bird neighbors-第1章

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Bird　Neighbors

by　Neltje　Blanchan　Doubleday





BIRD　NEIGHBORS。　An　Introductory　Acquaintance　With　One　Hundred　and　Fifty　Birds
Commonly　Found　in　the　Gardens；　Meadows；　and　Woods　About　Our　Homes

By　NELTJE　BLANCHAN

INTRODUCTION　BY　JOHN　BURROUGHS
1897；　1904；　1922　


TABLE　OF　CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION　BY　JOHN　BURROUGHS

PREFACE
I。　　　BIRD　FAMILIES：　Their　Characteristics　and　the
　　　　　　　Representatives　of　Each　Family　included　in　〃Bird
　　　　　　　Neighbors〃
II。　　HABITATS　OF　BIRDS
III。　SEASONS　OF　BIRDS
IV。　　BIRDS　GROUPED　ACCORDING　TO　SIZE
V。　　　DESCRIPTIONS　OF　BIRDS　GROUPED　ACCORDING　TO　COLOR
　　　　　　　Birds　Conspicuously　Black　
　　　　　　　Birds　Conspicuously　Black　and　White
　　　　　　　Dusky；　Gray；　and　Slate…colored　Birds
　　　　　　　Blue　and　Bluish　Birds
　　　　　　　Brown；　Olive　or　Grayish　Brown；　and　Brown　and　Gray　Sparrowy
　　　　　　　　　Birds
　　　　　　　Green；　Greenish　Gray；　Olive；　and　Yellowish　O1ive　Birds
　　　　　　　Birds　Conspicuously　Yellow　and　Orange
　　　　　　　Birds　Conspicuously　Red　of　any　Shade


INTRODUCTION

I　write　these　few　introductory　sentences　to　this　volume　only　to　second　so　worthy　an　attempt　to　quicken　and　enlarge　the　general　interest　in　our　birds。　The　book　itself　is　merely　an　introduction；　and　is　only　designed　to　place　a　few　clews　in　the　reader's　hands　which　he　himself　or　herself　is　to　follow　up。　I　can　say　that　it　is　reliable　and　is　written　in　a　vivacious　strain　and　by　a　real　bird　lover；　and　should　prove　a　help　and　a　stimulus　to　any　one　who　seeks　by　the　aid　of　its　pages　to　become　better　acquainted　with　our　songsters。　The　various　grouping　of　the　birds　according　to　color；　season；　habitat；　etc。；　ought　to　render　the　identification　of　the　birds；　with　no　other　weapon　than　an　opera　glass；　an　easy　matter。

When　I　began　the　study　of　the　birds　I　had　access　to　a　copy　of　Audubon；　which　greatly　stimulated　my　interest　in　the　pursuit；　but　I　did　not　have　the　opera　glass；　and　I　could　not　take　Audubon　with　me　on　my　walks；　as　the　reader　may　this　volume。

But　you　do　not　want　to　make　out　your　bird　the　first　time；　the　book　or　your　friend　must　not　make　the　problem　too　easy　for　you。　You　must　go　again　and　again；　and　see　and　hear　your　bird　under　varying　conditions　and　get　a　good　hold　of　several　of　its　characteristic　traits。　Things　easily　learned　are　apt　to　be　easily　forgotten。　Some　ladies；　beginning　the　study　of　birds；　once　wrote　to　me；　asking　if　I　would　not　please　come　and　help　them；　and　set　them　right　about　certain　birds　in　dispute。　I　replied　that　that　would　be　getting　their　knowledge　too　easily；　that　what　I　and　any　one　else　told　them　they　would　be　very　apt　to　forget；　but　that　the　things　they　found　out　themselves　they　would　always　remember。　We　must　in　a　way　earn　what　we　have　or　keep。　Only　thus　does　it　become　ours；　a　real　part　of　us。

Not　very　long　afterward　I　had　the　pleasure　of　walking　with　one　of　the　ladies；　and　I　found　her　eye　and　ear　quite　as　sharp　as　my　own；　and　that　she　was　in　a　fair　way　to　conquer　the　bird　kingdom　without　any　outside　help。　She　said　that　the　groves　and　fields；　through　which　she　used　to　walk　with　only　a　languid　interest；　were　now　completely　transformed　to　her　and　afforded　her　the　keenest　pleasure；　a　whole　new　world　of　interest　had　been　disclosed　to　her；　she　felt　as　if　she　was　constantly　on　the　eve　of　some　new　discovery；　the　next　turn　in　the　path　might　reveal　to　her　a　new　warbler　or　a　new　vireo。　I　remember　the　thrill　she　seemed　to　experience　when　I　called　her　attention　to　a　purple　finch　singing　in　the　tree…tops　in　front　of　her　house；　a　rare　visitant　she　had　not　before　heard。　The　thrill　would　of　course　have　been　greater　had　she　identified　the　bird　without　my　aid。　One　would　rather　bag　one's　own　game；　whether　it　be　with　a　bullet　or　an　eyebeam。

