring is 
 opening the winter home of the insect and making the 
 frozen earth alive again. Were it not for the scarcity 'of 
 food in winter and the cold, the birds would no doubt re- 
 main during the year in those localities where they now 
 find it agreeable to nest. We have often seen large flocks 
 of blackbirds and swallows fly about in a restless way for 
 a few days in autumn, preparing for their long journey. 
 They suddenly take their departure, and we see no more 
 of them till spring. If we were in the South in early 
 spring we should see the same thing repeated as they pre- 
 pare to go North. Great numbers of birds pass over us 
 on their way from their summer homes in the far North 
 (22)
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 23 
 
 to their winter retreats in the South and return again in 
 spring, and yet we are scarcely aware of it. They prefer 
 to travel by night, stopping for rest and food by day. 
 
 It is a long journey from Alaska or Greenland to 
 Central America or the West Indies, and yet some of the 
 little birds, like our Fox Sparrow, that spend the winter 
 with us, summer in the Arctic regions. Others make a 
 trip from Greenland to Central America. They are fleet 
 of wing, and can go faster than the fastest express train. 
 Mr. Wilson estimated that many of them fly faster than 
 a mile a minute, so that with a few stops for rest and 
 food, it would not take long to travel several thousand 
 miles. Flying high above the surface of the earth, they 
 get a "bird's-eye" view of our continent, and are prob- 
 ably guided in their travel by the mountains, forests and 
 river-courses. 
 
 Our resident birds are with us winter and summer. The 
 Bluebird, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hawks 
 and Owls, Quails, the Flicker, Blue Jay, Meadow Lark, 
 Goldfinch, Cardinal, Nuthatch, Chickadee, and Robin are 
 among the number of naturalized citizens. The Blue- 
 bird, Meadow Lark, and Robin are in tune with the first 
 touch of spring, while the Cardinal cannot wait so long : 
 he must whistle his good cheer for us in the bright days 
 of winter. 
 
 During the winter season they must depend chiefly 
 upon winter berries, weed seeds, and insect eggs and larvae 
 that are snugly packed away in the bark of trees ; they must 
 often suffer from hunger and cold when for days snow and 
 ice cover the ground and trees. At such times they often 
 come about our doors and will not refuse a kindly crumb 
 thrown out to them. The good they will do in orchard and 
 garden when the noxious insects put in an appearance will 
 repay with interest any attention they have received at
 
 24 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSIC^ 
 
 our hands, and besides, they will stay about our homes 
 and charm us with their songs. 
 
 "The demands of nature are paramount, and in the 
 sharpness of hunger one will not be over-fastidious as to 
 the company he keeps. One morning, when the newly 
 fallen snow had seriously limited the natural supplies of 
 food, I found an incongruous but apparently happy fam- 
 ily feeding most amicably at a spot where provision is 
 regularly made a gathering composed of Peacocks, 
 Pigeons, several squirrels, English Sparrows, "White 
 Throats," Cardinals, and a huge but famishing rat! 
 While the rest of the company did not openly resent 
 the intrusion of this base quadruped, and merely ignored 
 him in the most polite and distant manner, it was evident 
 that he felt an indescribable chill in the atmosphere, for 
 he was plainly ill at ease amid so much beauty and ele- 
 gance, and he soon made his own motion, and seconded 
 it, to withdraw." 
 
 Before the nest is begun a very important matter must 
 be settled. Each bird selects his mate, to whom for a 
 longer or shorter time he pays strict attention. The 
 ways of wooing are very interesting. Some birds have a 
 very short and simple courtship, hardly seeming to woo 
 at all. Others go through an elaborate courtship. Audu- 
 bon gives an account of the mating of the Great Blue 
 Heron , one of our summer residents : 
 
 "In Florida I have seen hundreds of them collected in 
 the course of the morning. The males walk about with 
 an air of great dignity, nodding defiance to their rivals, 
 and the females croak to invite the males to pay their 
 addresses to them. The females utter their coaxing notes 
 all at once, and as each male evinces an equal desire to 
 please the object of his affection, he has to encounter the 
 enmity of many an adversary, who, with little attention
 
 felRDS OF KANSAS 
 
 to politeness, opens his powerful bill, throws out his 
 wings, and rushes with fury on his foe. Each attack is 
 carefully guarded against, blows are exchanged for blows; 
 one would think that a single well-aimed thrust might 
 suffice to inflict death, but the strokes are parried with 
 as much art as an expert swordsman would employ; 
 and although I have watched these birds for half an hour 
 at a time as they fought on the ground, I never yet saw 
 one killed on such occasion ; but I have often seen one 
 felled and trampled upon, even after incubation had com- 
 menced. These combats over, the males and females 
 leave the place in pairs." 
 
 Bradford Torrey, in his "Birds in the Bush," gives an 
 account of Robin's way of winning his mate: 
 
 "The American Robin, for instance, is far from being 
 a bird of exceptional refinement. ' His nest is rude, not to 
 say slovenly, and his general deportment is unmistakably 
 common. But watch him when he goes a-wooing, and 
 you will begin to feel quite a new respect for him. How 
 gently he approaches his beloved ! How carefully he 
 avoids ever coming disrespectfully near ! No sparrow-like 
 screaming, no dancing about, no melodramatic gesticu- 
 lations. If she moves from one side of the tree to the 
 other, or to the tree adjoining, he follows in silence. Yet 
 every movement is a petition, an assurance that his heart 
 is hers and ever must be. The action is extremely sim- 
 ple ; there is nothing of which to make an eloquent de- 
 scription ; but I should pity the man who would witness 
 it with indifference. Not that the robin's suit is always 
 carried on in the same way ; he is much too versatile for 
 that. On one occasion, at least, I saw him holding him- 
 self absolutely motionless, in a horizontal posture, star- 
 ing at his sweetheart as if he would charm her with his 
 gaze, and emitting all the while a subdued hissing sound.
 
 Zb TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 . . . It ended with his suddenly darting at the female, 
 who took wing and was pursued." 
 
 Our beautiful little Goldfinches, that are so sombre in 
 winter as to be scarcely recognized as the same bird that 
 is so brightly colored in summer, nest late in the season ; 
 the latter part of June or in July. But all the time, from 
 early spring, the male is sporting his attractive coat of 
 yellow and calls lovingly to his mate. It is a wise pro- 
 vision of nature that the brightly colored Goldfinches 
 should put on a plain garb in winter, when the leafless 
 and barren trees would make a brighter suit a deadly 
 mark for its enemies. 
 
 The Golden-winged Woodpecker, or "Flicker," not only 
 uses his bill to procure his food and build his home, but 
 in spring carries on a drumming on the most resonant 
 limb he can find, with the object of wooing a suitable 
 mate. Sometimes they drum to each other after they are 
 happily mated, as though renewing their mutual vows. 
 One bird writer says that he saw two Flickers clinging to 
 a shellbark tree, one about fifteen feet above the other, 
 and each had a strip of loose bark before it. First the 
 lower one would beat his drum, softly, then he would stop 
 and hold his head back to listen ; the other would answer 
 him.
 
 WHERE AND HOW THEY BUILD. 
 
 They '11 come again to the apple tree 
 
 Robin and all the rest 
 When the orchard branches are fair to see 
 
 In the snow of the blossoms dressed, 
 And the prettiest thing in the world will be 
 
 The building of the nest. _ M E Sanggter 
 
 Nesting-time is a happy time, and an anxious one, too, 
 for the parent birds. It is the season of song and expec- 
 tation. We are made more cheerful by their songs, as 
 well as the nesting mother, to whom the mate pours out 
 his volumes of melody. 
 
 The ways of different birds at this time are very inter- 
 esting, and teach us many beautiful lessons. The parent 
 birds show the tenderest care and the most faithful devo- 
 tion to their nest of precious eggs or nestlings. 
 
 The home of a bird has an attraction for us that is not 
 possessed by the home of a mouse or a bumblebee. It is 
 more like a human habitation. Like people, they choose 
 various locations, sometimes changing after the founda- 
 tion is well laid. The most common location is in the 
 trees. 
 
 Warblers build in the very top branches ; the Orioles 
 select an outer branch, while the Hawks and Crows like 
 to build close against the trunk, and the Woodpeckers 
 chisel holes into the trunk. The large birds of prey 
 choose crags; the Larks and Sandpipers, the ground; 
 Herons and Ducks, the marshes; Bank Swallows and 
 Kingfishers dig holes in the banks of streams ; and some 
 
 (27)
 
 zo TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 of our water birds Coots and Rails build their nests 
 on the rushes in the water. 
 
 They use a great variety of building material, which 
 varies considerably according to location. Here are a 
 few: hay, hair, bark, moss, hog bristles, paper, twine, 
 mud, thistle down, rags, feathers, snake-skins. 
 
 There are many different ways of building, both as to 
 style and material, so that the little architect may often 
 be known by a look at his home. Like the different races 
 of men, some build wigwams, tents, mud houses, or brown- 
 stone palaces, according to their tastes. 
 
 Rather than "clean house" every spring, most birds 
 make a new, clean home, and take great delight in it, 
 working and singing all the while. A few clean and re- 
 pair the old nest; among these are the Barn Swallows. 
 The Cowbirds, one of the Blackbird family, to which fam- 
 ily the splendid builders, the Orioles, also belong, take no 
 pleasure in nest-building. They use the nests of other 
 birds. A number of water birds deposit their eggs in de- 
 pressions which they make in the sand, using little or no 
 other material. Some of the Terns that visit us in mi- 
 gration belong to this class. 
 
 The eggs of the Whippoorwill are placed in a little hol- 
 low in the ground, or on the bare rocks, with little or no 
 nest material surrounding them. Sometimes, however, 
 the nest and sitting bird are concealed in bushes and 
 among the leaves. The color of the bird is so much like 
 the brown leaves and earth that it is very difficult to see 
 them on the nest this is one of nature's ways of pro- 
 tecting the helpless birds against their many enemies. 
 When the nest is approached the parent bird will not stir 
 till almost trampled upon. 
 
 One would think that when more than one brood is 
 reared in a season the old nest would be good enough for
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS Z 
 
 the second brood, but this is the exception. A new nest 
 is usually made. The Eagles and Osprey use the old nest 
 for a number of years, each year doing some repairing and 
 enlarging, when in time it grows to enormous proportions. 
 
 The Kingfisher and Bank Swallow like to dig deep holes 
 in the bank of a stream for their home. The Kingfisher 
 takes a week or more to build his tunnel. It is from five 
 to fifteen feet deep, turning to the right or left and end- 
 ing in a larger space where the eggs are laid. This bird 
 has a habit of ejecting the bones of the fish it eats around 
 the nest. 
 
 " Downy " prefers neither the tree-top nor the e'arth for 
 his habitation. He likes to use his sharp bill (see cut 
 No. 4) to chisel out a home in 
 the trunk of the tree. The hole 
 he cuts is almost a perfect cir- 
 cle. The male does most of the 
 work. Cunning little creatures, they carry the chips 
 away from the tree where the nest is to be, to keep the 
 hungry egg-sucker and bird-eater off the scent. 
 
 It is said that some of our Woodpeckers make an exca- 
 vation each fall for a winter home, and that a new one is 
 probably chipped out for the nest each spring. 
 
 The Woodpecker nestlings when a few days old like to 
 try their climbers, so they cling to the sides of the hole 
 in preference to staying at the bottom. 
 
 Certainly there is nothing very attractive in the lining 
 of the nest. Nothing but the chips made in building are 
 used for covering the bottom. 
 
 How different is the home of the little Goldfinch (Wild 
 Canary). Here is a dainty little cup made late in the 
 season and lined with the softest material to be had the 
 down of the thistle seeds. So cosy that the tiny little 
 nestlings, themselves soft and tender, are quite comfort-
 
 30 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 able, and no doubt prefer this home to any that man 
 could build. 
 
 The Green Heron, though he spends his time wading 
 about in the ponds and marshes, likes to build in the 
 trees near his favorite haunts. His nest is composed of 
 twigs loosely put together. Sometimes a number of Her- 
 ons build in one large tree. A large cottonwood tree near 
 the Kansas river has seven nests in it. 
 
 The Baltimore Orioles, which you remember are rela- 
 tives of .the Cow.birds, are famous weavers, and build a 
 beautiful nest. They select a side branch and build near 
 the outer, end, away from danger, and where the summer 
 breezes can rock the cradle with loving tenderness. 
 
 A singular case is reported from Colorado of an Oriole 
 that had taken two mates, one after the nest was com- 
 pleted ; so, to accommodate the new member of the family, 
 an addition was built to the first nest. Here they reared 
 the two broods in perfect harmony. 
 
 The Oriole uses its bill as a needle, weaving bits of 
 yarn, horse-hair, rags, paper, strips of bark and grasses 
 into the delicate basket, giving it shape and symmetry 
 with its body. 
 
 In an early day, before the advent of the chimney, 
 the little Chimney Swift built its nest in hollow trees. 
 Now they also use chimneys, probably as offering greater 
 protection. The nest is made of small twigs of about the 
 same length and thickness. These it breaks from the 
 trees while on the wing. They are cemented together 
 and to the wall by saliva, which is secreted more abun- 
 dantly during nesting-time. Anyone who has ever removed 
 these nests will concede that the work is well done. The 
 Chinese Swift builds its nest of saliva without the sticks. 
 The Orientals eat this kind of nest, and consider it a great 
 delicacy.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 31 
 
 Some of the birds upon whom the Cowbird imposes an 
 egg for incubation resent the intrusion, and skillfully 
 build another floor in the nest, covering up the foreign 
 egg, and begin over again on the second floor. Our Yellow 
 Warbler is known to do this. 
 
 The little Screech Owl is another tree-builder, but he 
 will not reject a cosy place in a barn or shed. His colors 
 and quiet ways are very helpful to him. Boys are well 
 aware of the fact that an Owl is hard to find he is to 
 be heard, not seen. Not, however, is he to be heard when 
 flying, for the feathers have an extra finish of soft, silky, 
 down that makes the wing-beats silent. Ho likes a hol- 
 low tree for his home, making it comfortable and cosy 
 with leaves and feathers. He has cultivated a taste for 
 the English Sparrow. This is several points in his favor. 
 
 The Crested Flycatcher, a cousin to the Kingbird, 
 shows a queer taste in selecting material for interior 
 decoration. Besides the usual building materials 
 twigs, grasses, and rootlets it does not consider the 
 furnishings quite complete till a cast-off snake-skin is 
 secured and worked in. It is hard to account for this 
 reptilian taste. 
 
 A close observer of birds writes that he once saw this 
 Flycatcher pick up an onion-skin and carry it off, think- 
 ing, perhaps, that it was a snake-skin. Mr. Goss relates 
 that in the month of June, 1887, a pair built a nest in 
 one of the cannons on the State-house grounds at Topeka. 
 One egg was laid, but unfortunately at that time the 
 cannon was brought into use for drill, and the nest de- 
 stroyed. 
 
 The Barn Swallow is a clever little plasterer. The 
 bowl-shaped nest plastered against the side of a barn, or 
 under the eaves, is composed of little pieces of mud,
 
 06 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 mixed with straws to give it greater security. It is lined 
 with feathers, and is placed where the rain is not likely 
 to wash it away, and completely satisfies our little swift- 
 winged bird. 

 
 IN THE NEST AND AT LUNCH. 
 
 Oh, the dainty pouches 
 Hanging all along 
 
 Under larches 
 
 And green arches 
 Where birds throng ! 
 
 For our pleasure, 
 
 In rich measure, 
 They will scatter forth their treasure, 
 
 Golden notes 
 
 From tiny throats, 
 And pockets full of song ! 
 
 Josephine Pollard, 
 
 The nest nicely made to the taste of the happy pair, and 
 hidden in some suitable place, the period of expectancy be- 
 gins. Here the devoted mother-bird exercises the greatest 
 care for her eggs, and displays at times remarkable bold- 
 ness. It is at such times that she shows great tact and 
 many artifices to mislead the nest-hunter. 
 
 The period of incubation extends from about ten days for 
 some of the smaller birds, as the Wren, to fifty or sixty 
 for the Ostrich. The mother-bird is, in general, the sitter. 
 However, both male and female may incubate. When the 
 eggs are kept at a temperature of about one hundred de- 
 grees, the germ cell soon breaks up into a mass of cells, 
 which later form the organs and parts of the chick. While 
 the embryo is developing thus, it is absorbing or feeding 
 upon the rich food supply in the "yolk." When the 
 food is all consumed the chick pecks its way out of the 
 shell by means of a little tube on the end of its bill with 
 
 -3 (33)
 
 34 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 which nature has provided it. This little "egg tooth," 
 as it is popularly called, is then absorbed, for there is no 
 further use for it. 
 
 Some nestlings can run about and help themselves as 
 soon as they come out of the shell, and are covered with 
 soft, downy feathers ; others, helpless for a time after 
 hatching, must have food brought to them. 
 
 We can divide the newly hatched nestlings into two 
 classes : those that come out of the egg featherless and 
 helpless (altricial ), and those that are hatched with a 
 coat of down and can run about after the parent bird and 
 help themselves ( precocial ) . 
 
 We may suppose, too, that the birds that build such 
 good basket-like nests in the trees away from danger do 
 so for the sake of their helpless young, while the Wild 
 Turkey, the Prairie Chicken, and the Quail, whose young 
 are able to run about at once, make their nests on the 
 ground. One naturalist says he has seen the young of 
 the Wild Turkey run about with portions of the shell still 
 clinging to them. 
 
 The behavior of the mother-bird while incubating is 
 often very attractive to a bird-lover. Bradford Torrey, 
 in his account of a " Woodland Intimate," relates his ex- 
 perience with a Solitary Vireo ( Blue-headed ) while nest- 
 ing. He first approached the nest rapidly, thinking to 
 come up closely by surprise. When he came to a stand- 
 still his eyes were within a foot of the bird. He placed 
 his hand gently against the bottom of the nest. At this 
 she partly arose and craned her neck to see what was go- 
 ing on, but soon settled back again. Each day he called 
 to see her, and was permitted to stroke her feathers, and 
 when his hand was placed on her head she pecked his fin- 
 ger in a pretty, gentle way. On another day he brought 
 her food consisting of insects ; these she ate from his hand.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 35 
 
 The male, however, was shy, and would not permit such 
 intimacy. 
 
 The helpless nestlings must be fed, and this the parent, 
 or parents, as the case may be, proceed to do in many 
 curious and interesting ways. 
 
 The bird parents are kept very busy when the nestlings 
 open their wide mouths and call for food. The Robins are 
 not at all timid at this time, and are very familiar figures 
 running over gardens and lawns looking for earthworms 
 and grubs. They can see them when we cannot, and stop 
 here and there at our very doorsteps to pull a stubborn 
 worm out of its retreat. It is hard to escape his keen 
 eyes. When a load is secured he flies to the waiting nest 
 and divides it among the hungry mouths. 
 
 A few years ago the writer saw three young Kingbirds 
 sitting on a fence, all facing in the same direction. They 
 seemed almost grown and quite able to help themselves, 
 but the mother-bird did not seem to think so, for she flew 
 to a meadow near by, where grasshoppers were abundant, 
 and served each of her babies in turn. She was very 
 methodical in her way of doing things, for she began at 
 one end of the row and gave each its insect in order, 
 repeating until each had been served four times. 
 
 Quite in contrast to the table manners of the Robin are 
 those of the Flickers, who first eat the food themselves, 
 and then, thrusting their beaks into the throats of the 
 nestlings, empty the contents of their crops, in which it 
 has been partly digested. Our Pigeons have very much 
 the same habit, except that in this case the nestling puts 
 his beak into that of the parent and feeds on the copious 
 secretion of the crop, along with the grain that was eaten 
 and softened here. 
 
 The Swallows are quite at home on the wing, and 
 when the nestlings have left the nest and can fly about
 
 36 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTUBY CLASSICS 
 
 they are still fed for a time by the parent, who puts the 
 insect morsel into the beak " of the young while both are 
 in the air. 
 
 The birds which, in the adult state, feed upon seeds, 
 need often to change the diet for their young, and provide 
 them with more easily digested food, so that for a time 
 the seed-eaters become insect- or worm-eaters. 
 
 If we were to cross the ocean, we could find some very 
 singular ways in which lunch is served to the nestlings. 
 The male Hornbills, for example, carry food to both 
 mother and young, who have been shut in the hollow 
 of a tree by means of mud, with only a small opening 
 left through which they are fed. The diet of fruit eaten 
 by the male bird is ejected from his stomach, lining and 
 all, into the hungry mouths at home.
 
 WINGS AND TAIL. 
 
 
 
 A bird that must fly a great deal needs wings which ara 
 properly cut to make swift and easy travel in the air pos- 
 sible. ( See cut No. 2.) Each 
 part of the bird that helps it 
 get on in the world will show 
 by its make-up what it is best fitted to do. 
 
 The wings of flying animals move rapidly downward 
 and upward in the air, supporting the body by the re- 
 action of the air under their rapid strokes and at the 
 same time pushing it forward. The wings of birds are 
 not all of the same size, even though their bodies have 
 about the same weight, because their habits may be quite 
 different. The Heron has a 
 comparatively light body and 
 a very large wing surface. The 
 Quail has a heavy body and a 
 small wing surface. ( See cut 
 No. 1.) 
 
 The flight of the Heron and Quail differ quite as much as 
 their wings. The Heron does not move the wing so rapid- 
 ly, and flies more slowly and gracefully than the Quail. 
 The Quail is a quick, rapid flyer for short distances, and 
 starts off with great speed. 
 
 The Ostrich does not use its wings for flight, but merely 
 to assist it in running. The Penguin, a bird that lives in 
 the Southern seas, uses its wings as paddles for swim- 
 ming under the water, the feathers on its wing being 
 more like scales than ordinary feathers, and not at all 
 fitted for flight in air. 
 
 The tail, too, which often takes an active part in a 
 (37)
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 bird's life, is fashioned according to the nature of its work. 
 It has many different forms, depending upon the length 
 of the different feathers composing it, of which in most 
 birds there are twelve. When they are a!l of the same 
 length, it is even or square. When they shorten grad- 
 ually from the middle to the outside, rounded. When 
 the outer ones are longer than the middle ones, forked. 
 When the central pair is longest, pointed. 
 
 The Downy Woodpecker braces himself against the tree, 
 using his tail with its sharp-pointed feathers as a prop. 
 Ever active, he peeps into every likely crevice and loose 
 piece of bark for a tender morsel. Useful as he is to the 
 farmer in removing injurious insects and their eggs, he is 
 too often under-valued and blamed for injuring the trees 
 and fruit with his chisel-like beak. On the contrary, it 
 is shown by the Department of Agriculture that of one 
 hundred and forty stomachs examined, only three con- 
 tained fruit, apple in two, strawberries in one. Eleven 
 taken in our State in winter showed that ten per cent, of 
 his food was grasshopper eggs. 
 
 The little brown Chimney Swift with its spine-tipped 
 tail can with ease rest on the inside of a chimney or hol- 
 low tree, where the tail again acts as a prop. 
 
 The " Dipper," or Pied-billed Grebe, has scarcely a tail 
 at all ; so much of its time is spent in and about the 
 water that it does not need one. The wings, too, are 
 short, making the body compact and of the shape of a 
 double cone, admirably fitting it for diving. 
 
 The long tail serves well to balance and "guide the birds 
 on the twig and in the air. No matter how much the 
 branch may toss and swing, the tail moves now up, now 
 down, helping to keep the body erect. Whether or not jt 
 further serves the songster as a baton or means of expres- 
 sion, it is very significantly jerked about, as everyone 
 has observed in the Catbird and Brown Thrasher.
 
 HISTORY OF THE BIRDS OF KANSAS. 
 
 The following chapter is compiled from that great 
 work, " History of the Birds of Kansas/' by Col. K S. 
 
 The publishers have made it possible in this number 
 of the Twentieth Century Classics to give to the teachers 
 and bird students of Kansas a history of fifty-one of 
 our commoner birds, representing the different orders. 
 
 Colonel Goss gave many years of his life to the study 
 of the habits of birds, not only in Kansas, but in various 
 parts of North America. He has accurately and in a 
 charming manner brought their life histories before us, 
 and it is with the hope of giving a portion of his monu- 
 mental work a wider circulation among all lovers of our 
 birds that this compilation is made. It is also with the 
 thought of offering some slight assistance in prepara- 
 tion for the study of these types so happily presented by 
 him that the preceding brief introductory chapters have 
 
 been written. 
 
