bird neighbors-第36章

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es；　as；　indeed；　his　title；　〃Virginia　redbird；〃　has　been　unkindly　said　to　imply。　Bearing　himself　with　a　refined　and　courtly　dignity；　not　stooping　to　soil　his　feet　by　walking　on　the　ground　like　the　more　democratic　robin；　or　even　condescending　below　the　level　of　the　laurel　bushes；　the　cardinal　is　literally　a　shining　example　of　self…conscious　superiority　　a　bird　to　call　forth　respect　and　admiration　rather　than　affection。　But　a　group　of　cardinals　in　a　cedar　tree　in　a　snowy　winter　landscape　makes　us　forgetful　of　everything　but　their　supreme　beauty。

As　might　be　expected　in　one　of　the　finch　family；　the　cardinal　is　a　songster　　the　fact　which；　in　connection　with　his　lovely　plumage；　accounts　for　the　number　of　these　birds　shipped　in　cages　to　Europe；　where　they　are　known　as　Virginia　nightingales。　Commencing　with　a　strong；　rich　whistle；　like　the　high　notes　of　a　fife；　〃Cheo…cheo…cheo…cheo；〃　repeated　over　and　over　as　if　to　make　perfect　the　start　of　a　song　he　is　about　to　sing；　suddenly　he　stops；　and　you　learn　that　there　is　to　be　no　glorious　performance　after　all；　only　a　prelude　to　　nothing。　The　song；　such　as　it　is；　begins；　with　both　male　and　female；　in　March；　and　lasts；　with　a　brief　intermission；　until　September　　〃the　most　melodious　sigh；〃　as　Mr。　Allen　calls　it。　Early　in　May　the　cardinals　build　a　bulky　and　loosely　made　nest；　usually　in　the　holly；　laurel；　or　other　evergreen　shrubs　that　they　always　love　to　frequent；　especially　if　these　are　near　fields　of　corn　or　other　grain。　And　often　two　broods　in　a　year　come　forth　from　the　pale…gray；　brown…marked　eggs；　beating　what　is　literally　for　them　the　〃fatal　gift　of　beauty。〃


SUMMER　TANAGER　（Piranga　rubra）　Tanager　family

Called　also：　REDBIRD；　SMOOTH…HEADED　REDBIRD

Length　　7。5　inches。　About　one…fourth　smaller　than　the　robin。　Male　　Uniform　red。　Wings　and　tail　like　the　body。　Female　　Upper　parts　yellowish　olive…green；　underneath　inclining　　　to　orange…yellow。　Range　　Tropical　portions　of　two　Americas　and　eastern　United　　　States。　Most　common　in　Southern　States。　Rare　north　of　　　Pennsylvania。　Winters　in　the　tropics。　Mirations　　In　Southern　　　States：　April。　October。　Irregular　migrant　north　of　the　　　Carolinas。

Thirty　years　ago；　it　is　recorded　that　so　far　north　as　New　Jersey　the　summer　redbird　was　quite　as　common　as　any　of　the　thrushes。　In　the　South　still　there　is　scarcely　an　orchard　that　does　not　contain　this　tropical…looking　beauty　　the　redbird　par　excellence；　the　sweetest　singer　of　the　family。　Is　there　a　more　beautiful　sight　in　all　nature　than　a　grove　of　orange　trees　laden　with　fruit；　starred　with　their　delicious　blossoms；　and　with　flocks　of　redbirds　disporting　themselves　among　the　dark；　glossy　leaves？　Pine　and　oak　woods　are　also　favorite　resorts；　especially　at　the　north；　where　the　bird　nowadays　forsakes　the　orchards　to　hide　his　beauty；　if　he　can；　unharmed　by　the　rifle　that　only　rarely　is　offered　so　shining　a　mark。　He　shows　the　scarlet　tanager's　preference　for　tree…tops；　where　his　musical　voice；　calling　〃Chicky…tucky…tuk；〃　alone　betrays　his　presence　in　the　woods。　The　Southern　farmers　declare　that　he　is　an　infallible　weather　prophet；　his　〃wet；　WET；　WET；〃　being　the　certain　indication　of　rain　　another　absurd　saw；　for　the　call…note　is　by　no　means　confined　to　the　rainy　season。