The　experience　of　this　lady　is　the　experience　of　all　in　whom　is　kindled　this　bird　enthusiasm。　A　new　interest　is　added　to　life；　one　more　resource　against　ennui　and　stagnation。　If　you　have　only　a　city　yard　with　a　few　sickly　trees　in　it；　you　will　find　great　delight　in　noting　the　numerous　stragglers　from　the　great　army　of　spring　and　autumn　migrants　that　find　their　way　there。　If　you　live　in　the　country；　it　is　as　if　new　eyes　and　new　ears　were　given　you；　with　a　correspondingly　increased　capacity　for　rural　enjoyment。

The　birds　link　themselves　to　your　memory　of　seasons　and　places；　so　that　A　song；　a　call；　a　gleam　of　color；　set　going　a　sequence　of　delightful　reminiscences　in　your　mind。　When　a　solitary　great　Carolina　wren　came　one　August　day　and　took　up　its　abode　near　me　and　sang　and　called　and　warbled　as　I　had　heard　it　long　before　on　the　Potomac；　how　it　brought　the　old　days；　the　old　scenes　back　again；　and　made　me　for　the　moment　younger　by　all　those　years！

A　few　seasons　ago　I　feared　the　tribe　of　bluebirds　were　on　the　verge　of　extinction　from　the　enormous　number　of　them　that　perished　from　cold　and　hunger　in　the　South　in　the　winter　of　'94。　For　two　summers　not　a　blue　wing；　not　a　blue　warble。　I　seemed　to　miss　something　kindred　and　precious　from　my　environment　　the　visible　embodiment　of　the　tender　sky　and　the　wistful　soil。　What　a　loss；　I　said；　to　the　coming　generations　of　dwellers　in　the　country　　no　bluebird　in　the　spring！　What　will　the　farm…boy　date　from？　But　the　fear　was　groundless：　the　birds　are　regaining　their　lost　ground；　broods　of　young　blue…coats　are　again　seen　drifting　from　stake　to　stake　or　from　mullen…stalk　to　mullen…stalk　about　the　fields　in　summer；　and　our　April　air　will　doubtless　again　be　warmed　and　thrilled　by　this　lovely　harbinger　of　spring。　　JOHN　BURROUGHS；　August　19；　1897


PREFACE

Not　to　have　so　much　as　a　bowing　acquaintance　with　the　birds　that　nest　in　our　gardens　or　under　the　very　eaves　of　our　houses；　that　haunt　our　wood…piles；　keep　our　fruit…trees　free　from　slugs；　waken　us　with　their　songs；　and　enliven　our　walks　along　the　roadside　and　through　the　woods；　seems　to　be；　at　least；　a　breach　of　etiquette　toward　some　of　our　most　kindly　disposed　neighbors。

Birds　of　prey；　game　and　water　birds　are　not　included　in　the　book。　The　following　pages　are　intended　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　familiar　introduction　to　the　birds　that　live　near　us。　Even　in　the　principal　park　of　a　great　city　like　New　York；　a　bird…lover　has　found　more　than　one　hundred　and　thirty　species；　as　many；　probably；　as　could　be　discovered　in　the　same　sized　territory　anywhere。

The　plan　of　the　book　is　not　a　scientific　one；　if　the　term　scientific　is　understood　to　mean　technical　and　anatomical。　The　purpose　of　the　writer　is　to　give；　in　a　popular　and　accessible　form；　knowledge　which　is　accurate　and　reliable　about　the　life　of　our　common　birds。　This　knowledge　has　not　been　collected　from　the　stuffed　carcasses　of　birds　in　museums；　but　gleaned　afield。　In　a　word；　these　short　narrative　descriptions　treat　of　the　bird's　characteristics　of　size；　color；　and　flight；　its　peculiarities　of　instinct　and　temperament；　its　nest　and　home　life；　its　choice　of　food；　its　songs；　and　of　the　season　in　which　we　may　expect　it　to　play　its　part　in　the　great　panorama　Nature　unfolds　with　faithful　precision　year　after　year。　They　are　an　attempt　to　make　the　bird　so　live　before　the　reader　that；　when　seen　out　of　doors；　its　recognition　shall　be　instant　and　cordial；　like　that　given　to　a　friend。

The　coloring　described　in　this　book　is　sometimes　more　vivid　than　that　found　in　the　works　of　some　learned　authorities　whose　conflicting　testimony　is　often　sadly　bewildering　to　the　novice。　In　different　parts　of　the　country；　and　at　different　seasons　of　the　year；　the　plumage　of　some　birds　undergoes　many　changes。　The　reader　must　remember；　therefore；　that　the　specimens　examined　and　described　were　not；　as　before　stated；　the　faded　ones　in　our　museums；　but　live　birds　in　their　fresh；　spring　plumage；　studied　afield。