 I. BLUEBIRD. 
 
 Sialia sialis (LiNN.). 
 
 An abundant resident in the eastern part of the State ; 
 common to the middle; retiring in winter to the thickets 
 in the deep ravines and along the streams ; a rare summer 
 
 (39)
 
 40 TWENTIETH CENTUEY CLASSICS 
 
 resident in the western portion of the State. Begin lay- 
 ing the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States; north to Nova 
 Scotia, Ontario and Manitoba; west to the base of the 
 Rocky Mountains; breeding throughout their range; 
 wintering from the Middle States southward to Cuba. 
 
 Iris brown; bill, legs, feet and claws blackish. 
 
 The habits of this well-known species are so familiar 
 to all that no description is needed. I cannot, however, 
 refrain from presenting the following, written by Wilson 
 Flagg, in so happy and pleasing a style: 
 
 " Not one of our songsters is so intimately associated 
 with the early spring as the Bluebird. Upon his arrival 
 from his winter residence, he never fails to make known 
 his presence by a few melodious notes uttered from some 
 roof or fence in the field or garden. On the earliest 
 morning in April, when we first open our windows to wel- 
 come the soft vernal gales, they bear on their wings the 
 sweet strains of the Bluebird. These few notes are asso- 
 ciated with all the happy scenes and incidents that attend 
 the opening of the year. 
 
 " The Bluebird is said to bear a strong resemblance to 
 the English Robin-Redbreast, similar in form and style, 
 having a red breast and short tail feathers, with only this 
 manifest difference : that one is olive colored above where 
 the other is blue. But the Bluebird does not equal the 
 Redbreast as a songster. His notes are few and not 
 greatly varied, though sweetly and plaintively modulated, 
 and never loud. On account of their want of variety, 
 they do not enchain the listener; but they constitute an 
 important part of the melody of morn.
 
 BIRDS OP KANSAS 
 
 " The value of the inferior singers in making up a gen- 
 eral chorus is not sufficiently appreciated. In musical com- 
 position, as in an anthem or oratorio, though there is a 
 leading part, which is usually the air, that gives character 
 to the whole, yet this leading part would often be a very in- 
 different piece of melody if performed without its accom- 
 paniments; and these alone would seem still more trifling 
 and unimportant. Yet, if the composition be the work of a 
 master, these brief strains and snatches, though apparently 
 insignificant, are intimately connected with the harmony of 
 the piece, and could not be omitted without a serious dis- 
 paragement of the grand effect. The inferior singing 
 birds, bearing a similar relation to the whole choir, are 
 indispensable as aids in giving additional effect to the note 
 of the chief singers. 
 
 " Though the Robin is the principal musician in the 
 general anthem of morn, his notes would become tiresome 
 if heard without accompaniments. Nature has so arranged 
 the harmony of this chorus, that one part shall assist an- 
 other; and so exquisitely has she combined all the dif- 
 ferent voices, that the silence of any one cannot fail to 
 be immediately perceived. The low, mellow warble of the 
 Bluebird seems an echo to the louder voice of the Robin ; 
 and the incessant trilling or running accompaniment of 
 the Hairbird, the twittering of the Swallow, and the loud, 
 melodious piping of the Oriole, frequent and short, are 
 sounded like the different parts in a band of instruments, 
 and each performer seems to time his part as if by some 
 rule of harmony. Any discordant sound that may occur 
 in the performance never fails to disturb the equanimity of 
 the singers, and some minutes will elapse before they re-
 
 42 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 sume their song. It would be difficult to draw a correct com- 
 parison between the birds and the various instruments they 
 represent. But if the Eobin was described as the clarionet, 
 the Bluebird might be considered the flageolet, frequently, 
 but not incessantly, interspersing a few mellow strains. 
 The Hairbird would be the octave flute, constantly trilling 
 on a high key, and the Golden Eobin the bugle, often re- 
 peating his loud and brief strain. The analogy, if carried 
 farther, might lose force and correctness. 
 
 " All the notes of the Bluebird his call notes his 
 notes of complaint, his chirp, and his song are equally 
 plaintive and closely resemble one another. I am not 
 aware that this bird utters a harsh note. His voice, which 
 is one of the earliest to be heard in the spring ? is associated 
 with the early flowers and with all pleasant vernal in- 
 fluences. When he first arrives he perches upon the roof 
 of a barn or upon some leafless tree, and delivers his few 
 and frequent notes with evident fervor, as if conscious of 
 the pleasures that await him. These mellow notes are all 
 the sounds he makes for several weeks, seldom chirping or 
 scolding like other birds. His song is discontinued at mid- 
 summer, but his plaintive call, consisting of a single note 
 pensively modulated, continues every day until he leaves 
 our fields. This sound is one of the melodies of summer's 
 decline, and reminds us, like the note of the green noc- 
 turnal tree-hopper, of the ripened harvest, the fall of the 
 leaf, and of all the joyous festivals and melancholy remi- 
 niscences of autumn. 
 
 " The Bluebird builds his nest in hollow trees and posts, 
 and may be encouraged to breed around our dwellings by 
 supplying boxes for his accommodation. In whatever
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 43 
 
 vicinity we reside, whether in a recent clearing or in 
 the heart of a village, if we set up a bird house in May, it 
 will certainly be occupied by a Bluebird, unless previously 
 taken by a Wren or a Martin. But there is commonly so 
 great a demand for such accommodations, that it is not 
 unusual to see two or three different species contending 
 for one box." 
 
 Their nests are loosely but rather smoothly constructed 
 of fine straws, grasses and occasionally leaves, hair and 
 f'ojithers. Eggs, usually four or five, .83x.63 ; light green- 
 ish blue ; in form, oval. Pure white sets have occasionally 
 boon takon. 
 
 II. AMERICAN" ROBIN. 
 Merula migratoria (LiNN.). 
 
 Resident; abundant in the eastern part of the State 
 in summer, and along the streams in winter, where the 
 hackbcrries are plenty; rare at other times; not common 
 in the .western portion of the State. Begin laying the 
 last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Northern and eastern North America (re- 
 placed in the western United States, east to the edge of 
 the Great Plains, by M . migratoria propinqua) ; south 
 into eastern Mexico; breeding from near the southern 
 borders of the United States northward to the Arctic 
 coast. 
 
 In a few specimens the females were fully as large as 
 the males. 
 
 Iris brown; bill bright yellow, tipped with dusky (the 
 bill of the female somewhat paler; in young birds the 
 upper mandible, with the exception of the edges, dark 
 brown) ; legs brown ; feet dark brown ; claws blackisfi.
 
 44 TWENTIETH CENTTTBY CLASSICS 
 
 These familiar birds of the orchard and garden brave 
 the coldest weather, and their distribution in winter de- 
 pends largely upon the food supply. In the winter of 
 1880, I found a few wintering on Brier Island, Nova 
 Scotia. They sought shelter at night and during severe 
 storms in the thick growths of spruce and other shrubby 
 trees, and subsist upon the snails and minute forms of 
 life that abounds in the kelp and other debris washed upon 
 the shore. Their winter fare inland consists largely of 
 cedar berries, hackberries, wild grapes, etc., and in the 
 fall help themselves to our cultivated berries; but they 
 more than repay the loss in the destruction of cut worms, 
 canker worms and various forms of injurious insect life, 
 which they diligently search for in the gardens, plowed 
 fields and bare spots, in the early spring, ready to catch 
 them as fast as they are warmed into life in their winter 
 beds by the hot rays of the sun and venture to the surface. 
 Then they are the first of the family to greet us with their 
 song; not as varied and musical as the silvery songs of 
 their cousins of the deep woods, but full of tender pathos, 
 and awaken us to the fact that winter is over and summer 
 at hand. 
 
 Their nests are built in the crotches of trees, saddled 
 on to horizontal branches or placed in hedges, outbuild- 
 ings in fact, most anywhere off the ground. They are 
 coarsely constructed of leaves, stems, twigs and grasses, 
 fastened together and plastered inside with mud, and lined 
 with fine stems and rootlets. Eggs three to five (usually 
 four), 1.16x.80; greenish blue; in form, oval.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 45 
 
 III. CHICKADEE. 
 
 Parus atricapillus (LiNN.). 
 
 Resident ; . abundant in the eastern part of the State ; 
 common to the middle portion; rare westward. Begin 
 laying early in April. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; west to the edge 
 of the Great Plains; south into the northern borders of 
 the Indian Territory and southern Missouri, but, east of 
 the Mississippi river, rarely south of latitude 40. Resi- 
 dent throughout their range. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill, feet and claws black; legs slate 
 brown. 
 
 The natural home of these sprightly little birds is within 
 the woodlands, but they often frequent orchards and gar- 
 dens, and in severe winter weather, when the snow lies 
 upon the branches of the trees and fills the crevices in the 
 bark, they visit the dooryards to pick up the scattered 
 ci-umbs, and if a piece of fresh meat is hung up in a 
 tree or upon the side of an outbuilding, they will come 
 daily to pick off frozen bits, until the weather moderates 
 and melts the snow and ice that covered the eggs, larva, 
 etc., upon which they are accustomed to feed. The birds 
 are very social and move about in small flocks, a happy 
 group chatting away, and " merrily singing their Chick- 
 a-dee-dee." 
 
 In the early mating season they have a loud, clear, 
 whistling song, " Peto," uttered at short intervals, and 
 various quaint, chatty call notes. Graceful little fellows ! 
 that fly from tree to tree and actively search the branches, 
 often swinging feet uppermost from the ends of slender
 
 46 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 twigs, to pick out a seed, an insect from a leaf, or larva 
 hidden in a bud. Pretty birds ! that with their familiar, 
 unsuspicious ways win our love ; and in addition to this 
 should receive a warm welcome for the good they do in 
 ridding the forest and fruit trees of their many pests. 
 Mr. Samuels, in " Birds of New England," says: 
 
 " In some localities the Titmouse is regarded as in- 
 jurious, from the fact that it is often seen among the 
 branches and leaves of the fruit trees and shrubs, pecking 
 off and destroying the buds. It does not do this to the 
 bud for food, but really for the grub contained in it. If 
 these buds be examined after the Chickadee has thrown 
 them away, the burrow of a grub or caterpillar will be 
 found in the very heart of them. The bird is able to dis- 
 cover the presence of these vermin much more readily 
 than man could, and it is thus able to assail them at a 
 period of their existence when they are doing the most 
 harm. But it is not the insect and the larva alone that he 
 destroys. His microscopic eyes enable him to discove'r 
 their eggs deposited on and in the crevices of the bark and 
 in the buds, and in an instant he can destroy the whole 
 future brood. The eggs of the moth of the destructive 
 leaf-rolling caterpillar, those of the canker worm, the 
 apple tree moth, and others of these well-known plagues, 
 are greedily eaten up by it ; and this is in the inclement 
 winter, when most of our other birds have abandoned us 
 for a more genial climate. 
 
 " In the summer time, the Chickadee's labors are more 
 easily noticed; and as he raises a large brood of young, 
 the female laying six or eight eggs at a litter, he is very 
 busy through the whole day in capturing vast quantities
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 47 
 
 of caterpillars, flies and grubs. It has been calculated that 
 a single pair of these birds destroy, on the average, not less 
 than five hundred of these pests daily ; a labor which could 
 hardly be surpassed by a man, even if he gave his whole 
 time to the task. 
 
 " ' Moreover, the man could not be successful at so 
 small a cost, for, setting aside the value of his time and 
 the amount of a laborer's daily wages, he could not reach 
 the denser and loftier twigs, on which the caterpillars 
 revel and which the Titmouse can traverse with perfect 
 ease. No man can investigate a tree, and clear it of the 
 insect hosts that constantly beleaguer it, without doing 
 some damage to the buds and young leaves by his rough 
 handling ; whereas the Chickadee trips along the branches, 
 peeps under every leaf, swings himself round upon his 
 perch, spies out every insect, and secures it with a peck so 
 rapid that it is hardly perceptible.' 
 
 " In some observations made on the habits of this and 
 some other birds in Paris, it was found that the Titmouse 
 destroys, at the lowest computation, over two hundred 
 thousand eggs alone, of noxious insects, in the course of a 
 year. That one small bird is thus able to accomplish so 
 much good, in destroying these myriads of vermin, is an 
 appeal to the good sense of the farmer for the protection of 
 the whole class that should not be slighted." 
 
 Their nests are placed near the ground, in holes made 
 by themselves in decaying trees and stumps. They are 
 composed of bits of moss, interwoven with fur and fine 
 hair, and occasionally a few downy feathers. Eggs four 
 to eight, .60x.47; white, speckled with reddish brown 
 and lilac stains, generally the thickest around the larger 
 end ; in form, oval.
 
 48 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 IV. SHOWN CREEPER. 
 
 Certhia familiaris americana (BONAP.). 
 
 Winter sojourner; common in the eastern portion of 
 the State; rare westward. Leave the last of March to 
 the first of April; begin to return in October. 
 
 HABITAT. Temperate eastern North America; west 
 to the Great Plains (represented westward in the Rocky 
 Mountain region by C. familiaris montana, and on the 
 Pacific side by C. familiaris occidentalis) ; breeds from 
 the northern United States northward; winters south- 
 ward into the Gulf States. 
 
 Iris brown ; bill dark brown, with base of under flesh 
 color ; legs and feet reddish brown ; claws a shade darker. 
 
 The 'natural haunts of these peculiar birds are within 
 the deep woods, but during migration are occasionally 
 met with in our shade trees, orchards, scattering trees upon 
 the prairies and that fringe the streams far out upon the 
 plains. They are not sociable birds, so far as relates to 
 their own kin, and lead a rather isolated, solitary life, 
 except during the mated season, and then are only in 
 pairs ; but they are often found associating with the Nut- 
 hatches and Titmice; not, I think, from choice, but be- 
 cause the insect life is the most abundant. In their search 
 for the eggs and larva and small forms of life hidden in the 
 interstices of the bark, they climb the trees in a jerky 
 manner, and usually spiral-like; sometimes but a short 
 distance, at others nearly to the top, flying in either case 
 and alighting at the foot of another tree, and creep up- 
 wards as before, repeating the performance, as they can- 
 not creep downward like the Nuthatches. Their feet and
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 49 
 
 sharp daws are admirably adapted to climbing, and their 
 stiff tails keep them erect as they ascend. 
 
 They are not wild, but rather shy, and manage to keep 
 on the opposite side of the tree from the intruder. Their 
 presence would seldom be noticed were it not for their oft- 
 repeated, feeble, but sharp, creaky " Cree-cree-cree-cree," 
 and occasional soft, lisping " Chip." 
 
 I am unacquainted with their breeding habits, and there- 
 fore take pleasure in quoting the following description of 
 their song and nests, from Mr. Win. Brewster's observa- 
 tions during the months of May and June, in the tim- 
 bered regions of Lake Umbagog, in western Maine: 
 
 . . . "He is a frequent, but scarcely a persistent 
 singer, and his voice, though one of the sweetest that ever 
 rises in the depths of the northern forests, is never a very 
 conspicuous sound in the woodlands wheje he makes his 
 home. This is due to the fact that his song is short, and 
 by no means powerful, but its tones are so exquisitely pure 
 and tender, that I have never heard it without a desire to 
 linger in the vicinity until it has been many times re- 
 peated. It consists of a bar of four notes the first of 
 moderate pitch, the second lower and less emphatic, the 
 third rising again, and the last abruptly falling, but dying 
 away in an indescribably plaintive cadence, like the soft 
 sigh of the wind among the pine boughs. I can compare it 
 to no other bird voice that I have ever heard. In the pitch 
 and succession of the notes it somewhat resembles the song 
 of the Carolina Titmouse (Parus carolinensis) , but the 
 tone is infinitely purer and sweeter. Like the wonderful 
 melody of the Winter Wren, it is in perfect keeping with 
 the mysterious gloom of the woods; a wild, clear voice,
 
 50 TWENTIETH OENTUBY CLASSICS 
 
 that one feels would lose its greatest charm if exposed to 
 cheerful light and commonplace surroundings. 
 
 " Among the other voices, I shortly detected the sweet, 
 wild song of the Brown Creeper, and, looking more care- 
 fully, spied i. pair of these industrious little gleaners wind- 
 ing their way up the trunk of a neighboring tree. Al- 
 though I watched them closely, the female soon after, in 
 some way, eluded my sight, and mysteriously disappeared, 
 but the male remained in the immediate vicinity, singing 
 at frequent intervals. Being convinced that they must 
 have a nest somewhere near, I instituted a careful search 
 among the dead trees that stood around, and at length 
 detected a scale of loose bark, within which was crammed 
 a suspicious-looking mass of twigs and other rubbish. A 
 vigorous rapping upon the base of the trunk producing no 
 effect, I climbed to the spot, and was about to tear off the 
 bark when the frightened Creeper darted out within a 
 few inches of my face, and the next moment I looked in 
 upon the eggs. 
 
 " The tree selected was a tall dead fir, that stood in the 
 shallow water just outside the edge of the living forest, 
 but surrounded by numbers of its equally unfortunate 
 companions. Originally killed by inundation, its branches 
 had long ago yielded to the fury of the winter storms, 
 and the various destroying agents of time had stripped off 
 the greater part of the bark, until only a few persistent 
 scales remained to chequer the otherwise smooth, mast-like 
 stem. One of these, in process of detachment, had started 
 away from the trunk below, while its upper edges still re- 
 tained a comparatively firm hold, and within the space 
 thus formed the t cunning little architect had constructed
 
 BIEDS OF KANSAS 51 
 
 her nest. The whole width of the opening had first-been 
 filled with a mass of tough but slender twigs (many of 
 them at least six inches in length), and upon this founda- 
 tion the nest proper had been constructed. It was mainly 
 composed of the fine inner bark of various trees, with an 
 admixture of, a little Usnea moss and a number of spider's 
 cocoons. The whole mass was firmly but rather loosely 
 put together, the different particles retaining their 
 proper position more from the adhesion of their rough sur- 
 faces than by reason of any special arrangement or inter- 
 weaving. The general shape of the structure necessarily 
 conformed nearly with that of the space within which it 
 was placed, but a remarkable feature was presented by the 
 disposition of the lateral extremities. These were carried 
 upward to a height of several inches above the middle of 
 the nest, ending in long, narrow points or horns, which gave 
 to the whole somewhat the shape of a welMilled crescent. 
 In the center of the lowest part of the sag thus formed was 
 the depression for the reception of the eggs an exceed- 
 ingly neat, cup-shaped hollow, bordered by strips of soft, 
 flesh-colored bark and lined with feathers from Ducks and 
 other wild birds. The whole was fastened to the concave 
 inner surface of the bark scale rather than to the tree 
 itself, so that when the former was detached it readily 
 came off with it. I afterwards found two old nests, which 
 were perhaps originally built by this same pair of birds, 
 as they were placed on a tree that stood close at hand. 
 They were under a single, enormous piece of bark, but at 
 its opposite lateral extremities. One of them, a nearly 
 shapeless mass of rubbish, was scarcely recognizable, but 
 the other still retained its original shape and finish, and
 
 52 TWENTIETH CENTUET CLASSICS 
 
 contained an unhatched egg, the contents of which had long 
 since dried away. Probably they represented the homes 
 successively occupied during the two preceding seasons, 
 and it is hence likely that this species, like so many others, 
 returns year after year to breed in nearly the same spot." 
 Eggs five to nine, .60X.48; white to creamy white, 
 speckled and spotted with reddish brown, chiefly about the 
 larger end; in form, oval. 
 
 V. CATBIRD. 
 
 Galeoscoptes carolinensis (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant in the eastern part of the 
 State ; not uncommon in the western portion. Begin lay- 
 ing about the middle of May; the bulk leave about the 
 last of September ; a few remaining late in November. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; north in the in- 
 terior to about latitude 54 ; west to the western base of 
 the Rocky Mountains ; breeding throughout its United 
 States range and northward ; wintering from the Indian 
 Territory and the Carolinas southward, through eastern 
 Mexico, to southern Central America. 
 
 Iris dark brown ; bill, legs, feet and claws black ; legs 
 and feet sometimes brownish black. 
 
 Miss Florence A. Merriam, in <: Birds through an 
 Opera Glass," describes the habits and actions of this 
 eccentric and well-known bird, in so life-like and happy a 
 manner, that I take pleasure in copying the same: 
 
 " High trees have an unsocial aspect, and so, as Lowell 
 says, ' The Catbird croons in the lilac bush,' in the alders, 
 in a prickly ash copse, a barberry bush, or by the side of 
 the garden. In . Northampton, one of his favorite haunts
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 53 
 
 is an old orchard, that slopes down to the edge of Mill 
 Kiver. Here, he is welcomed every year by his college 
 girl friends; and in the open seclusion of an apple tree, 
 proceeds to build his nest, and raise his little family, sing- 
 ing through it all with keen enjoyment of the warm sun- 
 shine and its own company. 
 
 " To the trio the Catbird is at once the most interesting 
 and most exasperating of birds. Like some people, he 
 seems to give up his time to the pleasure of hearing him- 
 self talk. A first cousin of the Mockingbird whom he 
 resembles in person much more than in voice perhaps the 
 relationship accounts for his overweening confidence in 
 his vocal powers. As a matter of fact his jerky utterance 
 is so harsh that it has been aptly termed asthmatic. 
 
 " The Catbird is unmistakably a Bohemian. He is ex- 
 quisitely formed, and has a beautiful slate gray coat, set 
 off by his black head and tail. By nature he is peculiarly 
 graceful, and, when he chooses, can pass for the most pol- 
 ished of the Philistine aristocracy. But he cares nothing 
 for all this. With lazy self-indulgence, he sits by the hour 
 with relaxed muscles, and listless, drooping wings and tail. 
 If he were a man, you feel confident that he would sit in 
 shirt sleeves at home and go on the st'reet without *a collar. 
 
 " And his occupation ? His cousin is an artist, but 
 he is he a wag as well as a caricaturist, or is he in 
 sober earnest when he tries to mimic the inimitable Wil- 
 son's Thrush ? If a wag, he is a success, for he deceives 
 the unguarded into believing him a Kobin, a cat, and 
 ' a bird new to science.' How he must chuckle over the 
 enthusiasm which hails his various notes, and the bewil- 
 derment and chagrin that come to the diligent observer 
 who finally catches a glimpse of the garrulous mimic!
 
 54 TWENTIETH CENTTJEY CLASSICS 
 
 " The Catbird builds his nest as he does everything else. 
 The loose mass of coarse twigs, patched up wi$i leaves, 
 pieces of newspaper, or anything he happens to fancy, 
 looks as if it would hardly bear his weight. He lines it, 
 however, with fine bits of brown and black roots, and when 
 the beautiful dark bluish green eggs are laid in it, you 
 feel sure that such an artist-looking bird must enjoy the 
 contrasting colors." 
 
 Eggs three to five, usually four, .94x.69 ; in form, oval. 
 
 VI. WESTERN HOUSE WREN. 
 Troglodytes aedon aztecus (BATED.). 
 
 Summer resident; common. Arrive in April; begin 
 laying about the middle of May. Leave in September. 
 
 HABITAT. Western United States, except Pacific coast ; 
 east to Illinois ; south into Mexico to Vera Cruz ; breeds 
 throughout its United States range, and probably south- 
 ward. 
 
 This variety of T. aedon was entered in my " Catalogues 
 of the Birds of Kansas " as T. aedon parkmanii, as at that 
 time its habitat was supposed to embrace the western 
 United States east to or near the Mississippi river. Since 
 then, the A. O. U. Committee, in reviewing the material 
 before them, have decided that the birds on the Pacific 
 coast differ enough iij. color, etc., to form another subspe- 
 cies, and, as the name T. parkmanii was given by Audubon 
 to a bird procured on the Columbia River,' the new form 
 properly retains the name, and our bird becomes T. aedon 
 aztecus. 
 
 This subspecies differs from the above description, in
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 55 
 
 being somewhat paler and grayer, with less rufous on 
 rump and tail, more noticeable upon the plains (as would 
 naturally be expected), but it shades so gradually back 
 into the color of the eastern bird the dividing line cannot 
 well be determined. 
 
 With all deference to the committee, it is my opinion 
 that the differences are too inconstant to warrant the sep- 
 aration of either form, and that T. aedon should be the 
 recognized bird from coast to coast. 
 
 Iris brown; bill upper dusky, under pale; legs and 
 feet brown; claws dark brown. 
 
 These interesting, familiar little birds are very com- 
 mon, or rather locally so, throughout their range abun- 
 dant in some localities, and, perhaps in the near vicinity, 
 rare, or not to be found. They frequent the open, shrubby 
 hills and mountain sides, and scanty growths bordering 
 the streams upon the plains and unsettled ^portions of the 
 country; but, within the settlements, prefer for their 
 haunts the orchards, gardens or shrubbery about the dwell- 
 ing houses and outbuildings. Pugnacious little fellows, 
 that boldly attack the larger birds, and, by scolding and 
 harassing, drive the house-cat and other prowling enemies 
 away; and, regardless of property rights, take possession 
 of the Bluebird and Martin houses, and are often able to 
 retain possession. 
 
 They are industrious insect hunters, searching in the 
 bushes, vines, woodpile, etc., and creeping and peeping 
 into every nook and cranny for the same. They move 
 about with tail erect, in a quick, nervous manner. 
 
 Their song, heard almost incessantly during the early 
 breeding season, is poured forth from a perch, in a vigor-
 
 56 TWENTIETH CENTTTBY CLASSICS 
 
 ous manner, with, swollen throat, head thrown back, de- 
 pressed tail end tremulous wings, a picture of happiness 
 and content. A sprightly, pleasing, warbling, flippant 
 and voluble song, but, to my ear, not remarkably musical. 
 Outside from their song and interesting ways, they arc 
 valuable in the destruction of injurious insect life, and 
 are in no way harmful; and, for these reasons, suitable 
 boxes are or should be placed in the porches, and nailed to 
 the outbuildings, for their reception. 
 
 Their nests are placed in holes in trees, logs and stumps, 
 and about dwelling houses, in boxes, etc., entering out- 
 houses through crevices and knotholes in fact, most any- 
 where (I once found a nest in the skull of a buffalo) ; 
 loosely constructed of sticks, weeds, etc., filling the cavi- 
 ties, leaving a small opening for entrance; within the 
 rubbish they construct an inner nest, composed of finer 
 material, lining the same with feathers, fur, and most any 
 soft,' warm substance. Eggs seven to nine, .64x.49; 
 ground color white to pinkish white, but so thickly dotted 
 with, specks of reddish brown and a few purple markings 
 that the white is concealed; in form, oval. 
 
 VII. BROWN THEASHER. 
 
 Harporhynchus rufus (LINN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant in the eastern part of the 
 State; not uncommon in the western portion. Arrive the 
 last of March to middle of April; begin laying early in 
 May. The bulk leave in September and October, a few 
 remaining until late in the fall. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States; north to southern 
 Maine, Ontario and Manitoba ; west to the Rocky Moun-
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 
 
 57 
 
 tains; south through the Gulf States (replaced in western 
 Texas by 77. longirostris} . Breeds throughout its range. 
 Winters from the Gulf coast north into the Indian Terri- 
 tory and eastward, to about latitude 37. 
 
 Iris yellow ; bill black, with under whitish at base ; 
 legs and feet grayish brown ; tarsi in front reddish brown ; 
 claws light brown. 
 
 These large, handsome songsters prefer for their haunts 
 the underbrush bordering the woodlands, tangled thickets 
 of bushes and briers, and the hedges upon the prairies, 
 and, while not shy or timid birds, as a rule select their 
 homes rather remote from our dwellings. The male 
 arrives in advance, and, as soon as he has selected a breed- 
 ing place, mounts the topmost branches of the trees and 
 pours forth his loudest song at short intervals, fearing if 
 lie remains silent the hen bird may pass him by unnoticed. 
 Upon her arrival, he sings from the lower branches and 
 bushes beneath, and devotes a large share of his time to 
 love making, driving away intruders, and in assisting in 
 nest building. As soon as the nest is completed and his 
 mate begins to lay, he again sings from the treetops to 
 cheer her, taking his turn, however, in sitting upon the 
 eggs ; but as soon as the little ones are hatched his song 
 ceases almost entirely, and he probably devotes his time to 
 watching over and assisting in caring for the wants of the 
 young. 
 
 They feed and rear their young upon earth worms, 
 spiders, grasshoppers, beetles, wasps, etc., and berries in 
 their season. They are quite rasorial in their habits, 
 and in their search for food often hop over the ground 
 and scratch among the leaves. They have a peculiar habit
 
 58 TWENTIETH CEITTUBY CLASSICS 
 
 of beating the insects upon the ground or perch, knocking 
 and thrashing them about until dead (and in removing 
 the wings and legs of the larger ones before swallowing 
 them). It is for this reason they are called Thrashers. 
 They flit and hop about in the bushes, with expanded tails, 
 in a graceful, easy manner, but, on account of the short- 
 ness of their rounded wings, their flights are low and 
 heavy. The old birds do not take kindly to confinement, 
 but the young when reared from the nest become very 
 tame, and when well cared for sing with full power and 
 melody their charming wild-wood song, which, for length, 
 compass, variety and musical flow, ranks next to the song 
 of the Mockingbird. Their call and alarm notes vary: 
 a " Chup," hissing sounds, at times harsh, scolding notes. 
 Their nests are placed in low bushes, vines, hedges, and 
 occasionally upon the ground; a coarse, bulky structure, 
 the outside usually composed of sticks, rootlets and stems 
 of weeds; within this an inner nest of leaves and strip- 
 pings from plants, lined with fine rootlets and horse hair. 
 Eggs three to five (usually four), 1.06x.80; creamy white 
 to pale greenish, thickly dotted with yellowish to reddish 
 brown, confluent around the larger end; in form, oval to 
 rounded oval. 
 
 VIII. OVEN-BIKD. 
 Seiurus aurocapillus (Liira.). 
 
 Summer resident; very common in the eastern part of 
 the State. Arrive the middle to last of April; begin 
 laying about the middle of May ; leave early in September. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America ; north to Hudson's 
 Bay Territory and Alaska ; west to the base of the Eocky 
 Mountains ; breeding from southern Kansas and Virginia
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 59 
 
 (probably a little south) north to within the Arctic circle ; 
 wintering in southern Florida, the Bahamas, West Indies 
 and Mexico to southern Central America. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill upper black, under pale flesh 
 color, with end dusky; legs flesh color; feet and claws 
 light brown. 
 
 The following interesting description of the habits of 
 this bird is taken from " Birds of Illinois," by Kidgway : 
 
 " The Golden-crowned Thrush, or Oven-bird, is one of 
 the most generally distributed and numerous birds of east- 
 ern North America. It is almost certain to be found in 
 any piece of woodland, if not too wet, and its frequently 
 repeated song, which is not musical, or otherwise particu- 
 larly attractive, but very sharp, clear, and emphatic, is 
 often, particularly during noonday in midsummer, the 
 only bird note to be heard. It lives much upon the ground, 
 where it may be seen walking gracefully over the dead 
 leaves, or upon an old log, making occasional halts, during 
 which its body is tilted daintily up and down, much in the 
 manner of the Water-Thrushes (8. motacilla and novebora- 
 censis), but more like the Kentucky Warbler, often to be 
 seen in the same localities. Its ordinary note is a rather 
 faint, but sharp ' Chip,' prolonged into a chatter, when one 
 is chased by another. The usual song is very clear and 
 penetrating, but not musical, and is well expressed by 
 John Burroughs, in ' Wake Eobin,' as sounding like the 
 words, ' Teacher, teacher; teacher, teacher, TEACHER I ' 
 the accent on the first syllable, and each word uttered with 
 increased force and shrillness. But, as Mr. Burroughs 
 truly says, ' He has far rarer song which he reserves for 
 some nymph whom he meets in the air. Mounting by easy
 
 60 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 flights to the top of the tallest tree, he launches into the 
 air with a sort of suspended, hovering flight, and bursts 
 into a perfect ecstacy of song clear, ringing, copious, 
 rivaling the Goldfinch's in vivacity, and the Linnet's in 
 melody. This strain is one of the rarest bits of bird mel- 
 ody to be heard. Over the woods, hid from view, the 
 ecstatic singer warbles his finest strains. In the song, you 
 instantly detect his relationship to the Water Wagtail 
 (Seiurus noveboracensis} erroneously called Water- 
 Thrush whose song is likewise a sudden burst, full and 
 ringing, and with a tone of youthful joyousness in it, as if 
 the bird had just had some unexpected good fortune. 
 For nearly two years, this strain of the pretty warbler 
 was little more than a disembodied vioce to me, and I 
 was puzzled by it as Thoreau was by his mysterious Night 
 Warbler, which, by the way, I suspect was no new bird at 
 all, but one he was otherwise familiar with. The little 
 bird himself seems disposed to keep the matter secret, 
 and improves every opportunity to repeat before you his 
 shrill, accelerating lay, as if it were quite enough, and all 
 he laid claim to. Still, I trust I am betraying no confi- 
 dence in making the matter public here. I think this is 
 preeminently his love song, as I hear it oftenest about the 
 mating season. I have caught half-suppressed bursts of it 
 from two males, chasing each other with fearful speed 
 through the forest.' " 
 
 Reader, if you wish to hear this love song in its fullest 
 power, visit the deep woods in the early summer, as the 
 shades of night deepen, and most of the diurnal birds 
 have retired, for it is then that its lively, resonant voice 
 falls upon the ear unbroken, save by the silvery flute-like
 
 BIKDS OF KANSAS 61 
 
 song of the Wood Thrush; and if your heart does not 
 thrill with pleasure, it is dead to harmonious sounds. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the ground, generally a depres- 
 sion among the leaves, and hidden under a low bush, log, 
 or overhanging roots ; when in an open space, roofed over ; 
 a dome-like structure, made of leaves, strippings from 
 plants, and grasses, with entrance on the side. Eggs three 
 to six rarely six, usually four, .SOx.GO ; white, or creamy 
 white, quite glossy, spotted as a rule rather sparingly over 
 the entire surface, thickest and confluent around the larger 
 end, with pale reddish brown, lilac and umber; in form, 
 rounded oval. 
 
 IX. YELLOW-THKOATED VIREO. 
 
 Vireo ftavifrons (YIEILL.). 
 
 Summer resident; quite common in the eastern part of 
 the State. Arrive the last of April to first of May ; begin 
 laying about the 20th of May; the bulk leave early in 
 September; a few occasionally linger into October. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States, occasionally crossing 
 the line into the British possessions; south in winter 
 through eastern Mexico, to Costa Rica. I found them 
 quite common in Guatemala. Breed throughout their 
 United States range. 
 
 Iris brown ; bill end dusky, rest bluish ; legs, feet and 
 claws lead color. 
 
 These handsome birds frequent the woods, and seem to 
 prefer the timbered lands along the streams; at least, 
 this is the case in their western range. In the Eastern 
 States they are said to be quite a familiar bird, and to 
 inhabit alike the orchards and shade trees ; and, as they
 
 62 TWENTIETH CEHTTUBY CLASSICS 
 
 are not wild or timid, will no doubt soon become accus- 
 tomed to the presence of man, and readily make their 
 homes about our prairie dwellings, as soon as the trees 
 and shrubbery form inviting haunts ; at any rate, they are 
 much more common here than in former years. 
 
 In flight they are less steady and not so swift as the 
 Red-eyed. Their food habits are the same, but they look 
 more for the supply among the foliage in the treetops. 
 Their song is not so constant, and is delivered in a slower 
 and more plaintive strain, but in a very clear and musi- 
 cal manner. Among the Vireos they rank next to the 
 Warbling in song. 
 
 In regard to their nesting habits I will say, that on the 
 9th of May, 1877, I found, in the timber near Neosho 
 Falls, Kansas, a nest of this bird (a pendent one, as all 
 Vireos' nests are) attached to branches of a very small 
 horizontal limb of a large hickory tree, about twenty feet 
 from the ground, and ten feet below the limbs that formed 
 the top of the tree. In the forks of the tree the Cooper's 
 Hawks were nesting, and I discovered the Vireo and its 
 nest in watching the Hawks or rather the man I had 
 hired to climb the tree to the Hawks' nest. The little 
 bird at first flew off, but on his near approach returned 
 and suffered him to bend the limb toward the tree and 
 cover her with his hand on the nest. The twig was 
 quickly broken, and the bird and nest lowered by a line 
 in a small covered basket, taken to collect the eggs of the 
 Hawk. Such manifestations of courage and love, so rare 
 and exceptional, touched me to the heart, and it was hard 
 to make up my mind to rob and kill the bird and her 
 mate, scolding in the treetop. I can only offer in extenua-
 
 BIEDS OF KANSAS 63 
 
 tion that they were the first I had ever met with in the 
 State, and the strong desire to have them in my collection. 
 The nest was made of and fastened to the limb with 
 silk-like threads and bits of cotton from plants, fastened 
 together by saliva, and partly covered or dotted over with 
 lichen, and lined with small stems of weeds and grass. 
 The beautiful nest was in plain sight, there being nothing 
 near to hide it from view. It contained three eggs and 
 also one of the Cowbird (Molothus aier). One of the 
 eggs was broken by the bird in her struggle to escape from 
 the collector's grasp while in the nest. The color of the 
 eggs was pure white, with a few scattering small spots of 
 reddish brown toward the larger end. They each measure 
 .79x.58. Four taken from another nest (a full set) 
 measure: .V8x.57, .80x.58, .79x.58, .78x.57. 
 
 I have since noticed these birds in the woodlands on 
 several occasions, and on the 18th of May, 1883, while 
 strolling along the south bank of the Kansas Kiver, near 
 Topeka, in the timber skirting the stream, I had the pleas- 
 ure to find a pair of them building a nest in a honey locust, 
 about sixteen feet from the ground, and eight feet from 
 the body of the tree. The nest was fastened to the forks of 
 a small horizontal branch. The frame of the nest ap- 
 peared to be completed. The birds were busy at work, 
 the female lining the nest with small, hair-like stems, the 
 male covering the outside with soft, lint-like fibrous 'strip- 
 pings from plants (these closely resembling the limb and 
 its surroundings), and dotting it over with lichen. Happy 
 in the thought that he was not only beautifying the home 
 of his lady bird, but protecting her from view by his 
 artistic skill (notwithstanding the fact that she had se-
 
 64: TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 lected an open and exposed situation), he could not refrain 
 from expressing his joy, at intervals during the work, in 
 snatches of his sweetest notes. The female, more watchful, 
 sighted me, and gave notice of the intrusion. Quick as 
 thought the birds were away. The male, alighting near 
 the top of an adjoining tree, at once poured forth his song 
 in loudest notes, no doubt thinking that by attracting my 
 attention to him, I would lose sight of the nest. Knowing 
 it was now too late for concealment, and that any attempt 
 to hide away would only increase their suspicions, and 
 stop or delay the work, I carelessly walked nearer, in order 
 to have a better view, and lay down on my back in an open 
 space. In a short time the female returned, hopped about 
 the tree, inspected me closely from the lower limbs, and 
 then flew away and returned several times, before bring- 
 ing material, or venturing to approach the nest. But the 
 moment she did so, the song of the male ceased, and the 
 work of building was actively resumed. As the female 
 stood upon the top of the nest, with head down and inside, 
 I could not see the manner of arranging the lining; but 
 as she kept walking around upon the rim, I could, in 
 imagination, see her plaiting and weaving in and out the 
 hair-like stems. It was very easy and interesting, however, 
 to see and note the actions of the male, as he deftly worked 
 the material into the framework, running the longer, 
 fibrous, thread-like strips through, and then quickly 
 springing upon the top, and fastening them on the inside. 
 Then he would rearrange the outside, stopping a moment 
 to inspect the work, and then off in search of more mate- 
 rial, occasionally warbling a few notes on the way ; but he 
 was silent at the nest, while I remained so near. At the
 
 BIRDS OP KANSAS 65 
 
 rate their work was progressing, I think the nest would 
 have been completed during the day. I do not know that 
 it is the usual custom for the female to confine her labors 
 to the plain and necessary work, and the male to the decora- 
 tive and ornamental parts, but it was so in this case. It 
 may be that the time of laying was near at .hand, and that 
 the female felt the pressing necessity for the completion 
 of the interior; for, in such cases, I have seen nests of 
 birds enlarged and completed by the males, while the 
 females were sitting upon their treasures. 
 ' Eggs three to five, usually four; in form, oval. 
 
 X. WfllTE-KUMPED SHEIKE. 
 
 Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides ( SWAINS.). 
 
 Summer resident; occasionally lingers into winter 
 Arrive early in the spring ;* begin laying about the first 
 of May. 
 
 HABITAT. The central regions of North America, north 
 to the Saskatchewan, southwesterly to Lower California, 
 and over the table lands of Mexico ; occasionally stragglers 
 in the States far eastward. 
 
 Iris brown ; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 
 
 This pale race of the Loggerhead Shrike is similar to it 
 in habits and actions, and, like it, occasionally kills small 
 birds and mice, but feeds almost wholly upon grasshop- 
 pers, beetles and crickets. It also has the habit of the 
 family of impaling its victims on thorns, etc., but less 
 frequently than the Northern Shrike. Its ordinary voice 
 is harsh and creaking. It has, however, considerable tal- 
 ent in the way of mimicry, especially in uttering the notes 
 of birds in distress; and, during the early mating season, 
 
 5
 
 66 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 I have occasionally heard it sing from a perch a rather 
 pleasing, musical song, interrupted at times with its 
 harsh, grating notes. 
 
 Its nest is placed in thorn trees, hedges, briers, etc. ; 
 a rough, bulky structure, composed of small sticks and 
 stems, with bits of leaves, wool, feathers and other soft, 
 fragmentary substances sparingly woven in, and lined 
 with fine stemlets of weeds and grass, and sometimes with 
 hairs. Eggs four to six, 1.02x.73 ; dull grayish to yellow- 
 ish white, spotted with varying shades of brown and ob- 
 scure lilac, more or less confluent at the larger end ; in 
 some cases thickly spotted and blotched over the entire sur- 
 face, so as to nearly conceal the ground color; in form, 
 oval. A set of five eggs, taken June 5th, 1878, at Pewau- 
 kee, Wisconsin, from a nest in a small thorn tree, are, in 
 dimensions: l.OOx.72, l.Olx.75, 1.02x.75, 1.03x.73, 
 1.05x.73. 
 
 XI. BAEN SWALLOW. 
 Chelidon eryihrogaster (BoDD.). 
 
 Summer resident; common. Arrive from about the 
 10th to the last of April ; begin laying about the middle 
 of May; leave the last of August to first of September. 
 
 HABITAT. North America in general; south in winter 
 into South America; found breeding as far south as the 
 City of Mexico, but breed chiefly north of the southern 
 United States. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 
 
 These handsome Swallows excel in easy and graceful 
 movements, in the air, all others of the family, and they 
 are, I think, the swiftest flyers among the birds. They are 
 more evenly distributed during the breeding season than
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 67 
 
 the Cliff Swallows, as the mated pairs often nest alone, 
 and never in very large communities. They are social 
 hirds, and, while mated, strongly attached to each other, 
 the male often feeding his mate as she patiently and lov- 
 ingly sits upon her treasures, and he also assists in rearing 
 the young. Their song is but a succession of sharp, 
 squeaky, warbling twitterings, at times quite animated 
 and pleasing; their call note a simple twit. 
 
 Their nests are attached to the sides of rafters in barns 
 and suitable places in outbuildings, under bridges, etc., 
 and, in tho unsettled portions of the country, under over- 
 hanging rocks and in the fissures or cavern-like cavities. 
 A semi-cup-shaped structure, rather roughly constructed 
 of layers of mud and grasses, and lined with the finer 
 grasses and feathers. Eggs three to six (usually four), 
 .77x.55; pure translucent white, spotted and blotched 
 with purple and varying shades of dark reddish brown, 
 and, occasionally, lilac stains, usually aggregating thick- 
 est about the larger end ; in form, oval. 
 
 XII. AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 
 
 Spinus tristis (LiNN.). 
 
 Resident ; abundant in winter ; quite common in sum- 
 mer. Begin laying late in Juno to middle of July. 
 They nest late, in order that the seeds upon which they 
 chiefly raise their young may form and begin to mature 
 by the time the little ones are hatched. 
 
 HABITAT. Temperate North America generally. 
 
 Iris dark brown ; bill, terminal half of ridge dusky, 
 rest straw color ; legs and feet light brown ; claws a 
 shade darker.
 
 68 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 These hardy, gregarious, social birds are largely resi- 
 dents within their northern homes, moving southward as 
 the deep snow covers their main supply of food, rather 
 than from choice or habit, nesting from southern Califor- 
 nia, southern Kansas and Kentucky, northward; south, 
 I think only a winter sojourner, except, perhaps, in moun- 
 tainous districts. 
 
 Their gentle ways, bright colors, sweet song, and undu- 
 lating, chirruping flight readily attract attention, and as- 
 sure them, as a rule, a welcome, though they are not 
 always in good standing with the gardener, who objects 
 to their taking at the harvest a small share of the ripened 
 seeds. For this, they more than repay by the destruction 
 of the seeds of the many weeds and injurious plants, upon 
 which they largely feed throughout the winter months. 
 The thistle is a favorite, and they are also very fond of 
 the seeds from the cones of the hemlock, etc., and of the 
 button balls of the sycamore trees. They are easily tamed, 
 and their low, warbling song, that at times swells up quite 
 loudly, much like the Canary, makes them a favorite cage 
 bird. 
 
 Their nests are placed in the branches of trees and 
 bushes, generally on apple or small elm trees, from six 
 to twelve feet from the ground. They are constructed of 
 and firmly attached to the limbs on which they rest, with 
 fine hemp-like strippings from plants and bits of cottony 
 substances, and lined with hairs, and now and then a 
 feather. Eggs four to six, .65x.50; pale bluish white; 
 when fresh and unblown, with a rosy hue; in form, oval.
 
 BIEDS OF KANSAS 69 
 
 XIII. SLATE-COLORED JUNCO. 
 
 Junco liy emails (LmN.). 
 
 Winter sojourner; abundant. The bulk leave in 
 March ; begin to return about the middle of October. 
 
 HABITAT. Northern North America; south in winter 
 throughout the eastern United States, and straggling west- 
 ward to the Pacific coast. Breeds from Nova Scotia and 
 Maine to Alaska. 
 
 Iris blackish brown; bill white, with a pinkish, some- 
 times bluish tinge, dark at tips ; legs brown ; feet dark 
 brown ; claws black. 
 
 These hardy little birds are at home in the winter 
 storms. They frequent the edges of the woods and bor- 
 ders of fields and open lowlands. A rather timid bird, 
 that only seeks the abode of man when the ground is 
 covered with snow. Hunger then overcomes fear, and 
 they become a familiar bird about the yards and stables, 
 hopping nimbly about among the cattle and poultry, and 
 ciigci'ly picking up the crumbs and seeds scattered in the 
 dooryards; returning to their haunts as the snow melts 
 away, if not as wild, as timid as-ever, darting into cover 
 at the slightest disturbance, but quickly returning, as if 
 forgetful of the scare. They associate together in small 
 flocks, except during the mated season, but are of rather a 
 quarrelsome nature, and not a real social, happy group. 
 When at rest, they perch in the bushes and trees near the 
 ground, rarely ever flying into the tall tree tops. Their 
 usual chip call note sounds much like that of the Chipping 
 Sparrow. In the early spring, as the warm weather 
 awakens the passions of love, the males begin to think
 
 70 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 of mating, and rattle off a rather low, pleasing song. 
 They are not constant singers, their voices being seldom 
 heard except in the morning and during the early breed- 
 ing season. 
 
 Their nests are placed in a depression in the ground, 
 under logs and in various sheltered situations. I found 
 a nest in Nova Scotia, under an upturned root of a tree. 
 They are also said to occasionally nest in low bushes. 
 Their nests are made of dry grasses, strippings from 
 plants, and hairs, sometimes lined with fine grasses, bits 
 of moss, etc. Eggs usually four to five, .75x.5S ; whitish 
 to bluish green, speckled and blotched chiefly about the 
 larger end with dark reddish brown and lilac; in form, 
 oval. 
 
 XIV. FOX SPAKKOW. 
 Passerella iliaca (MERE.). 
 
 Winter sojourner ; abundant in the eastern part of 
 the State, rare in the western portion. Leave in March ; 
 return in October. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; west to the plains 
 and Alaska ; north to or near the Arctic regions ; winters 
 from the southern portion of the Middle States southward 
 to the Gulf coast; breeds from the Gulf of St. Lawrence 
 and Labrador to Alaska. 
 
 Iris brown ; bill upper dusky, with edges of the same 
 and lower mandible straw color; legs and feet dark flesh 
 color ; claws brown. 
 