The　birds　have　been　classed　into　color　groups；　in　the　belief　that　this　method；　more　than　any　other　will　make　identification　most　easy。　The　color　of　the　bird　is　the　first；　and　often　the　only；　characteristic　noticed。　But　they　have　also　been　classified　according　to　the　localities　for　which　they　show　decided　preferences　and　in　which　they　are　most　likely　to　be　found。　Again；　they　have　been　grouped　according　to　the　season　when　they　may　be　expected。　In　the　brief　paragraphs　that　deal　with　groups　of　birds　separated　into　the　various　families　represented　in　the　book；　the　characteristics　and　traits　of　each　clan　are　clearly　emphasized。　By　these　several　aids　it　is　believed　the　merest　novice　will　be　able　to　quickly　identify　any　bird　neighbor　that　is　neither　local　nor　rare。

To　the　uninitiated　or　uninterested　observer；　all　small；　dull…colored　birds　are　〃common　sparrows。〃　The　closer　scrutiny　of　the　trained　eye　quickly　differentiates；　and　picks　out　not　only　the　Song；　the　Canada；　and　the　Fox　Sparrows；　but　finds　a　dozen　other　familiar　friends　where　one　who　〃has　eyes　and　sees　not〃　does　not　even　suspect　their　presence。　Ruskin　says：　〃The　more　I　think　of　it；　I　find　this　conclusion　more　impressed　upon　me；　that　the　greatest　thing　a　human　soul　ever　does　in　this　world　is　to　SEE　something。　Hundreds　of　people　can　talk　for　one　who　can　think；　but　thousands　can　think　for　one　who　can　see。　To　see　clearly　is　poetry；　prophecy；　and　religion　　all　in　one。〃

While　the　author　is　indebted　to　all　the　time…honored　standard　authorities；　and　to　many　ornithologists　of　the　present　day　　too　many　for　individual　mention　　it　is　to　Mr。　John　Burroughs　her　deepest　debt　is　due。　To　this　clear…visioned　prophet；　who　has　opened　the　blind　eyes　of　thousands　to　the　delights　that　Nature　holds　within　our　easy　reach；　she　would　gratefully　acknowledge　many　obligations；　first　of　all；　for　the　plan　on　which　〃Bird　Neighbors〃　is　arranged；　next；　for　his　patient　kindness　in　reading　and　annotating　the　manuscript　of　the　book；　and；　not　least；　for　the　inspiration　of　his　perennially　charming　writings　that　are　so　largely　responsible　for　the　ready…made　audience　now　awaiting　writers　on　out…of…door　topics。　

The　author　takes　this　opportunity　to　express　her　appreciation　of　the　work　the　National　Association　of　Audubon　Societies　has　done　and　is　doing　to　prevent　the　slaughter　of　birds　in　all　parts　of　the　United　States；　to　develop　bird　sanctuaries　and　inaugurate　protective　legislation。　Indeed　to　it；　more　than　to　all　other　agencies　combined；　is　due　the　credit　of　eliminating　so　much　of　the　Prussianlike　cruelty　toward　birds　that　once　characterized　American　treatment　of　them；　from　the　rising　generation。　　NELTJE　BLANCHAN


I。　BIRD　FAMILIES

THEIR　CHARACTERISTICS　AND　THE　REPRESENTATIVES　OF　EACH　FAMILY　　　INCLUDED　IN　〃BIRD　NEIGHBORS'

Order　Coccyges：　CUCKOOS　AND　KINGFISHERS

Family　Cuculidae：　CUCKOOS

Long；　pigeon…shaped　birds；　whose　backs　are　grayish　brown　with　a　bronze　lustre　and　whose　under　parts　are　whitish。　Bill　long　and　curved。　Tail　long；　raised　and　drooped　slowly　while　the　bird　is　perching。　Two　toes　point　forward　and　two　backward。　Call…note　loud　and　like　a　tree…toad's　rattle。　Song　lacking。　Birds　of　low　trees　and　undergrowth；　where　they　also　nest；　partial　to　neighborhood　of　streams；　or　wherever　the　tent　caterpillar　is　abundant。　Habits　rather　solitary；　silent；　and　eccentric。　Migratory。　　　Yellow…billed　Cuckoo。　　　Black…billed　Cuckoo。

Family　Alcedinidae：　KINGFISHERS

Large；　top…heavy　birds　of　streams　and　ponds。　Usually　seen　perching　over　the　water　looking　for　fish。　Head　crested；　upper　parts　slate…blue；　underneath　white；　and　belted　with　blue　or