 This large, plump, handsome Sparrow inhabits the 
 tangled thickets and sheltered ravines. It is largely ter- 
 restrial in its habits, and, like the Towhees, puts in most 
 of its time scratching among the dead leaves for food.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 71 
 
 A rather timid bird, that darts into the thickest growths 
 at the least alarm, uttering, as it starts, a sharp chup note. 
 It also has a soft, Sparrow-like chip, or call note, and 
 occasionally utters a few low, soft, warbling notes; but 
 its charming love song is only heard during the breeding 
 season. It is rather short, but unsurpassed in melody 
 by any of the family. 
 
 In the month of July, 1879, I found them breeding on 
 Byron Isle, one of the Magdalen group, in the Gulf of 
 St. Lawrence. It was too late in the season for their 
 eggs, as their young birds were nearly full grown. From 
 actions, I think the parent birds were preparing to rear 
 another brood, as the males were singing almost con- 
 stantly, from early morn till late at night; but their 
 song, so rich and silvery in its tone, was ever welcomed, 
 and never seemed tiresome, and I think they rank next 
 to our Thrushes and Wrens as songsters. 
 
 Their nests are usually placed on the ground, in con- 
 cealed places, occasionally in bushes. Mr. Nelson, in his 
 kt Report upon Natural Historical Collections in Alaska," 
 gives the following minute description of a nest and its 
 
 " On June 5th, 1880, a pair was shot, in a thicket near 
 St. Michael's, and the nest secured. The nest obtained is 
 a very strong, compact structure, four and a half inches 
 across by two and three-fourths high, having a central 
 cavity one pud three-fourths inches deep by two and 
 three-fourths across. The outer part of the nest is made 
 of a thin, compact layer of green moss, with a few dead 
 leaves. Inside is a thin layer of dried grass, running circu- 
 larly up the inside of the nest; this again is lined with
 
 72 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 a handsomely cross-woven layer of wiry black moss fibers 
 and chestnut club-moss stems; the whole being a very 
 well made and handsome structure, in which were three 
 eggs with a clayey greenish ground color; two of them 
 are thickly and uniformly dotted with d-ull reddish brown : 
 between the dots the ground color shows plainly in many 
 places; the third egg is so densely dotted with reddish 
 brown and chocolate that the ground color can hardly be 
 traced, in a few places. This egg measures .90x.70; the 
 other two, .89x.68 and .90x.68." 
 Eggs three to five; in form, oval. 
 
 XV. MEADOWLARK. 
 
 Sturnella magna (LINN.).. 
 
 Resident; abundant in the eastern and middle portion 
 of the State ; rare in the western. Begin laying early in 
 May. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; north to Nova 
 Scotia and Canada ; west to the edge of the Great Plains. 
 Breeds throughout its range. 
 
 Iris brown; bill reddish to olive brown, with basal 
 half of under pale bluish; legs light bluish flesh color; 
 feet, especially the joints, darker; claws brown. 
 
 These well-known, plump, pretty birds inhabit the prai- 
 ries and open grass lands, where, during the summer 
 months, they feed almost exclusively upon beetles, grass- 
 hoppers, etc., and in winter upon the fallen seeds and 
 grains, often visiting the cattle yards; harmless, beauti- 
 ful birds, in no sense injurious, and therefore general 
 favorites. They are very hardy, wintering from the Mid- 
 dle States southward, and the earliest of our spring song-
 
 BIEDS OF KANSAS 73 
 
 sters. Mounted upon a fence post, bush or knoll, they 
 repeat at intervals their whistling notes, not varied but 
 pleasing, and expressive of tenderness and joy. Their 
 flights are rather laborious, an alternate changing from a 
 rapid vibration of the wings to sailing; terrestrial birds, 
 that during the breeding season -remain in pairs, but are 
 afterwards usually met. with in small flocks or family 
 groups. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the ground, in a thick tuft of 
 grass, composed of grasses, which are often interwoven 
 so as to form a cover overhead. Eggs four to. six, 
 l.lOx.80; white, finely spotted with lilac and reddish 
 brown; in form, oval. 
 
 XVI. BOBOLINK. 
 
 Dolictionyx oryzivorus (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; very rare; during migration quite 
 common. Arrive the last of April to middle of May ; 
 begin laying the last of May; return in September. 
 
 In the early part of June, 1867, I found a pair in An- 
 derson county, and from actions was positive the birds 
 had a nest near by, but was unable to find it, and I have 
 in " The Goss Ornithological Collection " a male shot 
 May 23d, 1877, near Neosho Falls, out of a small flock. 
 I have often met with them in the State since, but cannot 
 recall seeing them later than the middle of May, and I 
 think their remaining so late, or breeding so far south, 
 rare and exceptional, and that latitude 40 to 41 is their 
 southern breeding limit, and 54 their northern. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; north into the fur 
 regions ; west to the high plains ; south to South Amer- 
 ica; West Indies.
 
 74 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 Iris brown; bill, upper blackish, under bluish, with 
 the end rlusky; legs and feet brown; claws dark brown. 
 
 The following description of this familiar species is 
 from " North American Land Birds," Vol. II, p. 150 : 
 
 " Of all our unimitative and natural songsters, the 
 Bobolink is by far the most popular and attractive. Al- 
 ways original, and peculiarly natural, its song is exquis- 
 itely musical. In the variety of its notes, in the rapidity 
 with which they are uttered, and in the touching pathos, 
 beauty and melody of their tone and expression, its notes 
 are .not equaled by those of any other North American 
 bird. We know of none among our native feathered 
 songsters whose song resembles or can be campared with 
 it. 
 
 " In the earliest apprqaches of spring, in Louisiana, 
 when small flocks of male Bobolinks make their first ap- 
 pearance, they are said by Mr. Audubon to sing in con- 
 cert; and their song, thus given, is at once exceedingly 
 novel, interesting, and striking. Uttered with a volubil- 
 ity that even borders upon the burlesque and the ludi- 
 crous, the whole effect is greatly heightened by the singu- 
 lar and striking manner in which first one singer, and 
 then another, one following the other, until all have 
 joined their voices, take up the note and strike in, after 
 the leader has set the. example and given the signal. In 
 this manner, sometimes a party of thirty or forty Bobo- 
 links will begin, one after the other, until the whole unite 
 in producing an extraordinary medley, to which no pen 
 can do justice, but which is described as very pleasant to 
 listen to. All at once the music ceases, with a suddenness 
 not less striking than extraordinary. These concerts are
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 75 
 
 repeated from time to time, usually as often as the flock 
 alights. This performance may also be witnessed early 
 in April, in the vicinity of Washington, the Smithsonian 
 grounds being a favorite place of resort. 
 
 " By the time these birds have reached in their spring 
 migrations the fortieth parallel of latitude, they no longer 
 move in large flocks, but have begun to separate into 
 small parties and, finally, into pairs. In New England 
 the Bobolink treats us" to no such concerts as those de- 
 scribed by Audubon, where many voices join in creating 
 their peculiar, jingling melody. When they first appear, 
 usually after the middle of May, they are in small parties, 
 composed of either sex, absorbed in their courtships and 
 overflowing with song. When two or three male Bobo- 
 links, decked out in their gayest spring apparel, are pay- 
 ing their attentions to the same drab-colored female, con- 
 trasting so strikingly in her sober brown dress, their per- 
 formances are quite entertaining, each male endeavoring 
 to outsing the others. The female appears coy and re- 
 tiring, keeping closely to the ground, but always attended 
 by the several aspirants for her affection. After a contest, 
 often quite exciting, the rivalries are adjusted, the re- 
 jected suitors are driven off by their more fortunate com- 
 petitor, and the happy pair begin to put in order a new 
 home. It is in these love quarrels that their song appears 
 to the greatest advantage. They pour out incessantly 
 their strains of quaint but charming music, now on the 
 ground, now on the wing, now on the top of a fence, a 
 low bush or a swaying stalk of a plant that bends with 
 their weight. . The great length of their song, the im- 
 mense number of short, variable notes of which it is com-
 
 76 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 posed, the volubility and confused rapidity with which 
 they are poured forth, the eccentric breaks, in the midst 
 of which we detect the words ' Bob-o-link ' so distinctly 
 enunciated, unite to form a general result to which we 
 can find no parallel in any of the musical performances 
 of our other song birds. It is at once a unique and 
 a charming production. Nuttall speaks of their song as 
 monotonous, which is neither true nor consistent with his 
 own description of it. To other e"ars they seem ever won- 
 derfully full of variety, pathos and beauty. 
 
 " When their contests are ended, and the mated pair 
 take possession of their selected meadow, and prepare to 
 construct their nest and rear their family, then we may 
 find the male bird hovering in the air over the spot where 
 his homely partner is brooding over her charge. All this 
 while he is warbling forth his incessant and happy love 
 song; or else he is swinging on some slender stalk or 
 weed that bends under him, ever overflowing with song 
 and eloquent with melody. As domestic cares and paternal 
 responsibilities increase, his song becomes less and less 
 frequent. After a while it has degenerated into a few 
 short notes, and at length ceases altogether. The young 
 in due time assume the development of mature birds, 
 and all wear the sober plumage of the mother. And now 
 there also appears a surprising change in the appearance 
 of our gaily attired musician. His showy plumage of 
 contrasting white and black, so conspicuous and striking, 
 changes with almost instant rapidity into brown and 
 drab, until he is no longer distinguishable, either by 
 plumage or note, from his mate or young. 
 
 " At the north, where the Bobolink breeds, they are not
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 77 
 
 known to molest the crops, confining their food almost en- 
 tirely to insects, or the seeds of valueless weeds, in the 
 consumption of which they confer benefit rather than 
 harm. At the south, they are accused of injuring the 
 young wheat as they pass northward in their spring mi- 
 grations, and of plundering the rice plantations on their 
 return. About the middle of August they appear in al- 
 most innumerable flocks among the marshes of the Dela- 
 ware river. There they are known as the Reedbirds. 
 Two weeks later they begin to swarm among the rice plan- 
 tations of South Carolina. There they take the name of 
 Eicebirds. In October they again pass on southward, and 
 make another halt among the West India Islands. There 
 they feed upon the seeds of the Guinea grass, upon which 
 they become exceedingly fat. In Jamaica they receive a 
 new appellation and are called Butterbirds. They are 
 everywhere sought after by sportsmen, and are shot in 
 immense numbers for the table of the epicure. More re- 
 cently it has been ascertained that these birds feed greed- 
 ily upon the larva of the destructive cotton worm, and in 
 so doing render an immense service to the cultivators of 
 Sea Island cotton." 
 
 Their nests are placed in a depression on the ground, 
 in the grass, in the low bottom lands, composed of slen- 
 der, wire-like stems of grasses. Eggs four or five, .85x- 
 .63 ; ashy white, evenly specked with light drab to gray- 
 ish and reddish brown, and pale surface markings in the 
 shell; in form, oval. A set of four, taken June 2d, 
 1867, at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, from a nest on marshy 
 grounds, only measure: .78x.63, .80x.61, .80x.63, .85x-
 
 78 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 XVII. COWBIRD. 
 
 Molothrus ater (BoDD.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant. Arrive early in March 
 to first of April ; begin laying about the last of May ; 
 return in October ; occasionally linger into November. 
 
 HABITAT. The United States, from the Atlantic to the 
 Pacific ; north into the southern British possessions ; 
 south in winter to southern Mexico. 
 
 Iris brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 
 
 This widely distributed species are strictly gregarious 
 and polygamous in their habits, and indiscriminate caters 
 of seeds, grains, berries and insects. During the winter 
 months, in company with the Boboliiik and Red-winged 
 Blackbird, do much damage in the rice fields, and are to 
 be looked for in summer about the corrals and grazing 
 grounds, following the cattle and horses about over the 
 range to catch the flies that bite and annoy them; wel- 
 come friends, they are allowed to perch and rest upon 
 their backs at pleasure. In spring and early summer 
 the males, with raised feathers, spread tails and throats 
 puffed out, utter a guttural song, or rather attempt fit 
 one, which is no doubt pleasing to the females, but in 
 all of their amourous actions there appears to be but 
 little rivalry or jealousy a happy family of free-lovers. 
 
 These birds never build a nest, but drop their eggs into 
 the nests of smaller birds ; in doing so, do not try to take 
 possession by force, but by stealth, during the absence of 
 the owners, and, as these birds are polygamous, exhibit no 
 conjugal affection or love for their offispring, leaving the 
 labor and care of hatching and rearing their young to
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 79 
 
 their foster parents ; and I find by observation that the 
 egg or eggs so dropped are the first to hatch, and being 
 much the larger and stronger, receive the greater share of 
 food, the rightful little claimants being soon trodden to 
 death or crowded out of their home. 
 
 On account of their manner of laying, we have no way 
 of determining the number of eggs laid in a season. As 
 a rule, but one egg is found in a nest, and I think that, 
 with a view to survival, the bird distributes her eggs, 
 and that the extra ones occasionally found- are the eggs of 
 different Cowbirds. They vary greatly in size, averaging 
 about .85x.63; bluish white, thickly spotted and speckled 
 with ashy to reddish brown and occasional splashes of 
 purple; in form, oval. 
 
 XVIII. BALTIMOKE OKIOLE. 
 
 Icterus galbula (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; common. Arrive the last of April 
 to first of May ; begin laying the last of May ; return the 
 last of August to middle of September. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; north to New 
 Brunswick and Manitoba, west to the base of the Rocky 
 Mountains ; south in winter to Panama. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill, ridge black,' rest light blue; 
 legs, feet and claws dark blue. 
 
 This familiar Oriole is very similar in habits to the 
 Orchard, but is less lively in actions, and ranges much 
 farther north. The males arrive in the spring at least 
 a week ahead of the females, and their brilliant plumago 
 and varied mellow whistling song insure them a welcome. 
 The- females also occasionally warble a few low, pleasing
 
 80 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 notes. They are very beneficial in their destruction of 
 caterpillars and other injurious worms and insects, upon 
 which they almost wholly subsist, occasionally plucking 
 for a dessert a berry from a bush or a pea from the pod ; 
 but never claim a hundredth part of the share to which 
 they are rightfully entitled. 
 
 Their nests are suspended from the extremities of 
 branches (the elm appears to be the favorite tree), fifteen . 
 to forty feet from the ground ; a compact, strongly-woven, 
 .deep, purse-like structure, composed of and attached to the 
 twigs from which it hangs, with flax-like strippings from 
 plants and vines, and lined with hair-like stems of grasses ; 
 when in the vicinity of dwellings, twine and thread are 
 used largely in its makeup. Eggs four or five, .92x.60; 
 pale bluish white, with a rosy hue when fresh, marked 
 with long, waving lines and spots of purple and blackish 
 brown, chiefly at larger end; in form, oval to ovate. 
 
 XIX. OECHARD OEIOLE. 
 
 Icterus spurius (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant. Arrive the last of April 
 to first of May; begin laying the last of May; return 
 the last of August to middle of September. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States; west to the base of 
 the Rocky Mountains; south in winter to Panama. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill, upper black, under pale blue; 
 legs, feet and claws bluish black. 
 
 This species is rarely met with in the northern United 
 States, but is very common in the middle and southern 
 portions. Its favorite resorts are along the prairie streams 
 skirted with timber, and the groves and orchards about
 
 BIEDS OF KANSAS . 81 
 
 our dwellings; an active, restless bird, ever upon the 
 move, flying and hopping about among the branches of 
 trees, often swinging head downward in its search for 
 insect life, upon which it almost wholly feeds during the 
 early breeding season, singing as it flies, or from the perch 
 littering its hurried but pleasing song, which is occasion- 
 ally heard in autumn. 
 
 Their nests are suspended from twigs, at the end of 
 branches of small trees, along the banks of streams and 
 in orchards and gardens ; a beautiful hemispherical nest, 
 made wholly of a long, slender, wire-like grass, and occa- 
 sionally bits of a cottony substance, neatly and ingen- 
 iously woven together and around the leaf-like twigs that 
 support it. Eggs four or five, .85x.60; pale bluish white, 
 thinly marked with specks and zigzag lines of light to 
 reddish brown and lilac, thickest about larger end; in 
 form, oval. 
 
 XX. BLUE JAY. 
 
 Cyanocitta cristata (LiNN.). 
 
 Eesident ; abundant in the eastern portion of the State ; 
 common along the streams, where skirted with trees, to a 
 little beyond the center; not observed in the extreme 
 western part. Begin laying the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States, except Florida 
 (where they are replaced by 0. cristata florincola') ; north 
 into the fur regions of the British possessions; west to 
 the Great Plains. 
 
 Iris dark brown ; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 
 
 I know that I cannot please the reader better than by 
 giving the following interesting description, by ISTuttall, 
 6
 
 82 . TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 of this handsome, conspicuous bird, of questionable char- 
 acter, wherein he says: 
 
 " The Blue Jay is a constant inhabitant both of the 
 wooded wilderness and the vicinity of the settled farm, 
 though more familiar at the approach of winter and early 
 in spring than at any other season. These wanderings or 
 limited migrations are induced by necessity alone; his 
 hoards of grain, nuts and acorns either have failed or are 
 forgotten; for, like other misers, he is more assiduous 
 to amass than to expend or enjoy his stores, and the fruits 
 of his labors very frequently devolve to the rats or squir- 
 rels, or accidentally assist in the replanting of the forest. 
 His visits at this time are not unfrequent in the garden 
 and orchard, and his usual petulant address of " Djay, 
 jay, jay," and other harsh and trumpeting articulations, 
 soon make his retreat known to all in the neighborhood. 
 So habitual is this sentinel cry of alarm, and so expressive, 
 that all the birds within call, as well as other wild ani- 
 mals, are instantly on the alert, so that the fowler and 
 hunter become generally disappointed of their game by this 
 his garrulous and noisy propensity; he is, therefore, for 
 his petulance, frequently killed without pity or profit, for 
 his flesh, though eaten, has little to recommend it. His 
 more complaisant notes, when undisturbed, though gut- 
 tural and echoing, are by no means unpleasant, and fall in 
 harmoniously with the cadence of the feathered choristers 
 around him, so as to form a finishing part to the general 
 music of the grove. His accents of blandishment, when 
 influenced by the softer passions, are low and musical, so 
 as to be scarcely heard beyond the thick branches where he 
 sits concealed ; but, as soon as discovered, he bursts out into
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 83 
 
 notes of rage and reproach, accompanying his voice by 
 jerks and actions of temerity and defiance. . . . He 
 also exhibits a great antipathy to the Owl, and by his loud 
 and savage vociferation soon brings together a noisy troop 
 of all the busy birds in the neighborhood. To this garru- 
 lous attack the night wanderer has no reply but a threaten- 
 ing stare of indifference, and, as soon as opportunity 
 offers, he quietly slips from his slandering company. Ad- 
 vantage, in some countries, is taken of this dislike for the 
 purpose of catching birds ; thus the Owl being let out of a 
 box, sometimes makes a hoot, which instantly assembles 
 a motley group, who are then caught by liming the neigh- 
 boring twigs on which they perch. In this gossip the Jay 
 and Crow are always sure to take a part, if within sight 
 or hearing of the call, and are thus caught or destroyed at 
 will. The common Jay is even fond of imitating the 
 harsh voice of the Owl and the noisy Kestril. I have also 
 heard the Blue Jay mock, with a taunting accent, the 
 ' Ke-oo, ke-oo,' or quailing of the Red-shouldered Hawk. 
 Wilson likewise heard him take singular satisfaction in 
 teasing and mocking the ljtle.. American Sparrow Hawk, 
 and imposing upon him by the pretended plaints of a 
 wounded bird, in which frolic several would appear to 
 join, until their sport sometimes ended in sudden conster- 
 nation, by the Hawk, justly enough, pouncing on one of 
 them as his legitimate and devoted prey. 
 
 " His talent for mimicry, when domesticated, is like- 
 wise so far capable of improvement as to enable him to 
 imitate human speech, articulating words with some dis- 
 tinctness ; and on hearing voices, like a parrot, he would 
 endeavor to contribute his important share to the tumult.
 
 84 TWENTIETH CENTUEY CLASSICS 
 
 Bewick remarks of the common Jay, that he heard one so 
 exactly counterfeit the action of a saw, that though on a 
 Sunday, he could scarcely be persuaded but that some car- 
 penter was at work. Another, unfortunately, rendered 
 himself a serious nuisance by learning to hound a cur dog 
 upon the domestic cattle, whistling and calling him by 
 name, so that at length a serious accident occurring in 
 consequence, the poor Jay was proscribed. The Blue Jay 
 becomes also, like the Crow and Magpie, a very mischiev- 
 ous purloiner of everything he is capable of conveying 
 away and hiding. 
 
 " The favorite food of this species is chestnuts, acorns, 
 and Indian corn or maize, the latter of which he breaks 
 before swallowing. He also feeds occasionally on the 
 larger insects and caterpillars, as well as orchard fruits, 
 particularly cherries, and does not even refuse the humble 
 fare of potatoes. In times of scarcity he falls upon carrion, 
 and has been known to venture into the barn, through acci- 
 dental openings; when, as if sensible of the danger of 
 purloining, he is active and silent, and if surprised, post- 
 poning his garrulity, he retreats with noiseless precipita- 
 tion, and with all the cowardice of a thief. The worst 
 trait of his appetite, however, is his relish for the eggs 
 of other birds, in quest of which he may frequently be 
 seen prowling, and with a savage cruelty he sometimes also 
 devours the callow young, spreading the plaint of sorrow 
 and alarm wherever he flits. The whole neighboring 
 community of little birds assemble at the cry of distress, 
 sometimes, however, succeeding in driving off the ruthless 
 plunderer, who, not always content with the young, has 
 been seen to attack the old, though with dubious success;
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 85 
 
 but to the gallant and quarrelsome Kingbird, he submits 
 like a coward, and driven to seek shelter, even on the 
 ground, from the repeated blows of his antagonist, sneaks 
 off well contented to save his life." 
 
 Their nests are placed on branches, near the trunks or 
 bodies of trees and bushes, in the forests, and in the vicin- 
 ity of dwellings, six to thirty feet from the ground. 
 They are rudely composed of small sticks, roots and various 
 kinds of material at hand, strongly interwoven, and lined 
 with fine rootlets. Eggs four or five, 1.10x.82 ; olive, 
 sparingly spotted with drab and olive brown; in form, 
 ovate. 
 
 XXI. AMERICAN CROW. 
 Corvus americanus (Amx). 
 
 Resident; abundant in the eastern part of the State, 
 not common in the western portion. Begin laying the 
 last of March to the first of April. 
 
 HABITAT. North America, from the fur countries to 
 Mexico. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 
 
 As much as I love the birds, I cannot find it in my 
 heart to put in a plea for this well known nest-robber and 
 bird of ill repute, for their thievish propensities are too 
 great to attempt to show that the good they do overbalances 
 the harm. Various are the ways resorted to by the farmer 
 to not only scare them away but to destroy them. Not- 
 withstanding this, the cunning, sagacious birds manage 
 to live and thrive in their midst. They are rather gre- 
 garious and social in their habits, often assembling together 
 in large flocks, and they select and have common roosting 
 places, where they gather from miles and miles around,
 
 86 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 arriving silently at. eve, and stealing away at early dawn. 
 Their flights are direct and well sustained. 
 
 Their nests are placed in the forks of trees, in groves 
 and on the timbered bottom lands, thirty to seventy feet 
 from the ground. They are composed of sticks and lined 
 with grasses, fibrous stripping^ from plants, and hairs. 
 Eggs four or five, 1.65x1.20; light to dark green, and 
 irregularly spotted, splashed or blotched with various 
 shades of pale to dark brown and purple, usually the 
 thickest around the larger end; in form, oval to ovate. 
 
 XXII. KINGBIRD. 
 
 Tyrannus tyrannus (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident ; abundant. Arrive the last of April ; 
 begin laying about the middle of May; return in Sep- 
 tember. 
 
 HABITAT. Temperate North America, chiefly east of the 
 Rocky Mountains; very rare on the Pacific coast; south 
 in winter into northern South America. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill and claws black; legs and feet 
 grayish to brownish black. 
 
 This common and well known species are rightly en- 
 titled to the name they bear, on account of their brave, 
 audacious attacks upon th.e birds of prey and others in- 
 truding upon their breeding grounds. This combative 
 spirit, however, closes, with the season, and their shrill, 
 twittering notes are seldom heard after the young are capa- 
 ble of providing for themselves. The males arrive about 
 a week in advance, and on the arrival of the females, many 
 a hard battle is fought for the choice. Their courtships 
 are short, and, when once mated, they are. true and devoted,
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 87 
 
 and zealous guardians of their homes. The following 
 truthful description is from " Birds of New England, ' 
 by Samuels: 
 
 " During the mating and breeding season, the pugnac- 
 ity and courage of the Kingbird are proverbial. If any 
 bird approach the neighborhood of his nest, he immedi- 
 ately attacks it ; and, whether Crow (his particular dis- 
 like), Hawk or Eagle, the intruder is obliged to flee, so 
 fierce an onslaught does this little warrior make on him. 
 As soon as the cry of a Crow is heard, he is all activity; 
 he flies from the tree where he is perching to reconnoiter, 
 uttering his shrill twitter, and vibrating his wings in 
 short, quick, nervous strokes ; as soon as the Crow appears, 
 the Kingbird pursues it, his flight being now very swift 
 and powerful. As soon as he nears his foe, he flies above 
 him, and darting down on his back and head, attacks him 
 with such vigor, that the Crow dives and dodges to avoid 
 him. He repeats his attacks, and follows his enemy, 
 sometimes to the distance of a mile or more ; then, return- 
 ing to his mate, he perches on the tree by her nest, and 
 twitters a volley of courageous songs." [Song is not the 
 word, for its notes are not musical, but rather a harsh, 
 exulting twitter.] 
 
 " The food of the Kingbird consists mostly of insects,* 
 which he captures usually while on the wing. It seems 
 a provision of nature, that all the flycatchers shall only 
 take those insects that have taken flight from the foliage 
 of trees and shrubs, at the same time making the warblers 
 and other birds capture those which remain concealed in 
 such places. The Kingbird, in seizing a flying insect, 
 
 * Berries also help to make up their bill of fare, the pokeberry being the favorite.
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 flies in a sort of half flitting hover, and seizes it with a 
 sharp snap of the bill. Sometimes he descends from his 
 perch and captures a grasshopper that has just taken a 
 short flight, and occasionally seizes one that is crawling 
 up some tall stalk of grass. Those farmers who keep bees 
 dislike this bird, because of his bad habit of eating as 
 many of those insects as show themselves in the neighbor- 
 hood of his nest; but they should remember that the 
 general interests of agriculture are greater than those of a 
 hive of bees." 
 
 Their nests are usually placed on branches of trees, in 
 open and exposed situations, six to twenty feet from the 
 ground ; in treeless localities, in almost any available 
 place; a rather bulky, flat structure, composed of stems 
 of weeds and grasses, and lined with hair-like rootlets, 
 and often, woven in with the same, bits of rags and twine. 
 Eggs three to six, usually four, .90x.68. They vary greatly 
 in size, and measurements as high as 1.05x.75 have been 
 given. (Ridgway says .95x.69.) A set of four eggs, 
 taken at Neosho Falls, only measure: .Y8x.64, .79x.65, 
 .80x.66, .82x.67; white to creamy white, thinly spotted 
 with purple to dark reddish brown; in form, ovate. 
 
 XXIII. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. 
 
 Trochilus colubris (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident ; common in the eastern portion of the 
 State. Arrive the last of April to first of May; begin 
 laying the last of May; the bulk leave in September; a 
 few remain into October. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; west to the high 
 central plains; north into the fur countries, and south in 
 winter to Cuba, and through eastern Mexico to Veragua.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 89 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 
 
 These hardy little beauties begin to arrive from the 
 south as soon as the cherry and apple trees are in blossom ; 
 the males several days in advance; brave, pugnacious 
 little fellows, that, during the mating season, will fight 
 their rivals for their lady loves, till death ; and in defense 
 of their homes boldly attack the larger birds, and often 
 dart at and try to frighten man away. They breed from 
 the Gulf coast north to at least the fifty-seventh parallel. 
 The following beautiful description of their flights and 
 manner of feeding is taken from " Our Birds in their 
 Haunts," by Mr. Langille: 
 
 "There are many birds the flight of which is so rapid 
 that the strokes of their wings cannot be counted, but here 
 is a species with such nerve of wing that its wing strokes 
 cannot be seen. 'A hazy semicircle of indistinctness on 
 each side of the bird is all that is perceptible.' Poised in 
 the air, his body nearly perpendicular, he seems to hang 
 in front of the flowers which he probes so hurriedly, one 
 after the other, with his long, slender bill. That long, 
 tubular, fork-shaped tongue may be sucking up the nec- 
 tar from those rather small cylindrical blossoms, or it may 
 be capturing tiny insects housed away there. Much more 
 like a large sphynx moth, hovering and humming over the 
 flowers in the dusky twilight, than like a bird, appears this 
 delicate fairy-like beauty. How the bright green of the 
 body gleams and glistens in the sunlight ; while the ruby 
 colored throat, changing with the angle of light as the bird 
 moves, is like a bit of black velvet above the white under 
 parts, or it glows and shimmers like a flame. Each im- 
 perceptible stroke of those tiny wings conforms to the
 
 90 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 mechanical laws of flight in all their subtle complications, 
 with an ease and gracefulness that seems spiritual. Who 
 can fail to note that fine adjustment of the organs of flight 
 to aerial elasticity and gravitation, by which that aston- 
 ishing bit of nervous energy can rise and fall almost on 
 the perpendicular, dart from side to side, as if by magic, 
 or, assuming the horizontal position, pass out of sight like 
 a shooting star? Is it not impossible to conceive of all 
 this being done by that rational calculation which enables 
 the rower to row, or the sailor to sail his boat ? " 
 
 Their deep, cup-shaped nests are usually built on small, 
 horizontal limbs of trees, six to twelve feet from the 
 ground ; a delicate, beautiful structure, composed of a 
 cottony substance, and soft, silky fibers from plants, the 
 outside dotted over with lichen. Eggs two (varying in 
 size), .48x.33; pure white; in form, rather elliptical. 
 
 XXIV. CHIMNEY SWIFT. 
 
 Chaetura pelagica (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant in the eastern part of the 
 State. Arrive the last of April; begin laying the latter 
 part of May; return in September; a few occasionally 
 remain into October. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America ; north to Labra- 
 dor, Manitoba, etc. ; west to the edge of the plains ; south 
 of the United States in winter to Cozumel Island, Jalapa, 
 Mexico, and possibly farther. 
 
 Iris dark brown ; bill and claws black ; legs and feet 
 brownish black. The above. are fresh measurements of a 
 pair of adult birds, shot in the month of June. From other
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 91 
 
 measurements as given, the bird should average a little 
 larger. 
 
 These wild, restless birds are gregarious and social in 
 their habits. I have often found them in the Indian Ter- 
 ritory and early settlements of Kansas, occupying large 
 hollow trees the sycamore the favorite and they occa- 
 sionally continue to do so in settled localities, but as a 
 rule prefer the habitations of man, and they are most 
 abundant about our city homes, secreting themselves dur- 
 ing the 'day and night, chiefly within unused chimneys, 
 occasionally in other suitable dark retreats, coming forth 
 at eve like the bats, but a little earlier, retiring at dark. 
 They are occasionally to "be seen flying about during the 
 middle of bright, sunshiny days, but as a rule are rather 
 crepuscular in their habits. 
 
 Their food consists entirely of winged insects, in search 
 of which they never seem to flag or weary, crossing and 
 recrossing each other's course in their circling, chattering 
 flights, gliding along with rapid strokes of the wings or 
 sailing with motionless wings, as best suits their purpose. 
 On account of their extremely long wings, they cannot 
 readily rise from a level surface, and therefore select, for a 
 resting place, the perpendicular sides or edges of an eleva- 
 tion, where they can at once launch into the air. Tlicir 
 peculiarly-formed feet and spine-tipped tails enable them 
 to grasp and rest at ease in such positions. 
 
 Their nests are placed in hollow trees, chimneys, etc. ; 
 a peculiar saucer-shaped semicircular structure, composed 
 of small sticks of uniform length and size, which are 
 strongly glued together and fastened to the wall with an 
 adhesive saliva from the birds. Eggs usually four,
 
 92 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 .75x.50; pure white; not highly polished; in form, 
 rather elliptical ovate. 
 
 XXV. NIGHT-HAWK. 
 
 Chordeiles virginianus (GMEL.). 
 
 Summer resident ; common in the eastern to the middle 
 portion of the State ; rare in the western. Arrive the first 
 of May ; begin laying the last of May ; return in Septem- 
 ber; a few occasionally remain into October. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America ; north to Hudson's 
 Bay; west to edge of Great Plains; (to Pacific coast 
 along the northern border of the United States;) south 
 in winter to Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, (breeds ?) middle 
 America, and portions of eastern South America. 
 (Ridgway.} 
 
 IriSj bill and claws blackish ; legs and feet dark gray- 
 ish brown. 
 
 This is one of our most common birds of the open lands 
 and prairies. Strictly speaking, it is a diurnal bird, but 
 more or less crepuscular in habits, retiring to rest regularly 
 at the close of twilight. In flight they are graceful and 
 pleasing, gliding with ease through their various evolu- 
 tions and quick turns, skimming with spread tail in a 
 buoyant, effortless manner near the ground or high in air, 
 rising and dropping suddenly, and at times with a quick 
 upward turn that causes a hollow, whirring sound, pro- 
 duced, I think, by the quick vibrations of the wings upon 
 the air. Their voice is an occasional squeak or a " Pe-up " 
 note, and, when wounded or in the protection of their 
 young or eggs, often startle the intruder by quickly rais- 
 ing their feathers and emitting through their widely-
 
 BIEDS OP KANSAS 93 
 
 opened mouth a sharp, hissing sound; and during love 
 making and caressing I have heard the males utter low, 
 cooing notes. 
 
 Their food consists of small winged insects that abound 
 in the air, especially at morn, late in the afternoon and 
 at eve, which accounts for their activity at such times. 
 
 Eggs two, 1.22x.82 ; grayish white, thickly mottled all 
 over with various tints of lilac purple and yellowish 
 brown ; they are laid upon the bare ground, in open and 
 exposed situations; in form, rounded elliptical. 
 
 XXVI. WHIP-POOR-WILL. 
 
 Antrostomus vociferus (WiLS.). 
 
 Slimmer resident; rare; quite common during migra- 
 tion in the eastern portion of the State. Arrive the middle 
 of May ; begin laying the latter part of May ; return in 
 September. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States to the Plains; north 
 to Nova Scotia, Manitoba, etc. ; south in winter to Guate- 
 mala. 
 
 Iris bluish black; bill and claws black; legs and feet 
 grayish brown. 
 
 This bird of the night secretes itself, during the day, 
 in the deep, shady thickets, and were it not for its oft- 
 repeated and familiar voice, (heard during the mating 
 season, and occasionally late in autumn,) its presence, 
 even when quite common, would seldom be known, as it 
 does not leave its secluded retreats until the shades of 
 evening darken, and the silvery bugle notes of the Wood 
 Thrush one of the latest of the day songsters are 
 hushed. Wilson says:
 
 4 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 " This is a singular and very celebrated species, univer- 
 sally noted, over the greater part of the United States, 
 for the loud reiterations of its favorite call in spring ; and 
 yet, personally, is but little known, most people being 
 unable to distinguish this from the preceding species 
 (Nighthawk), when both are placed before them, and 
 some insist that they are the same. This being the case, 
 it becomes the duty of the historian to give a full and 
 faithful delineation of his character, and peculiarity of 
 manners, that his existence as a distinct and independent 
 species may no longer be doubted, nor his story mingled 
 confusedly with that of another. I trust that those best 
 acquainted with him will bear witness to the fidelity of 
 the portrait. 
 
 " On or about the 25th of April, if the season be not un- 
 commonly cold, the Whip-poor-will is first heard in this 
 part of Pennsylvania, in the evening, as the dusk of twi- 
 light commences, or in the morning, as soon as dawn has 
 broke. In the State of Kentucky, I first heard this bird 
 on the 14th of April, near the town of Danville. The 
 notes of this solitary bird, from the ideas which are" natur- 
 ally associated with them, seem like the voice of an old 
 friend, and are listened to by almost all with great interest. 
 At first they issue from' some retired part of the woods, the 
 glen or mountain ; in a few evenings, perhaps, we hear 
 them from the adjoining coppice, the garden fence, the 
 road before the door, and even from the roof of the dwell- 
 ing house, long after the family have retired to rest. 
 Some of the more ignorant and superstitious consider this 
 near approach as foreboding no good to the family 
 nothing less than sickness, misfortune or death to some
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 95 
 
 of its members. These visits, however, so often occur 
 without any bad consequences, that this superstitious 
 dread seems to be on the decline. 
 
 " He is now a regular acquaintance. Every morning 
 and evening his shrill and rapid repetitions are heard 
 from the- adjoining woods; and when two or more are 
 calling out at the same time, as is often the case in the 
 pairing season, and at no great distance from each other, 
 the noise, mingling with the echoes from the mountains, 
 is really surprising. Strangers in parts of the country 
 where these birds are numerous find it almost impossible 
 for some time to sleep, while to those long acquainted with 
 them the sound often serves as a lullaby to assist their 
 repose. 
 
 " These notes seem pretty plainly to articulate the 
 words which have been generally applied to them, Whip- 
 poor-will, the first and last syllables being uttered with 
 great emphasis, and the whole is in about a second to 
 each repetition; but, when two or more males meet, 
 their Whip-poor-will altercations become much more rapid 
 and incessant, as if each were straining to overpower or 
 silence the other. When near, you often hear an intro- 
 ductory cluck between the notes. At these times, as well 
 as at almost all others, they fly low, not more than a few 
 feet from the surface, skimming about the house and be- 
 fore the door, alighting on the woodpile or settling on the 
 roof. Towards midnight they generally become silent, 
 unless in clear moonlight, when they are heard with little 
 intermission till morning. If there be a creek near, with 
 high, precipitous, bushy banks, they are sure to be found 
 in such situations. During the day they sit in the most
 
 96 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 retired, solitary and deep-shaded parts of the woods, 
 generally on high ground, where they repose in silence. 
 When disturbed, they rise within a few feet, sail low and 
 slowly through the woods, for thirty or forty yards, and 
 generally settle on a low branch or on the ground. Their 
 sight appears deficient during the day, as, like Owls, they 
 seem then to want that vivacity for which they are distin- 
 guished in the morning and evening twilight. They are 
 rarely shot or molested; and, from being thus transiently 
 seen in the obscurity of dusk or in the deep umbrage of 
 the woods, no wonder their particular markings of plum- 
 age should be so little known, or that they should be con- 
 founded with the Nighthawk, whom in general appear- 
 ance they so much resemble." 
 
 The birds make no nest. Eggs two; laid in a depres- 
 sion on the ground, among the leaves in thickets and 
 heavily-wooded lands. A set collected June 5th, 1871, 
 at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, in the woods, under a thick 
 growth of bushes, measure: 1.09x.80, 1.12x.78; cream 
 white, irregularly spotted and mottled with lavender and 
 pale brown; in form, elliptical. 
 
 XXVII. DOWNY WOODPECKER 
 
 Dry abates pubescens (LiNN.). 
 
 Kesident; common. Begin laying the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Northern North America; south in the 
 eastern portion to the Gulf coast. 
 
 Iris dark grown; bill slate blue; legs, feet and claws 
 pale blue. 
 
 These restless, energetic little Woodpeckers are very
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 97 
 
 similar in their actions and habits to the Hairy, but more 
 social and less fearful of man. Wilson says: 
 
 " The principal characteristics of this little bird are 
 diligence, familiarity, perseverance, and strength and en- 
 ergy in the head and muscles of the neck which are truly 
 astonishing. Mounted on the injected branch of an old 
 apple tree, where insects have lodged their corroding and 
 destructive brood in crevices between the bark and wood, 
 he labors sometimes for half an hour incessantly at the 
 same spot before he has succeeded in dislodging and de- 
 stroying them. At these times you may walk up pretty 
 close to the tree, and even stand immediately below it, 
 within five or six feet of the bird, without in the least em- 
 barrassing him. The strokes of his bill are distinctly 
 heard several hundred yards off, and I have known him 
 to be at work for two hours together on the same tree. 
 Buff on calls this ' incessant toil and slavery,' their atti- 
 tude c a painful posture,' and their life ' a dull and in- 
 sipid existence' expressions improper because untrue, 
 and absurd because contradictory. The posture is that 
 for which the whole organization of his frame is partic- 
 ularly adapted, and though to a Wren or a Hummingbird 
 the labor would be toil and slavery, yet to him it is, I 
 am convinced, as pleasant and amusing as the sports of 
 the chase to the hunter, or the sucking of flowers to the 
 Hummingbird. The eagerness with which he traverses 
 the upper and lower sides of the branches, the cheerful- 
 ness of his cry and the liveliness of his motions while 
 digging in the tree and dislodging the vermin, justifies 
 this belief. Tie has a single note, or ' Chink,' which, like 
 the former species, he frequently repeats; and when he 
 
 7
 
 98 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 flies off or alights on another tree, he utters a rathor 
 shriller cry, composed of nearly the same kind of a note, 
 quickly reiterated. In the fall and winter he associates 
 with the Titmouse, Creeper, etc., both in their wood and 
 orchard excursions, and usually leads the van. Of all our 
 Woodpeckers, none -rid the apple trees of so many vermin 
 as this, digging off the moss which the negligence of the 
 proprietor has suffered to accumulate, and probing every 
 crevice. In fact the orchard is his favorite resort in all 
 seasons, and his industry is unequaled and almost inces- 
 sant, which is more than can be said of any other species 
 we have. In the fall he is particularly fond of boring the 
 apple trees for insects, digging a circular hole through the 
 bark just sufficient to admit his bill ; after that a second, 
 third, etc., in pretty regular horizontal circles around the 
 body of the tree. These parallel circles of holes are often 
 not more than an inch or an inch and a half apart, and 
 sometimes so close together that I have covered eight or 
 ten of them at once with a dollar. From nearly the sur- 
 face of the ground up to the first fork, and sometimes far 
 beyond it, the whole bark of many apple trees is perfo- 
 rated in this manner, so as to appear as if made by suc- 
 cessive discharges of buckshot, and our little Woodpecker, 
 the subject of the present account, is the principal perpe- 
 trator of this supposed mischief I say supposed ; for so 
 far from these perforations of the bark being ruinous, 
 they are not only harmless, but, I have good reason to 
 believe, really beneficial to the health and fertility of 
 the tree. I leave it to the philosophical botanist to ac- 
 count for this, but the fact I am confident of. In more 
 than fifty orchards which I, myself, have carefully ex-
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 99 
 
 amined, those trees which were marked by the Woodpecker 
 (for some trees they never touch, perhaps because not 
 penetrated by insects) were uniformly the most thriving, 
 and seemingly the most productive. Many of these were 
 upwards of sixty years old, their trunks completely cov- 
 ered with holes, while the branches were broad, luxuriant, 
 and loaded with fruit. Of decayed trees, more than three- 
 fourth were untouched by the Woodpecker. Several in- 
 telligent farmers with whom I have conversed candidly 
 acknowledged the truth of these observations, and with 
 justice look upon these birds as beneficial; but the most 
 common opinion is that they bore the trees to suck the 
 sap, and so destroy its vegetation, though pine and other 
 resinous trees, on the juice of which it is not pretended 
 that they feed, are often found equally perforated. Were 
 the sap of the tree their object, the saccharine juice of 
 the birch, the sugar maple and several others would be 
 much more inviting, because more sweet and nourishing 
 than that of either pear or apple tree; but I have not 
 observed one mark on the former for ten thousand that 
 may be seen on the latter; besides,- the early part of the 
 spring is the season when the sap flows most abundantly, 
 whereas it is only during the months of September, Oc- 
 tober and November that Woodpeckers are seen so inde- 
 fatigably engaged in orchards, probing every crack and 
 crevice, boring through the bark, and, what is worth re- 
 marking, chiefly on the south .and southwest sides of the 
 tree, for the eggs and larvse deposited there by the count- 
 less swarms of summer insects. These, if suffered to 
 remain, would prey upon the very vitals (if I may so 
 express it) of the tree, and in the succeeding summer
 
 100 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 give birth to myriads more of their race, equally de- 
 structive." 
 
 For the above supposed reason, the birds so beneficial, 
 and in no sense injurious, are frequently misnamed 
 " Sapsuckers," a term not applicable to any of our Wood- 
 peckers, except genus Sphyrapicus. 
 
 The nests are excavated in decaying limbs, or bodies 
 of small trees, usually ten to fifteen feet from the ground 
 (the apple tree a favorite) ; the entrance round and just 
 large enough to admit the bird, then smoothly chipped 
 downward for several inches, and enlarged to fit the body. 
 Eggs four or five, rarely six, .Y5x.58; pure crystal white; 
 in form, rather subspherical. 
 
 XXVIII. FLICKER. 
 
 Colaptes auratus (LiNN.). 
 
 Resident; common. Begin laying the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; north to Hudson's 
 Bay; west to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains; 
 also reported from Alaska, where we would only naturally 
 look for the Northwestern Flicker. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill slate blue; legs and feet ashy 
 or light lead color; claws horn blue. 
 
 This well known, familiar bird is as much at home on 
 our prairies as within the wooded districts. Mr. Langille, 
 in his interesting work, " Our Birds in their Haunts," 
 
 " Next to the Robin, Bluebird or Barn Swallow, few 
 members of the feathered tribes are better known than 
 the ' Flicker,' ' High-hole,' ' Yellow-hammer,' etc., for the 
 Goldenwing is known by all these names. His several
 
 BIEDS OF KANSAS 101 
 
 notes are among the most characteristic sounds of spring, 
 at which time he is thoroughly noisy. Coming from the 
 south in large numbers, late in March or early in April, 
 ascending some tall, dry tree top, at early dawn, he an- 
 nounces himself, either by a sonorous rapping on the 
 dry wood, or by a loud squealing, but jovial call, ' Chee- 
 ah, chee-ah,' which, once noted, is not easily forgotten. 
 But even this latter is not half so awakening as a certain 
 prolonged strain^ nearly two syllables in regular repeti- 
 tion, something like ' Whric'k-ah, whric'k-ah, whric'k-ah, 
 whric'k-ah, whric'k-ah, whric'k-ah.' This vocal per- 
 formance, meant for a song, no doubt, is a mere rollicking 
 racket, toned down, indeed, amidst the many voices of 
 spring,, and even rendered pleasing by its good-natured 
 hilarity. How significant is that little love note, ' Yu- 
 cah,' half guttural, half whisper, which he repeats at 
 intervals, as he flits about the solitude of the forest in 
 spring, or plays bo-peep with his lover, around the broken- 
 off top or limb of some dead tree. 
 
 " His flight is swift, vigorous and dashing ; is per- 
 formed in curves by a few flaps of the wings, curving 
 upward several feet, when alighting on the trunk of a 
 tree, but ending horizontally when alighting crosswise 
 on a limb, after the manner of perching birds. In manner, 
 as in structure, he is not precisely like the rest of his fam- 
 ily. At home anywhere, from the tallest tree top to the 
 ground, and always in a hurry when afoot, he will capture 
 his insect food after the manner of Robins and Sparrows. 
 Ants of all sizes are especially in favor with him." 
 
 Berries, fruits, nuts and grains also help to make up 
 tlioir bill of fare. They usually select for a nesting place
 
 102 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 an old stub or decaying tree, and readily excavate a hole 
 or dress up a cavity in the same to suit, and where suita- 
 ble trees are not convenient to their chosen homes, they 
 will chip through cornices and into nooks in outbuild- 
 ings in fact, take possession of most any dark, suitable 
 cavity. Eggs usually five to seven; a much larger num- 
 ber have occasionally been found, but in such cases I am 
 inclined to think other females assisted, although, when 
 robbed of the egg as laid, the bird will often continue lay- 
 ing to the number of twenty and upward. They vary 
 much in size. Ridgway says, 1.10x.85 ; I make the 
 average dimensions of a few sets to be 1.06x.84; pure 
 pearly white; in form, rather elliptical to oblong ovate. 
 A set collected May llth, 1878, at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, 
 only measure: l.OOx.81, 1.03x.80, 1.03x.82, 1.05x.82. 
 
 XXIX. BELTED KINGFISHER. 
 
 Ceryle alcyon (LiNN.). 
 
 A common summer resident, and when the winters 
 are mild, an occasional resident. Begin laying about the 
 last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of North America; south to 
 Panama, including the West Indies. 
 
 The birds >ary somewhat in size; specimens examined, 
 however, show the females fully as large as the males. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill black, or rather slate, with sides 
 of upper to nostrils, and forks of under, pale blue; legs 
 dull purple to greenish blue; feet dusky, bottoms pale, 
 with a slight yellowish hue ; claws black. 
 
 This widely distributed and solitary species appears 
 to be as much at home in the Arctic regions as within the
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 103 
 
 tropical, often remaining there until the ice closes their 
 natural fishing grounds, and hunger forces them to seek 
 for the finny tribe in similar open waters. Their favorite 
 resorts are along the margins of ponds, and at the foot of 
 shallow rapids, where they patiently watch from an over- 
 hanging limb, or perch, ready to dive for the unlucky 
 minnow that approaches to the surface of the water, sel- 
 dom failing to capture. They are equally successful on 
 the wing, hovering for a time before plunging; in all 
 cases carrying the catch to the nearest resting place, 
 where they usually kill it by beating it against the perch, 
 and always swallow the same head-first. 
 
 In flight the motion of their wings is very rapid, and 
 their course direct, and usually near the surface of the 
 water. Their voice is shrill and harsh, much like the 
 sound of a watchman's rattle. 
 
 Their nests are placed at the end of burrows, which the 
 birds tunnel horizontally into the sides and near the tops 
 of perpendicular or steep banks of streams, and occasion- 
 ally into the sides of gravel banks, some distance from the 
 water ; are usually about two feet in depth, but have been 
 known to extend over fifteen feet; in fact, not stopping 
 work until a place is reached where they can safely rear 
 their young without fear from falling earth or pebbles. 
 At the end it is scooped out oven-shaped for the nest, 
 which is sometimes sparingly lined with grasses and 
 feathers. Eggs five or six, 1.32x1.05; pure white; in 
 form, oval.
 
 104 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 XXX. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 
 
 Coccyzus americanus (LiNN.). 
 
 A summer resident; common. Arrive early in May; 
 begin laying the last of May ; return early in September ; 
 a few occasionally linger until the first of October. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; south from New 
 Brunswick, Canada, etc., to the West Indies and Costa 
 Kica; west to eastern Mexico and the edge of the Great 
 Plains. They are known to breed within their range as 
 far south as the West Indies. 
 
 Iris brown; legs and feet bluish olive; claws horn 
 blue. 
 
 This species is generally known as the " Rain Crow " 
 or " Cowbird " ; the latter on account of its call notes : 
 " Kow, kow, kow, kow, kow," uttered rapidly ; the former 
 because the birds are more noisy when the atmosphere is 
 moist and warm, and their oft-repeated notes are there- 
 fore thought to be an indication of falling weather. Their 
 notes are occasionally heard at night. They inhabit alike 
 the deep, solitary woods, the open groves and prairie 
 thickets. Their flight is noiseless, smooth and swift, 
 gliding with ease through the thick trees and branches. 
 The birds feed upon nearly all forms of insect life ; even 
 the ugly caterpillar is devoured with a relish. When the 
 breeding season is over they feed freely upon berries. 
 
 The males arrive about eight days in advance of the 
 females; their courtships are of short duration, and they 
 soon commence making preparations for housekeeping. 
 
 Their nests, a loose, frail, flat structure made of sticks 
 and weeds, with at times a little grass, are placed in
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 105 
 
 bushes, grapevines, and on the lower branches of trees, 
 from five to fifteen feet from the ground. The males as- 
 sist in hatching and rearing the young, and are fully as 
 attentive as the females. They are said to occasionally lay 
 eggs in the nests of other birds, but I think such cases 
 exceptional, for they are too devoted parents to leave 
 unless by accident the rearing of their young to others. 
 In this respect they differ from their cousins the European 
 Cuckoos, that are polygamous, and exhibit no paternal 
 affection for their young. 
 
 The birds occasionally lay and sit at the same time, and 
 it is not an unusual occurrence to find eggs and young 
 birds of different ages in the same nest ; but as a rule they 
 lay, and hatch at one sitting, from three to five eggs, 
 1.25x.90; light bluish green; in form, rather elliptical. 
 
 XXXI. BALD EAGLE. 
 
 Haliaeetus leucocephalus (LiNN.). 
 
 Kesident ; rare ; not uncommon in winter. Begin lay- 
 ing about the middle of March. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of North America ; north to 
 Greenland, and west across the Aleutian chain to Com- 
 mander Islands, Kamtchatka. 
 
 Iris grayish white, tinged with yellow ; bill and cere 
 light yellow; legs and feet brownish to lemon yellow. 
 
 This national bird is quite common along the seacoast 
 and rivers within the United States, and northward. In 
 build and habits it is closely allied to the Buteo family, 
 and has none of the daring dash of the Accipiter or Falcon 
 tribes, and lacks the courage of the Golden Eagle. If the 
 founders of our nation had known the habits of this scav-
 
 106 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 enger and piratical bird, they would never have selected it 
 as a symbol, but, rather, the bold, self-reliant Golden 
 Eagle. In the air, it is indeed a graceful and magnificent 
 bird, and with its powerful build and proud appearance, 
 they were naturally led to look upon it as the embodiment 
 of courage and perfection. Respecting the habits of the 
 Bald Eagle, Dr. Brewer says: 
 
 " The Bald Eagle appears to be equally well adapted 
 by nature for the endurance of heat or cold, and is appar- 
 ently indifferent to either. Its residence is influenced only 
 by its abundance of food, especially that of fish ; and seems 
 to matter very little whether that plenty is procurable 
 within the Arctic circle, or on the coast and rivers of Flor- 
 ida and Texas. In places like the falls of Niagara, where 
 the stream is ever liable to contribute the remains of ani- 
 mals destroyed by the descent of the torrent, this Eagle is 
 especially abundant. Unscrupulous, greedy, voracious, 
 not select in its choice of food, and capable of providing 
 for itself when necessity compels, we find this not alto- 
 gether unsuitable emblem of our country now enacting the 
 tyrant and robber, and plundering the Fish Hawk of the 
 fruits of its industry, now sharing with the Raven and the 
 Vulture the dead salmon of the Columbia, and in other 
 places diving for and catching its own fish. The impetuos- 
 ity and skill with which it pursues, overtakes and robs the 
 Fish Hawk, bearing off a fish it has just taken, must be' 
 witnessed to be appreciated ; and the swiftness with which 
 the Eagle can dart down upon and seize the booty, which 
 the Hawk has been compelled to let fall, before it reaches 
 the water, is not the least wonderful feature of this strik- 
 ing performance. On the banks of the Columbia, where
 
 BIKDS OF KANSAS 107 
 
 there are no Fish Hawks to depend upon, this bird finds 
 an easy subsistence on the vast numbers of dead and dying 
 salmon which abound." 
 
 While these birds arc rather indolent, and prefer to be 
 robbers rather than self-sustaining, they do not lack in 
 courage nor in ability to capture their prey. I have, on 
 several occasions, seen them plunge for and catch fish that 
 were swimming near the surface of the water; they also 
 readily kill Ducks, Geese, lambs, little pigs, etc. They are 
 easily tamed. One that I had in confinement for a long 
 time, became not only familiar, but appeared to be greatly 
 attached to me, and would recognize me at a long distance, 
 calling loudly, and on my near approach, with quivering 
 wings, and in various ways, expressed joy, keeping up a 
 soft, whistling note that was at times quite musical 
 until I reached her. She loved to be petted ; would rub her 
 head against my face, and allow me to lift her from the 
 perch ; a rather rough playmate, that often tore my clothes 
 in attempting to alight upon my shoulder, but not inten- 
 tionally, and never appeared to be angry with me, but 
 would not allow strangers to touch her. 
 
 Their nests are usually placed on high trees, along the 
 banks of streams, but occasionally, where trees are not 
 convenient, built on high, rocky cliffs ; a huge platform 
 structure, made of large sticks, and lined with twigs, 
 grasses, and a few feathers. Eggs usually two, sometimes 
 as high as four ; average measurements, as given by others, 
 about 2.90x2.30; but two, that I collected at Neah Bay, 
 Washington, only measure: 2.50x1.95, 2.60x2.00; dull 
 white, unmarked; in form, rounded ovalT
 
 108 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 XXXII. GOLDEN EAGLE. 
 
 Aquila chrysaetos (LmN.). 
 
 Resident; rare. I am informed by Dr. G. K. Rumsey 
 that a pair nested for several years in the southeastern part 
 of Comanche county, on a high gypsum ledge; and, as a 
 proof that he was not mistaken, he says that the legs of a 
 young bird captured were feathered to the toes. The late 
 rapid settlement of the county has put a stop to their 
 breeding there. Begin laying about the middle of March. 
 
 HABITAT. Northern portion of northern hemisphere; 
 south to Mexico. 
 
 Iris brown; bill and claws horn blue; core and feet 
 greenish yellow. 
 
 The natural home of this king of birds is within the 
 mountain regions ; it is rarely met with in the eastern por- 
 tion of the United States, and is not abundant anywhere, 
 but the most common in the western portion of its range. 
 In flight this bird is not swift, but very powerful, sailing 
 for hours without an apparent effort, and often at a great 
 height a mere speck in the sky. It is gifted with extra- 
 ordinary sight, and swoops down upon its prey with uner- 
 ring certainty. A ferocious monarch ; a tiger among birds. 
 It preys upon Grouse, Ducks, Geese, Swans, young fawns, 
 lambs, prairie dogs, rabbits, ground squirrels, etc. Some 
 writers state that when pressed with hunger they feed upon 
 carrion. While I know this to be the case with the Bald 
 Eagle, I think this proud bird would starve rather than 
 feed upon a putrid carcass. 
 
 I kept one of these birds (a female) over a year in con- 
 finement, feeding her chiefly upon fresh beef ; if the least
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 109 
 
 bit tainted she would not touch it, neither would she eat 
 a fresh piece accidentally dropped upon the ground from 
 her claws. A Bald Eagle, in an adjoining pen, would 
 readily eat meat in any stage, and gladly take the pieces 
 rejected by the more noble bird. I tried hard to subdue 
 her, or to be at least on friendly terms, but failed. I know 
 that the birds have been occasionally partially tamed, but 
 this one was untamable, and maintained, during her con- 
 finement, the same wild, defiant, ferocious spirit exhibited 
 at her capture. She was especially furious when a dog 
 entered the yard. I saw her pounce upon, pick up and take 
 to her perch a large house cat that ventured within her 
 prison for bits of meat. The grasp was so powerful that 
 life was instantly crushed out not a struggle, but only a 
 slight quiver of the muscles noticeable. I have often heard 
 them scream loudly in their mountain home, but my bird 
 was sullen and mute. 
 
 Their nests are enormous structures of sticks, etc., usu- 
 ally placed on rocky shelves of inaccessible cliffs, occa- 
 sionally in trees. May 5th, 1884, I found, at Julian, 
 California, a nest placed in and near the top of a tall pine 
 tree a huge platform structure composed of sticks and 
 twigs, and lined sparingly with grass, moss, and a few 
 feathers. Eggs two or three, 2.90x2.25 ; white, occasion- 
 ally unmarked, but usually spotted and blotched with va- 
 rious shades of drab to reddish brown, and a few faint 
 purple shell markings; in form, broadly subspherical.
 
 110 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 XXXIII. MAESH HAWK. 
 
 Circus hudsonius (LiNN.). 
 Eesident; abundant. Begin laying about the first of 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of North America; south in 
 winter to Panama, Bahamas and Cuba. 
 
 Iris brown ; bill horn blue, light at base ; cere greenish 
 yellow; legs and feet yellow; claws black. 
 
 This widely-distributed species (a sort of connecting 
 link between the Hawks and Owls) has been found breed- 
 ing as far north as Hudson's Bay and Alaska, and they no 
 doubt occasionally breed northward within their range. 
 I have found them breeding in Lower California, but south 
 of the United States and northern Mexico they are not 
 common, and as a rule only winter sojourners. The birds 
 frequent the lowlands and marshes, not from choice, I 
 imagine, but because the food they seek is the most abun- 
 dant there ; for they appear alike at home upon the plains, 
 in localities where the lizards and small rodents abound. 
 
 Its flight is low and not swift, but very light and buoy- 
 ant, flapping and sailing as it courses over the ground, 
 often hovering with vibrating wings as it catches sight of 
 some unlucky rodent, lizard, frog or bird in the grass be- 
 neath; never giving chase, but dropping upon its prey, 
 and eating it where caught, unless in a very exposed situa- 
 tion, when it flies to a more secluded place upon the ground. 
 The birds often alight upon a fence post, but seldom in 
 trees, but I never saw one attempt to feed upon its prey 
 from a perch. In food habits they are not particular; a 
 sort of scavenger, that readily feeds upon the carcass of a 
 bird or fish in fact, nothing seems to come amiss.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 111 
 
 These birds as a whole are very beneficial, though occa- 
 sionally killing a stray chicken, but seldom venturing 
 within the dooryard; and they have not the courage to 
 tackle a full grown fowl at least I have never known 
 them to do so, and I have often seen a hen drive them 
 away from her chicks. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the ground, in the grass, 
 sometimes under low bushes, and usually on the bottom 
 prairie lands ; a slight structure, made usually of grasses ; 
 sometimes, on boggy grounds, with a foundation of sticks 
 and weeds. Eggs four to six, 1.86x1.42; bluish white, 
 generally unspotted, but occasionally with faint to dis- 
 tinct spots and blotches of purplish brown; in form, 
 broadly oval. 
 
 XXXIV. KED-TAILED HAWK. 
 
 Buteo borealis (GMEL.). 
 
 Resident ; common. Begin laying the last of February. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America; west to the Great 
 Plains. 
 
 Iris of adult brown, of young yellowish ; bill horn blue ; 
 cere greenish yellow ; legs and feet light yellow ; claws 
 bluish black. 
 
 This large, muscular Hawk is rather evenly distributed 
 throughout its range in the United Sates, and northward. 
 In habits it is rather sluggish, feeding chiefly upon rabbits, 
 mice and moles, which it occasionally swoops down upon 
 from the air, but generally from a perch, where it patiently 
 watches for its prey. It now and then drops upon a Duck, 
 Bob-white, or stray fowl from the yard, but is not quick 
 enough to catch the smaller birds, and never gives chase
 
 112 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 after a bird on the wing. It has not the courage or dash 
 to venture within the dooryard, unless in a secluded place. 
 I know the farmer generally looks upon them as an enemy, 
 but after a careful study of their habits, and an examina- 
 tion of many of their stomachs, I have reached the conclu- 
 sion that they are far more beneficial than injurious, in 
 fact, one of his best friends. In flight they are slow, but 
 steady and strong, with a regular beat of the wings ; they 
 also delight to sail in the air, where they float lightly, and 
 with scarcely an apparent motion of the wings, ofter cir- 
 cling to a great height; and during the insect season, 
 while thus sailing, often fill their craws with grasshoppers, 
 that during the after part of the day also enjoy a sail in 
 the air. 
 
 Their nests are placed in the forks of the branches of the 
 tallest trees on the timbered bottom lands ; a bulky struct- 
 ure, made of sticks, and lined sparingly with grass, leaves 
 and a few feathers. Eggs two to four, usually two or three, 
 2.30x1.84; bluish white thinly and irregularly spotted 
 and blotched with various shades of light to dark brown ; 
 in form, elliptical to oval. 
 
 XXXV. TURKEY VULTURE. 
 
 Cathartes aura (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant; occasionally seen in win- 
 ter. Begin laying the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Nearly the whole of temperate and tropical 
 America, from New England, Manitoba, British Columbia 
 and Washington southward, including the West Indies, to 
 Falkland Islands and Patagonia. 
 
 A young female, in the " Goss Ornithological Collec-
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 113 
 
 tion," reared in confinement and killed December 10th, 
 measures: 26.25, 66.50, 20.00, 10.50, 2.25, .90. 
 
 This Vulture is one of the greatest scavengers of nature. 
 A very abundant bird, especially in the warmer climates, 
 where its presence is of incalculable value as a gormandizer 
 of the garbage, filth and carrion that taint the air and breed 
 disease. Were it not for their valuable services, it would 
 be hard to tolerate their disgusting, filthy habits and un- 
 gainly ways upon the ground and perch. In the air, how- 
 ever, as it sails and circles high above us, with scarcely an 
 apparent effort, we are forced to admit that it is a magnifi- 
 cent sight, and to inwardly say, " Long live the purifiers 
 of the air." I have raised the young (downy little fellows) 
 from the nest, feeding them wholly upon fresh meat, and 
 find that the rank odor of the body is not produced by the 
 food it eats, but from natural causes, like the smell or 
 musk of many animals. 
 
 These birds are mute, their only noise a hiss, like the 
 sound from hot iron being dropped into water. Cowardly 
 birds, that make no defense at their capture, but will occa- 
 sionally, when approached, raise their feathers, stamp their 
 feet like sheep, and hiss. 
 
 Their nests are placed on rocky ledges and in hollow 
 trees and stumps. Eggs two, laid on the bare rocks or 
 debris; no lining; 2.70x1.90; grayish white, variously 
 and unevenly blotched and splashed with light to dark 
 reddish brown and purplish drab; in form, rounded oval.
 
 TWENTIETH CENTUHY CLASSICS 
 
 XXXVI. SCREECH OWL, 
 Megascops asio (LiNN.). 
 
 Resident; abundant. Begin laying early in March. 
 
 HABITAT. Temperate eastern North America ; south to 
 Georgia and west to the Great Plains. 
 
 Iris yellow; bill, cere and claws light greenish horn 
 color. 
 
 This is one of our most abundant and well-known night 
 Owls. It inhabits alike the woods and the habitations of 
 man. Its food consists of mice, small birds, insects, etc. ; 
 in searching for the same, it flies noiselessly but actively 
 about, occasionally capturing its prey upon the wing, but 
 usually pouncing upon it. These birds are rather easily 
 tamed. 
 
 When a small boy, in my old New England homo, I 
 reared one from the nest, that was quite attractive, and, as 
 I was the only one that fed or cared for it, it became 
 strongly attached to me, and, no matter how roughly 
 handled, never showed the least bit of anger; but, upon 
 the approach of a stranger, it would erect its feathers and 
 sharply snap its bill. At the sight of the house cat it was 
 wild with fear and rage, and could not be pacified until 
 Thomas was removed. I gave it the liberty of the dark 
 garret beneath the roof of our house, and in the center of 
 the room placed corn, bread and toasted cheese to attract 
 the mice, and, from the ejected pellets of mouse hair, I 
 know that it captured many mice. At night or in a dark 
 place, it would come to me at call, and alight on my arm or 
 hand, take and readily eat insects and small bits of food, 
 but, if the piece was large, would fly with it to its perch
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 115 
 
 before attempting to eat it. In daytime it seldom came at 
 call, but would always answer with a low, guttural, rattling 
 note. Boy-like, it was one of my chief delights at eve to 
 drop a mouse from a trap into a box. At sight of the mouse 
 it would raise its feathers, quiver with excitement and 
 eagerly pounce upon it, bite it through the back until 
 limp or dead, then, with a chuckling note of satisfaction, 
 carry it to its perch. The birds make quite a variety of 
 low sounds, but the only one heard at a distance is its 
 screeching, tremulous, wailing call note or song, so often 
 heard at eve and during the night, especially when the 
 moon is shining. 
 
 Their nests are placed in holes in trees, occasionally in 
 nooks in buildings. They are sparingly lined with grasses, 
 leaves and feathers. Eggs four to six, 1.40x1.22; pure 
 white; in form, subspherical. 
 
 XXXVIL GREAT HORNED OWL. 
 
 Bubo virginianus (GMEL.). 
 
 Resident ; common. Begin laying the last of February. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America ; west to the edge of 
 the Great Plains; south through eastern Mexico, to Costa 
 Rica. 
 
 Iris yellow; bill, cere and claws black. 
 
 This bird inhabits not only the wooded lands, but our 
 broad prairies, resting during the day in thickets, hollow 
 trees, clefts in rocks, or most any secluded spot. I have 
 occasionally started them from a hummock, in a rank 
 growth of tall grass. They are not strictly a night bird, 
 as I have often seen them during the day, while rearing 
 their young, in search of food; but, unless pressed by
 
 116 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 hunger, seldom venture out until the little day birds, that 
 annoy them greatly, have retired to their roosts. At twi- 
 light and on moonlight nights they are the most active, fly- 
 ing noiselessly and with ease through the timber and over 
 the open ground in search of rabbits, mice, and other small 
 quadrupeds that feed and run about at night, doing great 
 damage to the farmer in his fields. It is, therefore, one of 
 our most beneficial birds, and not injurious, except to the 
 owners of fowls that are either too lazy, or not thoughtful 
 enough, to house them at night. 
 
 In olden times the Owls, on account of their rounded 
 heads, large bright eyes, and stately mien, were selected 
 by the philosophers as emblems of wisdom; but their 
 gloomy habits and night wanderings impressed the super- 
 stitious with the thought that they were the embodiment 
 of evil spirits, and their hoots that broke the stillness of 
 night struck terror to their hearts, as well as to the awak- 
 ened birds upon the perch, and their voice was supposed 
 to bode no good, and their silent visits the forerunner of 
 death. But of late years, as we come to know their ways 
 and habits better, we more properly associate them with 
 the feline race emblems of desolation ; and this powerful 
 bird may well be called the tiger among birds. Its loud, 
 guttural, " Whaugh, ho, hoo, hoo," is not only a note of 
 love, but one of defiance. The birds are, however, very 
 attentive parents, both assisting in hatching and rearing 
 their young. The female (as is the case with nearly all 
 birds of prey) is the larger bird, in order to protect the 
 family in case of a quarrel with her mate, and from his 
 too aggressive advances. 
 
 It nests in natural cavities of trees, deserted nests of
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 117 
 
 Hawks, and, on the plains or prairies, in fissures of rocks ; 
 nest scantily lined with leaves and grasses. Eggs two to 
 four, 2.25x1.90; white; in form, subspherical. 
 
 XXXVIII. BURROWING OWL. 
 
 Speotyto cunicularia liypogaea (BoNAP.). 
 
 Resident ; abundant in the middle and western part of 
 the State. Begin laying about the middle of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Western North America ; north to or a little 
 beyond the northern boundary of the United States ; south 
 to Guatemala ; east to middle Texas and Nebraska ; occa- 
 sionally straggle eastward. A specimen captured in New 
 York city, and one in Massachusetts, I think cage birds 
 rather than stragglers, as reported. (The birds in Florida 
 are variety floridana.} 
 
 Iris yellow ; bill light greenish yellow ; cere and claws 
 blackish; feet dull brown. From the measurements I 
 have taken of many, I do not think the sexes differ in 
 size. In all other birds of prey the female is decidedly 
 the larger bird. 
 
 Dr. Coues, in his " Birds of the Northwest," gives the 
 following full and interesting description of its habits: 
 
 " The Burrowing Owl is the only bird of its family in- 
 habiting in any numbers the entirely treeless regions of 
 the West, and may be considered characteristic of the 
 plains. Wherever it can find shelter in the holes of such 
 animals as wolves, foxes and badgers, and especially of the 
 various species of marmot squirrels, there it is found in 
 abundance; and in not a few instances small colonies are 
 observed living apart from their ordinary associates, in 
 holes apparently dug by themselves. They constitute a
 
 118 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 notable exception to the general rule of arboricole habits 
 in this family, being especially fitted by their conformation 
 for the subterranean mode of life for which they are de- 
 signed, and are furthermore exceptional in their gregarious 
 disposition, here carried to the extreme. The diffusion of 
 the species in the West is so general that there is little 
 occasion to mention particular localities. 
 
 " The Owls are by no means confined to the dog towns, 
 nor even to the similar communities of other gregarious 
 spermophiles. They sometimes occupy the underground 
 dens of wolves, foxes and badgers. In South America, 
 the representative race lives among the bizcachas (Lagos- 
 tomus tzichodactylus) that inhabit the Pampas. On some 
 occasions the birds have been found alone, residing appar- 
 ently in burrows excavated by themselves, as already 
 stated. They are by no means nocturnal ; able to endure 
 the sunlight without inconvenience, they may be observed 
 abroad at all hours. It has been stated that in autumn, 
 at the approach of cold weather, they retire into their bur- 
 rows to hibernate a fable matching the one that ascribes 
 to Swallows the habit of diving into the mud to pass the 
 winter in repose along with torpid frogs. In most locali- 
 ties the birds are abroad the year round; their disappear- 
 ance in inclement regions is accomplished, if at all, by 
 ordinary migration. In California I saw them, bright and 
 lively as crickets, in November. 
 
 " I never undertook to unearth the nest of a Burrowing 
 Owl, but others have been more zealous in the pursuit of 
 knowledge under difficulties. Dr. Cooper says that he once 
 dug two fresh eggs out of a burrow, which he followed down 
 for three feet, and then traced for five feet horizontally,
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 119 
 
 at the cud of which lie found an enlarged chamber, where 
 the eggs were deposited on a few feathers. In his inter- 
 esting note in the American Naturalist, Dr. C. S. Canfield 
 gives a more explicit account of the nesting : ' I once took 
 pains to dig out a nest of the Athene cunicularia. I found 
 that the burrow was about four feet long, and the nest 
 was only about two feet from the surface of the ground. 
 The nest was made in a cavity of the ground of about a 
 foot in diameter, well filled with dry, soft horse dung, bits 
 of old blanket, and fur of a coyote (Canis latrans) that I' 
 had killed a few days before. One of the parent birds was 
 on the nest, and I captured it. It had no intention of 
 leaving the nest, even when entirely uncovered with the 
 shovel and exposed to the open air. It fought bravely 
 with beak and claws. I found seven young ones, perhaps 
 eight or ten days old, well covered with down, but without 
 any feathers. The whole nest, as well as the birds (old 
 and young), swarmed with fleas. It was the filthiest nest 
 T ever saw. In the passage leading to it there were small 
 scraps of dead animals, such as pieces of the skin of the 
 antelope, half dried and half putrified, the skin of the 
 coyote, etc. ; and near the nest were the remains of a snake 
 that I had killed two days before, a large Coluber, two feet 
 long. The birds had. begun at the snake's head and had 
 picked off the flesh clean from the vertebra and ribs for 
 about one-half its length ; the other half of the snake was 
 entire. The material on which the young birds rested was 
 at least three inches deep. There are very few birds that 
 carry more rubbish into their nests than the Athene; and 
 even the Vultures are not much more filthy. I am satisfied 
 that the A. cunicularia lays a larger number of eggs than
 
 120 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 is attributed to it in Dr. Brewer's book (four). I have 
 frequently seen, late in the season, six, seven or eight 
 young birds standing around the mouth of a burrow, iso- 
 lated from others in such a manner that I could not suppose 
 that they belonged to two or more families.' 
 
 " The notes of the Burrowing Owl are peculiar. The 
 birds do not ' hoot,' nor is there anything lugubrious or 
 foreboding in their cry. Sometimes they chuckle, chatter 
 and squeal in an odd way, as if they had caught a habit of 
 barking from the * dogs ' they live with, and were trying 
 to imitate the sound ; but their nocturnal cry is curiously 
 similar to that of the Rain Crow or Cuckoo of America 
 so much so, that more than one observer has been deceived. 
 They scream hoarsely when wounded and caught, though 
 this is but seldom, since, if any life remains, they scramble 
 quickly into a hole, and are not easy to recover. The flight 
 is perfectly noiseless, like that of other Owls, owing to the 
 peculiar downy iexture of the plumage. By day they sel- 
 dom fly far from the entrance of their burrow, and rarely, 
 if ever, mount in the air. I never saw one on the wing 
 more than a few moments at a time, just long enough for 
 it to pass from one hillock to another, as it does by skim- 
 ming low over the surface of the ground, in a rapid, easy, 
 and rather graceful manner. They live chiefly upon in- 
 sects, especially grasshoppers ; they also feed upon lizards, 
 as I once determined by dissection, and there is no doubt 
 that young prairie dogs furnish them many a meal. Under 
 ordinary circumstances, they are not very shy or difficult 
 to procure; I once secured several specimens in a few 
 minutes, and, I fear, left some others to languish and die 
 in their holes. As commonly observed, perched on one of
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS * 121 
 
 the innumerable little eminences that mark a dog town, 
 amid their curious surroundings, they present a spectacle 
 not easily forgotten. Their figure is peculiar ; with their 
 long legs and short tail, the element of the grotesque is 
 never wanting. It is hard to say whether they look most 
 ludicrous as they stand stiffly erect and motionless, or when 
 they suddenly turn tail to duck into the hole, or when en- 
 gaged in their various antics. Bolt upright, on what may 
 be imagined their rostrum, they gaze about with a bland 
 and self-satisfied but earnest air, as if about to address 
 an audience upon a subject of great pith and moment. 
 They suddenly bow low, with profound gravity, and, rising 
 abruptly, they begin to twitch their faces and roll their 
 eyes about in the most mysterious manner, gesticulating 
 wildly, every now and then bending forward till the breast 
 almost touches the ground, to propound the argument with 
 more telling effect; then they face about to address the 
 rear, that all may alike feel the force of their logic; they 
 draw themselves up to the fullest height, outwardly calm 
 and self-contained, pausing in the discourse to note its 
 effect upon the audience and collect their wits for the next 
 rhetorical flourish. And no distant likeness between these 
 frothy orators and others is found in the celerity with 
 which they subside and seek their holes on the slightest 
 intimation of danger." 
 
 Eggs usually four to seven (as high as eleven have been 
 taken), 1.22x1.04; pure white; in form, subspherical.
 
 122 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 XXXIX. MOURNING DOVE. 
 
 Zenaidura macroura (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant; an occasional winter so- 
 journer in the southern part of the State. Begin laying 
 the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of temperate North America, 
 north to the British possessions, south to the West Indies 
 and Panama. 
 
 Iris dark brown; bill black; legs and feet lake red; 
 claws horn blue. 
 
 This familiar bird is extensively distributed through- 
 out the United States, from southern New England and 
 Washington southward; breeding throughout its range. 
 It adapts itself readily to its surroundings, and is as much 
 at home on the dry plains as in the clearings of the moist 
 woodlands. Its plumage does not appear to be affected by 
 the climate. I have specimens in the " Goss Ornithologi- 
 cal Collection " shot at Neah Bay, Washington, San Pedro, 
 Martir Isle, Gulf of California, and in Kansas, and have 
 shot the birds in New England, and in southern Central 
 America, and so far fail to find any difference in colora- 
 tion that will hold good. 
 
 Its food consists of insects, berries and grains, the latter 
 gleaned chiefly from the fields. It is a harmless bird, that 
 by its innocent ways readily wins the heart and protection 
 of man. Its flight is vigorous and strong, and the rapid 
 strokes of its wings cause a whistling sound. During the 
 pairing season the male often circles and sails above his 
 mate, with tail expanded, and upon the ground struts about 
 with nodding head, and feathers spread in a graceful
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 123 
 
 manner. His mournful cooing love note, so pleasing to the 
 female, wafts to my ears one of the saddest sounds in na- 
 ture. The birds while mated are true and devoted to each 
 other. At the close of the breeding season they collect to- 
 gether in small flocks, usually family groups. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the forks of low, horizontal 
 branches of trees, on grape vines, and upon the ground; 
 when built off the ground, a loose slight platform, con- 
 structed of twigs, a few stems of grass, and leaves. Eggs 
 two, 1.12x.85; white; in form, elliptical to oval. 
 
 XL. PASSENGER PIGEON. 
 
 Ectopistes migratorius (LiNN.). 
 
 Irregular summer resident; rare; a few to my knowl- 
 edge breed occasionally in the Neosho valley. Arrive early 
 in March; begin laying by the middle of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern North America, from Hudson's 
 Bay southward, and west to the Great Plains; casually 
 westward to Nevada and Washington ; Cuba. 
 
 Iris red; bill and claws black; legs and feet lake red. 
 
 This species commonly called the Wild Pigeon so, 
 abundant formerly, is fast disappearing, though still to 
 be found in numbers within the Indian Territory and 
 portions of the southern States. They are irregular wan- 
 derers, the gypsies among birds ; their natural home, how- 
 ever, is within the wooded lands, and they are therefore 
 seldom met with upon the broad prairies. 
 
 The following interesting description of these birds is 
 from " North American Land Birds," Vol. Ill, p. 370 : 
 
 " The Wild Pigeon appears to be almost entirely in- 
 fluenced in its migrations by the abundance of its food,
 
 124 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 excepting in those parts of the country in which it has not 
 been known to remain during the winter. Even in these 
 movements it is largely influenced by instinctive consid- 
 erations of food. Evidently the temperature has but little 
 to do with their migrations, as they not unfrequently move 
 northward in large columns as early as the 7th of March, 
 with a thermometer twenty degrees below the freezing 
 point. In the spring of 1872 a large accumulation of these 
 birds took place early in March, in the eastern portion of 
 New York. They were present in the forests about Al- 
 bany, and were taken in such immense numbers that the 
 markets of New York and Boston were largely supplied 
 with them. 
 
 "As early as the 10th of March they were ascertained 
 to have in their ovaries full grown eggs ready for exclu- 
 sion. In Kentucky they have been known, according to 
 Audubou, to remain summer and winter in the same dis- 
 trict for several successive years, in consequence of great 
 abundance of food, while in other parts of the State none 
 were to be met with. They suddenly disappeared as soon 
 as the beechmast had become exhausted, and did not re- 
 turn for a long period. 
 
 " The Wild Pigeons are capable of propelling themselves 
 in long-continued flights, and are known to move with an 
 almost incredible rapidity, passing over a g ea: < xr n 
 country in a very short time. It is quite a common and 
 well-ascertained fact that Pigeons are captured in the State 
 of New York with their crops still filled with the undi- 
 gested grains of rice that must have been taken in the 
 distant fields of Georgia or South Carolina, apparently 
 proving that they much have passed over the intervening
 
 BIRDS OP KANSAS 125 
 
 space within a very few hours. Audubon estimates the 
 rapidity of their flight as at least a mile a minute. 
 
 " The Wild Pigeons are said to move, in their flight, 
 by quickly-repeated flaps of the wings, which are brought 
 more or less near to the body, according to the degree of 
 velocity required. During the love season they often fly 
 in a circling manner, supporting themselves with both 
 wings angularly elevated. Before alighting they break 
 the force of their flight by repeated flappings. 
 
 " Their great powers of flight, and the ability thus -given 
 to change at will their residence, and their means of renew- 
 ing a supply of food, are also thought to be seconded by a 
 remarkable power of vision, enabling them to discover their 
 food with great readiness. Mr. Audubon states that he has 
 observed flocks of these birds, in passing over a sterile part 
 of the country, fly high in the air, with an extended front, 
 enabling them to survey hundreds of acres at once. When 
 the land is richly covered with food, or the trees well sup- 
 plied with mast, they fly low in order to discover the part 
 most plentifully supplied. 
 
 " In its movements on the ground, as also when alighted 
 on the branches of trees, the Wild Pigeon is remarkable for 
 its ease and grace. It walks on the ground and also on 
 the limbs of trees with an easy, graceful motion, frequently 
 jerking its tail and moving its neck backward and forward. 
 
 " Mr. Audubon states that in Kentucky he has re- 
 peatedly visited one of the remarkable roosting-places to 
 which these birds resort at night. This one was on the 
 banks of Green River, and to this place the birds came 
 every night at sunset, arriving from all directions, some of 
 them from the distance of several hundred miles, as was
 
 126 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTEJEY CLASSICS 
 
 conjectured from certain observations. The roost was in 
 a portion of the forest where the trees were of great mag- 
 nitude. It was more than forty miles in length, and av- 
 eraged three in breadth. It had been occupied as a roost 
 about a fortnight when he visited it. The dung was several 
 inches deep on the ground. Many trees had been broken 
 down by their weight, as well as many branches of the 
 largest and tallest trees. The forest seemed as if it had 
 been swept by a tornado. Everything gave evidence that 
 the number of birds resorting to that part of the forest 
 must be immense. A large number of persons collected 
 before sunset to destroy them, provided with torches of 
 pine knots, and armed with long poles and guns. The 
 Pigeons began to collect after sunset, their approach pre- 
 ceded, even when they were at a distance, by a noise like 
 that of a hard gale at sea sounding in the rigging of a 
 vessel. As the birds passed over him, they created a 
 strong current of air. The birds arrived by thousands, 
 fires were alighted, and the work of destruction com- 
 menced. Many were knocked down by the pole men. In 
 many cases they collected in such solid masses on tho 
 branches that several of their perches gave way and fell 
 to the ground, in this way destroying hundreds of the 
 birds beneath them. It was a scene of great confusion 
 and continued until past midnight, the Pigeons still con- 
 tinuing to arrive. The sound made by the birds at the 
 roost could be heard at the distance of three miles. As 
 day approached, the noise in some measure subsided ; and 
 long before objects were distinguishable the Pigeons began 
 to move off, and before daylight all that were able to fly 
 had disappeared. The dead and wounded birds were then
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 127 
 
 collected and piled into heaps by those who had assembled 
 for the purpose. 
 
 " Though for the most part living, moving and feeding 
 together in large companies, the Wild Pigeon mates in 
 pairs for purposes of breeding. They have several 
 broods in the season, and commence nesting very early in 
 the spring, the time being considerably affected by the 
 amount of food." 
 
 Their nests are placed on trees, and in communities ; a 
 slight platform structure of twigs, without any material 
 for lining whatever. Eggs two, 1.45x1.05; white; in 
 form, varying from elliptical to oval. 
 
 XLL BOB-WHITE. 
 
 Colinus virginianiis (LiNN.). 
 
 Eesident; abundant from the eastern to the middle 
 portion of the State, moving westward and increasing 
 with its settlement. Begin laying the last of April. 
 
 HABITAT. Eastern United States; north into Lower 
 Canada; south to the Gulf States; west to Dakota, Kan- 
 sas, Indian Territory and eastern Texas. 
 
 Iris brown ; bill dark brown, usually pale brown at base 
 of under mandible; legs and feet pale bluish to brownish 
 gray; claws black. 
 
 This familiar species is generally known in the New 
 England and Middle States as the Quail, and in the South- 
 ern States as the Partridge. These names belong to othor 
 and quite different though closely allied birds. At 
 the suggestion of Prof. Baird, " Bob-white," its cheerful 
 call note, has become its accepted and present name. The 
 birds appear to thrive best in the presence of man, and,
 
 128 TWENTIETH CENTTJTCY CLASSICS 
 
 were they protected and fed during our cold winters, would 
 soon become quite tame. They often nest near our dwell- 
 ings. In the spring of 1867, I was shown, on Owl Creek, 
 Woodson county, Kansas, a nest containing nineteen eggs. 
 It was placed in the dooryard, and not over twenty-five 
 yards from the house; several dogs were running about 
 the yard, and the house cat was purring in the door- 
 way. Fearing the eggs would be destroyed, I suggested 
 the building of a high tight fence around the nest, 
 " Oh! " said the farmer, " that is not necessary; our cats 
 and dogs will not harm them, for they know them well, 
 as they have for a long time run about with the chickens, 
 and feed with them from food thrown from the door step." 
 I am confident if man was as friendly to the birds as they 
 are to man, that they would soon become thoroughly do- 
 mesticated. Trapped and hunted as they are, with dog and 
 gun, it is not strange that, as a whole, they remain timid 
 and mistrustful, and, were they not naturally birds of 
 civilization, would rapidly disappear with the settlement 
 of a country. As it is they seem to realize that man is 
 only at times their enemy, and that his cultivated fields 
 afford them a safe resort from their many other enemies, 
 and insure a more certain and bountiful supply of food 
 than found elsewhere. 
 
 In the destruction of injurious insects, and the seeds of 
 weeds, upon which they largely feed, they more than 
 doubly repay for the few grains eaten prior to the harvest. 
 
 Their flesh is highly esteemed, and to the wing shot a 
 most attractive game bird. When startled, rise with a 
 loud whirring sound ; in flight very swift, low, and direct ; 
 a rather laborious effort, dropping back into the first in-
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 129 
 
 viting cover. They do not, like our Prairie Hens, collect 
 in large flocks, but move about in small coveys or family 
 groups ; pairing during the breeding season, and, although 
 not strictly true to each other in their marriage relations, 
 are very attentive and share alike in the duties of pro- 
 tecting and rearing the young. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the ground, in a depression, 
 usually in the grass upon the prairies, sometimes in a 
 thicket, under a low bush; composed of grasses, and 
 usually arched over, with entrance on the sides. Eggs 
 fifteen to twenty, 1.20x.97; pure white; in shape, pyri- 
 f orm. !N"ests found with a larger number of eggs, I think 
 the product of two or more females. 
 
 XLIL PKAIKIE HEN. 
 
 Tympanuchus americanus (REICH.). 
 
 Common in the eastern to middle portion of the State, 
 and spreading westward with its settlement. Formerly 
 abundant, but rapidly decreasing in numbers, and, unless 
 the law protecting them is strictly enforced, especially so 
 far as it relates to trapping, they will soon become exter- 
 minated; for during the extreme cold winters, when the 
 ground is covered with snow, hunger overcomes their fear, 
 and the last one is easily entrapped. 
 
 HABITAT. Prairies of the Mississippi valley, east to 
 Indiana and Kentucky ; north to Manitoba ; west to east- 
 ern Dakota; south to Texas and Louisiana. (The eastern 
 bird, T. cupido, until of late supposed to be this species, 
 is now apparently extinct, except on the Island of Martha's 
 Vineyard.) 
 
 Iris brown ; bill and claws dark brown ; feet yellowish. 
 
 9
 
 130 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 This familiar game bird inhabits our fertile prairies, 
 seldom frequenting the timbered lands, except during 
 sleety storms, or when the ground is covered with snow. 
 Its flesh is dark, and it is not very highly esteemed as a 
 table bird. 
 
 During the early breeding season they feed largely upon 
 grasshoppers, crickets and other forms of insect life, but 
 afterward chiefly upon our cultivated grains, gleaned 
 from the stubble in autumn and the corn fields in winter ; 
 they are also fond of tender buds, berries and fruits. 
 They run about much like our domestic fowls, but with a 
 more stately carriage. When flushed, rise from the ground 
 with a less whirring sound than the Ruffed Grouse or 
 Bob-white, and their flight is not as swift, but more pro- 
 tracted, and with less apparent effort, flapping and sailing 
 along, often to the distance of a mile or more. In the 
 fall the birds collect together, and remain in flocks until 
 the warmth of spring quickens their blood, and awakes 
 the passions of love ; then, as with a view to fairness and 
 the survival of the fittest, they select a smooth, open court- 
 ship ground, (usually called a " scratching ground,") 
 where the males assemble at the early dawn, to vie with 
 each other in courage and pompous display, uttering at 
 the same time their love call, a loud booming noise; as 
 soon as this is heard by the hen birds desirous of mating, 
 they quietly put in an appearance, squat upon the ground, 
 apparently indifferent observers, until claimed by victo- 
 rious rivals, which they gladly accept, and receive their 
 caresses. I have often lain and watched their amorous 
 actions, described in so lifelike a manner by Audubon. 
 His statement that the vanquished and victors alike leave
 
 BIKDS OF KAXSAS 131 
 
 the grounds to search for the females is true, but he omits 
 to state that many are present, and mate upon the " scratch- 
 ing grounds." The birds are not strictly true to each other 
 during the love season, and this is true of most birds when 
 the assistance of the male is not required in hatching and 
 rearing of the young. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the ground in the thick prairie^ 
 grass, and at the foot of bushes on the barren ground; 
 a hollow scratched out in the soil, and sparingly lined with 
 grasses and a few feathers. Eggs eight to twelve, 1.68x- 
 1.25 ; tawny brown, sometimes with an olive hue, and occa- 
 sionally sprinkled with brown; in form, rather oval. A 
 set of nine eggs, collected at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, May 
 27th, 1883, measure: 1.65x1.27, 1.64x1.24, 1.66x1.22, 
 1.69x1.23, 1.62x1.24, 1.69x1.28, 1.61x1.27, 1.64x1.26, 
 1.64x1.25. 
 
 XLIIL KILLDEEK. 
 
 Aegialitis vocifera (LiNN.). 
 
 Summer resident; abundant. Arrive the last of Feb- 
 ruary to first of April; begin laying about the middle of 
 April ; remain until late in the fall. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of temperate North America; 
 breeding throughout its range; wintering from the Gulf 
 coast and southern California, south into northern South 
 America. 
 
 This noisy, familiar species frequents alike the high 
 prairies, the low lands, margins of streams or pools of 
 water; in fact, appears to be at home wherever it may 
 alight. As a rule it is easily approached, not being either 
 wise or timid. While collecting in the winter of 1889,
 
 132 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 at Coatapec, Mexico, a pair came daily to feed and dress 
 up their feathers beside a little run or gutter in the center 
 of the narrow paved street opposite my room in the hotel, 
 regardless of the people on the sidewalks, only running or 
 dodging to avoid a person crossing, or to keep out of the 
 way of the pack mules, etc., that are almost continually 
 passing; and it is not uncommon for the birds to alight 
 upon our streets and within our dooryards. Upon the 
 ground they run swiftly, but with too stiff legs to be 
 graceful, often squatting to rest or hide. 
 
 The parent birds both assist in hatching and raising 
 the young, and are very solicitous and demonstrative in 
 their efforts to protect .them ; and, in doing so, beautifully 
 display, with quivering wings and fan-spread tail, their 
 varied colors. Upon the wing they are swift and easy, and 
 at all times make known their approach and presence in 
 a vociferous manner. Their food consists chiefly of insect 
 life. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the dry ground, in a small 
 depression, usually beneath a bunch of grass or weeds, in 
 the vicinity of streams and pools of water, lined sparingly 
 with bits of old grass or weeds, chiefly about the edges. 
 Eggs usually four, 1.45x1.05 ; buff to drab white, spotted 
 and blotched with umber and blackish brown; thickest 
 about larger end; pyriform in shape, very obtuse at 
 larger end and sharply pointed at the other. 
 
 XLIV. SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 
 
 Actitis macularia (LixN.). 
 
 Summer resident; common; in migration, abundant. 
 Arrive the middle of April to first of May; begin laying 
 about the middle of May; a few remain into November.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 133 
 
 HABITAT. N"orth America in general; breeding 
 throughout the temperate regions and north to the Arctic 
 coast ; south in winter to Brazil and lower Uruguay, South 
 America; occasionally in Europe. 
 
 This well-known species is quite common throughout its 
 range, and is at home everywhere along the salt and fresh 
 water shores, and 'not like most of the family restricted to 
 a northern clime for its breeding grounds. Its quick, pe- 
 culiar, balancing motions, caused by bending the knees and 
 keeping time with the head and tail, readily attract at- 
 tention and has given the sobriquet of " Teeters " or 
 " Tipups," which can never be rubbed out. Its flight 
 is also peculiar, usually in a low, coursing manner along 
 the shore, with alternate motions of the wings; at first 
 regular strokes, then with its long, pointed wings curving 
 downward and tremulously vibrating, it sails along, utter- 
 ing its usual " Peet-weet," as it goes. 
 
 Their food consists of insects and small forms of life, 
 found at or near the water's edge. 
 
 The parents both assist in hatching and rearing of the 
 young, which leave the nest and follow, soon after they are 
 hatched. They run swiftly, and it is surprising how 
 quickly they will disappear at the first note of warning, by 
 hiding or. squatting close to the ground ; and in case of real 
 danger the old birds flutter about in great distress, and in 
 various ways try to divert attention and draw the intruder 
 away. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the ground and lined sparingly 
 with grasses and leaves ; usually on open, dry lands near 
 water, and in a tuft of grass or under a low bush ; (I once 
 found a nest under an old drift log). Eggs four, l.SOx- 
 .93; creamy buff to olive drab, spotted and blotched with
 
 134 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 dark brown and shell markings of lilac ; thickest and run- 
 ning somewhat together around the large end ; in shape, 
 pyriform. 
 
 XLV. YELLOW-LEGS. 
 
 Totanus flavipes (GMEL.). 
 
 Migratory ; abundant. Arrive in March, a few remain- 
 ing until the last of May; return in August, and tarry 
 until early frosts. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of North America; breeding 
 from northern Illinois (seldom in the United States), 
 north to within the Arctic circle; south in winter into 
 southern South America; accidental in Europe. 
 
 Iris brown; bill black, with edge of base greenish yel- 
 low ; legs and feet bright yellow ; claws dark brown. 
 
 These birds are very common in the United States dur- 
 ing migration, east of the Rocky Mountains, especially 
 during the spring in the western portion ; and, although 
 considered rare on the Pacific side, I am inclined to think 
 that in suitable localities it will prove to be a regular and 
 not uncommon migrant. I met with it at Whatcom, Wash- 
 ington (also at San Jose, Guatemala), Capt. Chas. Ben- 
 dire reports it an abundant migrant in Oregon, and it has 
 been found breeding in Alaska. 
 
 In habits, this noisy bird does not appear to differ from 
 the preceding species, though less watchful and more easily 
 approached. 
 
 Their nests are mere depressions in the ground, occa- 
 sionally lined with a few leaves or grasses. Eggs usually 
 four, 1.69x1.15 ; cream to drab buff, spotted and blotched 
 irregularly with varying shades of dark brown and purple 
 shell stains ; in shape, pyriform.
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 135 
 
 XLVL GREEN HERON. 
 
 Ardea, virescens (Lrxisr.). 
 
 Summer resident ; abundant. Arrive about the middle 
 of April; begin laying about the first of May; remain 
 until late in the fall. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of temperate North America, 
 West Indies, Bermudas ; north into Maine, Dakota and 
 Oregon; south into Venezuela and Colombia, South 
 America. 
 
 This widely-distributed and common species is a sum- 
 mer resident, in suitable localities, throughout the north- 
 ern portion of the Union; wintering in the Southern 
 States and southward, where it also breeds. A graceful 
 little beauty, but for some unknown reason is in bad repute, 
 hooted at and stoned by the boys and called bad names; 
 it may be because it destroys daily many of the finny 
 tribe, but in this respect does not differ from the family 
 of which it is one of the least, and not near as destructive 
 at the artificial fish ponds as the Night Heron, that during 
 the night visits with noiseless wing the ponds and foun- 
 tains in the very heart of the city, where it feeds undis- 
 turbed, and as silently wings itself away. 
 
 These birds are not shy, and, where not persecuted, very 
 easily approached. Their feeding habits are similar to 
 those of the Great Blue, but more strictly a nocturnal 
 bird; seldom found in large flocks, and, though found 
 breeding in rookeries, the mated pair as a rule prefer to 
 nest alone. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the branches of trees and 
 bushes skirting streams and ponds, and are loosely made
 
 136 TWENTIETH CENTDKY CLASSICS 
 
 of sticks, and lined with twigs in leaf. Eggs four or five ; 
 average dimensions of three sets, two of four and one of 
 five, 1.52x1.10; light greenish blue; in form, oval to 
 elliptical oval. 
 
 XLVIL GKEAT BLUE HERON. 
 Ardea herodias (LiLL.). 
 
 Summer resident; quite common along the streams. 
 Arrive early in March; begin laying the last of March. 
 
 HABITAT. !North America, from the Arctic regions 
 southward into northern South America, Bermudas, West 
 Indies and Galapagos. 
 
 These birds are quite common in suitable localities, and 
 breed nearly throughout their range; a hardy species, 
 that only leave their northern resorts as the ice closes their 
 natural feeding grounds. They are solitary and silent 
 except during the breeding season, and even then are not 
 social, though often nesting in communities and with others 
 of the family ; they seem to have no interest in common, 
 only coming together because the location suits them, and 
 at such times fight fiercely for a favorite branch or place 
 for a nest; while mated, however, the pairs are true to 
 each other, and share alike in the duties of nest building, 
 hatching and rearing the young. The latter is a laborious 
 work, and requires constant labor during the day and way 
 into the night, even where food is abundant, for their 
 growth is rapid and digestive organs great ; but when they 
 have only their own appetites to satisfy they generally 
 feed at morn and eve, resting during the day in swampy 
 lands and treetops skirting the waters. 
 
 Their food consists chiefly of fishes, which they usually
 
 BIKDS OF KANSAS 137 
 
 secure by standing motionless in the water, with bill poised, 
 patiently awaiting their near approach, when they are 
 pierced with a rapid stroke of the bill, and quickly swal- 
 lowed, head foremost. They also feed on frogs, meadow 
 mice in fact upon all small forms of digestible life. 
 
 These birds have great strength of wing, and their flight 
 in migration is high and protracted ; at other times, unless 
 going a great distance, they flop leisurely along near the 
 water or land. In flight the head is drawn back upon the 
 breast, with legs extended rudder-like, in line with the 
 body. 
 
 Their nests are placed on the branches of high trees, 
 growing upon swampy lands and along the streams; in 
 localities destitute of trees, upon bushes, rocks and the 
 ground ; in all cases a flat, bulky structure of sticks, lined 
 sparingly with grasses. Eggs three to six, usually four; 
 pale greenish blue; varying somewhat in size; in form, 
 rather elliptical oval. A set of four, taken April 12th, 
 1881, on an island in Nueces Bay, measure: 2.40x1.75, 
 2.60x1.86, 2.65x1.80, 2.65x1.86. 
 
 XLVIIL SANDHILL CRANE. 
 
 Orus mexicana (MULL.). 
 
 Migratory; common. Arrive about the middle of 
 March to first of April; return early in October; a few 
 occasionally remain as late as November 20th. 
 
 HABITAT. North in the British possessions to Mani- 
 toba, but chiefly within the United States, and west from 
 the Mississippi valley to the Pacific coast, south into cen- 
 tral Mexico, and eastward along the Gulf coast to Florida 
 and Georgia, breeding in suitable localities nearly through- 
 out its range.
 
 138 TWENTIETH CENTUBY CLASSICS 
 
 These birds, in their habits, are similar to the Whoop- 
 ing, but much more numerous. Their loud, modulating, 
 sonorous croak announces their presence, and is often heard 
 during the night as well as by day. 
 
 During courtship and the early breeding season, their 
 actions and antics at times are ludicrous in the extreme, 
 bowing and leaping high in the air, hopping, skipping and 
 circling about with drooping wings anl croaking whoop, 
 an almost indescribable dance and din, in which the fe- 
 males (an exception to the rule) join, all working them- 
 selves up into a fever of excitement, only equaled by an 
 Indian war dance, and, like the same, it only stops when 
 the last one is exhausted. 
 
 Eggs two. A set collected May 25th, 1880, near James- 
 town, Dakota, from a nest on a marsh in a tall growth of 
 rushes, a level platform about three feet in diameter, made 
 of flags, leaves and rushes, are, in dimensions: 3.68x2.25, 
 3.82x2.40 ; ground color pale olive buff, spotted and 
 splashed with sepia brown and purple shell stains, thickest 
 at larger end; in form, elliptical oval. 
 
 XLIX. AMERICAN COOT. 
 Fulica americana ((TMEL.). 
 
 Summer resident; not uncommon; during migration 
 abundant. Arrive the middle of March to the middle of 
 April; begin laying the last of May; a few linger late 
 into November. 
 
 HABITAT. The whole of North America, from Green- 
 land and Alaska southward to northern South America, 
 Bermudas, West Indies (and Trinidad?). 
 
 This species is not very common on the Atlantic coast,
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 139 
 
 north of the more southern States, but abundant west- 
 ward. It breeds occasionally throughout its range, but 
 chiefly from latitude 43 to 55 ; wintering in large flocks 
 in the Southern States and Mexico, decreasing in numbers 
 southward. 
 
 These birds are in many respects like their cousins, the 
 Gallinules, which they so closely resemble ; inhabiting the 
 edges of swampy, boggy ponds, where covered with a rank 
 growth of reeds and rushes. They differ, however, in 
 being social, going in flocks, and in preferring the open 
 water in which to sport and rest, or muskrat houses and 
 bare places of land to rest and dress their feathers upon; 
 keeping, during the breeding season, near their reedy 
 cover, into which they quickly swim and hide, in case of 
 danger ; but in the fall of the year, preparatory to migra- 
 tion, they often assemble out upon the open waters. 
 
 They swim and walk with a nodding motion of the head. 
 I have noticed them occasionally dive for food, but they 
 are not expert divers, and seldom do so except when 
 closely pressed and unable to fly. 
 
 Its flesh is dark and not good eating, and its feathers not 
 soft and downy, therefore not sought after by the pot 
 hunter, nor considered a game bird by the sportsman; 
 and for these reasons the birds are not shy, and are easily 
 approached. They rise from the water in a laborious, 
 running, flapping manner, but, when fairly in the air, fly 
 quite steadily, with neck and feet well stretched out, the 
 head usually inclining downward and the feet a little up- 
 ward. At times, before mating, they are quite noisy. 
 
 Their food consists of aquatic insects, snails, tender 
 water plants, buds, blossoms and seeds of different plants, 
 etc.
 
 140 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 Their nests are placed in tall weeds and rushes growing 
 in shallow, muddy places, in ponds and sloughs ; built on 
 the tops of the broken-down old growth that forms a plat- 
 form just above the water; quite a deep, hollow nest, com- 
 posed of short, bitten-off stems of the weeds and rushes. 
 Eggs usually eight or nine I have seen eleven in a nest, 
 1.92x1.32; cream white, in some cases pale olive drab, 
 thickly and evenly speckled with dark brown; in form, 
 oval to ovate. A set of six eggs, taken from a nest on a 
 marsh, near Horicon, Wisconsin, are, in dimensions: 
 1.90x1.29, .1.92x1.33, 1.92x1.32, 1.90x1.30, 1.92x1.29, 
 1.92x1.33. 
 
 L. CANVAS-BACK. 
 
 Aytliya vallisneria (WiLs.). 
 
 Migratory; irregular; not uncommon. Arrive early 
 in March my notes show the capture of one February 
 22d ; return in October. 
 
 HABITAT. North America in general; breeding far 
 northward. 
 
 This highly-esteemed Duck is exclusively a North 
 American species ; they have been found breeding on the 
 inland waters from Oregon and Manitoba to Fort Yukon, 
 Alaska, and south in winter .to Guatemala. The birds are 
 quite rare in the northeastern States, increasing in num- 
 bers westward to the Pacific coast; some seasons very 
 common. As they associate in large flocks upon their 
 feeding grounds, are generally thought to be more abun- 
 dant than they really are. 
 
 This species, so highly prized as a game bird, is entitled 
 to more than a passing notice ; and I know that I cannot
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 141 
 
 please the reader better than to quote from Wilson's inter- 
 esting description of its habits, wherein he says : 
 
 " The Canvas-back Duck arrives in the United States 
 from the north about the middle of October; a few de- 
 scend to the Hudson and Delaware, but the greater body 
 of these birds resort to the numerous rivers belonging to 
 and in the neighborhood of the Chesapeake Bay, particu- 
 larly the Susquehanna, the Patapsco, Potomac and James 
 rivers, which appear to be their general winter rendezvous. 
 Beyond this to the south, I can find no certain account 
 of them. At the Susquehanna, they are called Canvas- 
 backs; on the Potomac, White-backs, and on the James 
 river, Shelldrakes. They are seldom found a great dis- 
 tance up any of these rivers, or even in the salt water bay ; 
 but in that particular part of the tide water where a cer- 
 tain grass-like plant grows, on the roots of which they 
 feed. This plant, which is said to be a species of the Val- 
 lisneria, grows on fresh-water shoals of from seven to nine 
 feet (but never where these are occasionally dry), in long, 
 narrow grass-like blades of "four or five feet in length ; the 
 root is white, and has some resemblance to small celery. 
 This grass is in many places so thick that a boat can with 
 difficulty be rowed through it, it so impedes the oars. 
 The shores are lined with large quantities of it, torn up 
 by the Ducks and drifted up by the winds, lying like hay 
 in windrows. Wherever this plant grows in abundance 
 the Canvas-backs may be expected either to pay occasional 
 visits or to make it their regular residence during the 
 winter. It occurs in some parts of the Hudson, in the 
 Delaware, near Gloucester, a few miles below Philadel- 
 phia, and in most of the rivers that fall into the Chesa-
 
 142 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 peake, to each, of which particular places these Ducks 
 resort; while in waters unprovided with this nutritive 
 plant they are altogether unknown. 
 
 " On the arrival of these birds in the Susquehanna, 
 near Havre de Grace, they are generally lean, but such is 
 the abundance of their favorite food, that towards the 
 middle of November they are in pretty good order. They 
 are excellent divers, and swim with great speed and agility. 
 They sometimes assemble in such multitudes as to cover 
 several acres of the river, and when they rise suddenly, 
 produce a noise resembling thunder. They float about the 
 shoals, diving and tearing up the grass by the roots, which 
 is the only part they eat. They are extremely shy, and 
 can rarely be approached, unless by strategem. When 
 wounded in the wing, they dive to such prodigious dis- 
 tances, and with such rapidity, continuing it so persever- 
 ingly, and with such cunning and active vigor, as almost 
 always to render the pursuit hopeless. From the great 
 demand for these Ducks, and the high price they uniformly 
 bring in market, various modes are practiced to get within 
 gunshot of them. The most successful way is said to be 
 decoying them to the shore by means of a dog, while the 
 gunner lies concealed in a proper situation. The dog, 
 if properly trained, plays back and forwards along the 
 margin of the water, and the Ducks, observing his man- 
 oeuvres, enticed perhaps by curiosity, gradually approach 
 the shore, until they are sometimes within twenty or thirty 
 yards of the spot where the gunner lies concealed, and 
 from which he rakes them, first on the water, and then as 
 they rise. This method is called ' tolling them in.' If 
 the Ducks seem difficult to decoy, any glaring object, such
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 143 
 
 as a red handkerchief, is fixed around the dog's middle 
 or to his tail, and this rarely fails to attract them. Some- 
 times, by moonlight, the sportsman directs his skiff 
 towards a flock whose position he has previously ascer- 
 tained, keeping within the projecting shadow of some 
 wood, bank or headland, and paddles along so silently 
 and imperceptibly as often to approach within fifteen or 
 twenty yards of a flock of many thousands, among whom 
 he generally makes great slaughter. 
 
 "Many other strategems are practised, and indeed 
 every plan that the ingenuity of the experienced sports- 
 man can suggest, to approach within gunshot of these 
 birds; but of all the modes pursued, none intimidate 
 them so much as shooting them by night; and they soon 
 abandon the place where they have been thus repeatedly 
 shot at. During the day they are dispersed about, but, 
 towards evening collect in large flocks, and come into the 
 mouths of creeks, where they often ride, as at anchor, 
 with their head under their wing asleep, there being al- 
 ways sentinels awake, ready to raise an alarm on the least 
 appearance of danger. Even when feeding and diving in 
 small parties, the whole never go down at one time, but 
 some are still left above on the lookout. 
 
 " When winter sets in severely, and the river is frozen, 
 the Canvas-back retreats to its confluence with the bay, 
 occasionally frequenting air-holes in the ice, which are 
 sometimes made for the purpose, immediately above their 
 favorite grass, to entice them within gunshot of the hut 
 or bush which is usually fixed at a proper distance, and 
 where the gunner lies concealed, ready to take advantage 
 of their distress. A Mr. Hill, who lives near James
 
 144 TWENTIETH CENTUKY CLASSICS 
 
 River, at a place called Herring Creek, informs me that 
 one severe winter, he and another person broke a hole in 
 the ice about twenty by forty feet, immediately over a 
 shoal of grass, and took their stand on the shore in a hut 
 of brush, each having three guns well loaded with large 
 shot. The Ducks, which were flying up and down the 
 river in great extremity, soon crowded to this place, so 
 that the whole open space was not only covered with them, 
 but vast numbers stood on the ice around it. They had 
 three rounds, firing both at once, and picked up eighty- 
 eight Canvas-Backs, and might have collected more had 
 they been able to get to the extremity of the ice after the 
 wounded ones. In. the severe winter of 1879-80, the 
 grass on the roots of which these birds feed was almost 
 wholly destroyed in the James River. In the month of 
 January, the wind continued to blow from west-northwest 
 for twenty-one days, which caused such low tides in the 
 river that the grass froze to the ice everywhere, and, a 
 thaw coming on suddenly, the whole was raised by the 
 roots and carried off by the freshet. The next winter a 
 few of these Ducks were seen, but they soon went away 
 again; and, for many years after, they continued to be 
 scarce, and even to the present day, in the opinion of my 
 informant, have never been so plenty as before. 
 
 " The Canvas-back, in the rich juicy tenderness of its 
 flesh and its delicacy of flavor, stands unrivaled by the 
 whole of its tribe in this or perhaps any other quarter of 
 the world. Those killed in the waters of the Chesapeake 
 are generally esteemed superior to all others, doubtless 
 from the great abundance of their favorite food which 
 these rivers produce. At our public dinners, hotels and
 
 BIRDS OF KANSAS 145 
 
 particular entertainments, the Canvas-backs are universal 
 favorites. They not only grace but dignify the table, and 
 their very name conveys to the imagination of the eager 
 epicure the most comfortable and exhilarating ideas. 
 Hence, on such occasions, it has not been uncommon to 
 pay from one to three dollars a pair for these Ducks ; and, 
 indeed, at such times, if they can they must be had, what- 
 ever may be the price. 
 
 " The Canvas-back will feed readily on grain, especially 
 wheat, and may be decoyed to particular places by bait- 
 ing them with that grain for several successive days. Some 
 few years since, a vessel loaded with wheat was wrecked 
 near the entrance to Great Egg Harbor, in the autumn, 
 and went to pieces. The wheat floated out in vast quan- 
 tities, and the whole surface of the bay was, in a few days, 
 covered with Ducks of a kind altogether unknown to the 
 people of that quarter. The gunners of the neighborhood 
 collected in boats, in every direction, shooting them; and 
 so successful were they, that, as Mr. Beasley informs me, 
 two hundred and forty were killed in on day, and sold 
 among the neighbors at twelve and a half cents apiece 
 without the feathers. The wounded ones were generally 
 abandoned, as being too difficult to come up with. They 
 continued about for three weeks, and during the greater 
 part of the time a continual cannonading was heard from 
 every quarter. The gunners called them Sea Ducks. 
 They were all Canvas-backs, at that time on their way 
 from the north, when this floating feast attracted their 
 attention, and for awhile arrested them in their course. 
 A pair of these very Ducks I myself bought in Philadel- 
 phia market at the time, from an Egg Harbor gunner,
 
 146 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 and never met with their superior either in weight or 
 excellence of flesh. When it was known among these 
 people the loss they had sustained in selling for twenty- 
 five cents what would have brought them from a dollar to 
 a dollar and a half a pair, universal surprise and regret 
 were naturally enough excited." 
 
 The nests of this bird are usually found in thick growths 
 of grass, reeds and rushes growing in shallow water. They 
 are made of grasses and material at hand, are built from 
 the ground up, and often quite bulky, and are lined with 
 down. Eggs usually seven or eight, 2.50x1.76; pale 
 grayish olive green ; in form, oval to ovate. 
 
 LL DOUBLE-CEESTED CORMORANT. 
 
 Phalacrocorax dilopTius (Sw. & RICH.). 
 
 Migratory; not uncommon. Arrive the last of March 
 to the first of April. To be looked for in the old deep 
 channels of the rivers in the low timbered lands. Return 
 in October. 
 
 HABITAT. Northern North America; south in winter 
 to the Gulf coast ; breeding from the Bay of Fundy north- 
 ward, and westward to Manitoba. 
 
 The birds are abundant on the northeast coast, decreas- 
 ing in numbers westward to the Rocky Mountains. They 
 have been reported west of the Rockies, and breeding 
 there, but the specimens taken on the Pacific side prove 
 to be an intermediate race between this species and albo- 
 ciliatus. 
 
 The birds subsist chiefly upon fish, which they capture 
 by diving and pursuing beneath the water, with a speed 
 the swiftest of the finny tribe seldom escape, coming to
 
 SIRDS OF KANSAS 14 
 
 the surface with their capture, tossing the same in the air 
 and catching it head first as it falls, so that the fins will 
 not prevent its passing into the stomach. The throat 
 readily expands and enables them to swallow fish larger 
 than the neck in its normal condition. I have often no- 
 ticed the birds when resting upon a log, or perched upon 
 a limb over the water, suddenly drop and disappear be- 
 neath its surface at the sight of a fish, catching it, however, 
 in a fair chase, and not, like the Gannet or Kingfisher, 
 by a plunge upon their prey. 
 
 All the birds of this family are voracious eaters, and the 
 craving for food makes them active hunters, and they are 
 successfully used in many places by the fishermen, who 
 tie a string around their neck to prevent their swallowing 
 the fish they catch. The Chinese especially rear and train 
 the birds upon their boats for fishing, with great success. 
 Le Comte says : " To this end they are educated as men 
 rear up spaniels or hawks, and one man can easily manage 
 a hundred. The fisher carries them out into the lake, 
 perched on the gunnel of the boat, where they continue 
 tranquil, and expecting his order with patience. When 
 arrived at the proper place, at the first signal given each 
 flies a different way to fulfill the task assigned it. It is 
 very pleasant on this occasion to behold with what saga- 
 city they portion out the lake or the canal where they are 
 upon duty. They hunt about, they plunge, they rise an 
 hundred times to the surface, until they have at last 
 found their prey. Then they seize it with' their beak by 
 the middle, and carry it without fail to their master. 
 When the fish is too large they then give each other mutual 
 assistance one seizes it by the head, the other by the tail,
 
 14:8 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 and in this manner carry it to the boat together. There 
 the boatman stretches out one of his long* oars, on which 
 they perch, and being delivered of their burden, they fly 
 off to pursue their sport. When they are wearied he lets 
 them rest for awhile; but they are never fed till their 
 work is over. In this manner they supply a very plenti- 
 ful table ; but still their natural gluttony can not be 're- 
 claimed even by education. They have always, while they 
 fish, the same string fastened around their throats to 
 prevent them from devouring their prey, as otherwise they 
 would at once satiate themselves and discontinue the pur- 
 suit the moment they had filled their bellies." 
 
 The birds breed in communities, and where the ground 
 or rocks will admit, their nests are placed close together. 
 On the last of July, 1880, I found the birds breeding in 
 the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the sides of the cliffs on 
 Bonaventure Isle, and on the top of Perce Rock. The 
 latter cannot be climbed, and nearly all the nests upon the 
 Isle were beyond reach; those examined, however, had 
 young birds from half to nearly full grown, and hundreds 
 of little fellows could be seen either upon their nests or 
 standing near by upon the rock. 
 
 The birds are very filthy, and the stench about their 
 breeding grounds sickening. Their nests are made of 
 sticks, moss from the rocks, and seaweed. Eggs three or 
 four, 2.50x1.56 ; pale bluish green, coated with a white 
 chalky substance, but more or less stained in their dirty 
 nests ; in form', elongate ovate.
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS MENTIONED. 
 
 I. Perching Birds (Passeres). 
 
 (a) The Song Perchers. 
 Bluebird. 
 Chickadee. 
 Catbird. 
 
 Brown Thrasher. 
 Yellow-throated Vireo. 
 Barn Swallow. 
 .Tunco. 
 
 Meadow Lark. 
 Cowbird. 
 Orchard Oriole. 
 Crow. 
 
 (b) The Songless Perchers. 
 Kingbird. 
 
 II. Picarian Birds (Picarise). 
 
 Whippoorwill. 
 Swift. 
 Kingfisher. 
 Woodpecker. 
 
 III. Birds of Prey (Raptores). 
 
 Owl. 
 
 Vulure (Turkey Buzzard). 
 
 IV. Columbine Birds (Columbse) 
 
 Dove. 
 
 V. Scratching Birds (Galllnse). 
 
 Domestic Chicken. 
 Quail. 
 
 VI. Shore Birds (Limicolse). 
 
 Snipe. 
 Sandpiper. 
 
 (149) 
 
 Robin. 
 
 Brown Creeper. 
 
 Wren. 
 
 Oven-bird. 
 
 White-humped Shrike. 
 
 American Goldfinch. 
 
 Fox Sparrow. 
 
 Bobolink. 
 
 Baltimore Oriole. 
 
 Blue Jay. 
 
 Fly-catchers. 
 
 Nighthawk. 
 
 Hummingbird. 
 
 Cuckoo. 
 
 Hawk. 
 Eagle. 
 
 Pigeon. 
 Prairie Chicken. 
 
 Plover.
 
 150 
 
 TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 
 
 VII. Heron Family (Herodiones) . 
 
 Heron. 
 
 VIII. Crane Family (Alectorides) . 
 Crane. Rail. 
 Coot. 
 
 IX. Family of Geese and Ducks (Lamellirostres) . 
 
 Domestic Ducks and Geese. Wild Ducks and Geese. 
 
 X. Totipalmate Swimmers (Steganopodes). 
 
 Pelican. Comorant. 
 
 XI. Long-winged Swimmers (Longipennes) . 
 
 Gull. Tern. 
 
 XII. Diving Birds (Pygopodes). 
 
 Grebe. 
 
 4508 1
 
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