The　yellowish…olive　mate；　whose　quiet　colors　betray　no　nest　secrets；　collects　twigs　and　grasses　for　the　cradle　to　be　saddled　on　the　end　of　some　horizontal　branch；　though　in　this　work　the　male　sometimes　cautiously　takes　an　insignificant　part。　After　her　three　or　four　eggs　are　laid　she　sits　upon　them　for　nearly　two　weeks；　being　only　rarely　and　stealthily　visited　by　her　mate　with　some　choice　grub；　blossom；　or　berry　in　his　beak。　But　how　cheerfully　his　fife…like　whistle　rings　out　during　the　temporary　exile！　Then　his　song　is　at　its　best。　Later　in　the　summer　he　has　an　aggravating　way　of　joining　in　the　chorus　of　other　birds'　songs；　by　which　the　pleasant　individuality　of　his　own　voice　is　lost。

A　nest　of　these　tanagers；　observed　not　far　from　New　York　City；　was　commenced　the　last　week　of　May　on　the　extreme　edge　of　a　hickory　limb　in　an　open　wood；　four　eggs　were　laid　on　the　fourth　of　June；　and　twelve　days　later　the　tiny　fledglings；　that　all　look　like　their　mother　in　the　early　stages　of　their　existence；　burst　from　the　greenish…white；　speckled　shells。　In　less　than　a　month　the　young　birds　were　able　to　fly　quite　well　and　collect　their　food。


SCARLET　TANAGER　（Piranga　erythromelas）　Tanager　family

Called　also：　BLACK…WINGED　REDBIRD；　FIREBIRD；　CANADA　TANAGER；　　　POCKET…BIRD

Length　　7　to　7。5　inches。　About　one…fourth　smaller　than　the　　　robin。　Male　　In　spring　plumage：　Brilliant　scarlet；　with　black　wings　　　And　tail。　Under　wing　coverts　grayish　white。　In　autumn：　Similar　　　To　female。　Female　　Olive…green　above；　wings　and　tail　dark；　lightly　　　Margined　with　olive。　Underneath　greenish　yellow。　Range　　North　America　to　northern　Canada　boundaries；　and　　　southwardin　winter　to　South　America。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Summer　resident

The　gorgeous　coloring　of　the　scarlet　tanager　has　been　its　snare　and　destruction。　The　densest　evergreens　could　not　altogether　hide　this　blazing　target　for　the　sportsman's　gun；　too　often　fired　at　the　instigation　of　city　milliners。　〃Fine　feathers　make　fine　birds〃　　and　cruel；　silly　women；　the　adage　might　be　adapted　for　latter…day　use。　This　rarely　beautiful　tanager；　thanks　to　them；　is　now　only　an　infrequent　flash　of　beauty　in　our　country　roads。

Instinct　leads　it　to　be　chary　of　its　charms；　and　whereas　it　used　to　be　one　of　the　commonest　of　bird　neighbors；　it　is　now　shy　and　solitary。　An　ideal　resort　for　it　is　a　grove　of　oak　or　swamp　maple　near　a　stream　or　pond　where　it　can　bathe。　Evergreen　trees；　too；　are　favorites；　possibly　because　the　bird　knows　how　exquisitely　its　bright　scarlet　coat　is　set　off　by　their　dark　background。

High　in　the　tree…tops　he　perches；　all　unsuspected　by　the　visitor　passing　through　the　woods　below；　until　a　burst　of　rich；　sweet　melody　directs　the　opera…glasses　suddenly　upward。　There　we　detect　him　carolling　loud　and　cheerfully；　like　a　robin。　He　is　an　apparition　of　beauty　　a　veritable　bird　of　paradise；　as；　indeed；　he　is　sometimes　called。　Because　of　their　similar　coloring；　the　tanager　and　cardinal　are　sometimes　confounded；　but　an　instant's　comparison　of　the　two　birds　shows　nothing　in　common　except　red　feathers；　and　even　those　of　quite　different　shades。　The　inconspicuous　olive…green　and　yellow　of　the　female　tanager's　plumage　is　another　striking　instance　of　Nature's　unequal　distribution　of　gifts；　but　if　our　bright…colored　birds　have　become　shockingly　few　under　existing　conditions；　would　any　at　all　remain　were　the　females　prominent；　like　the　males；　as　they　brood　upon　the　nest？　Both　tanagers　construct　a　rather　disorderly…looking　nest　of　fibres　and　sticks；　through　which　daylight　can　be　seen　where　it　rests　securely　upon　the　horizontal　branch　of　some　oak　or　pine　tree；　but　as　soon　as　three　or　four　bluish…green　eggs　have　been　laid　in　the　cradle；　off　goes　the　father；　wearing　his　tell…tale　coat；　to　a　distant　tree。　There　he　sings　his　sweetest　carol　to　the　patient；　brooding　mate；　returning　to　her　side　only　long　enough　to　feed　her　with　the　insects　and　berries　that　form　their　food。

Happily　for　the　young　birds'　fate；　they　are　clothed　at　first　in　motley；　dull　colors；　with　here　and　there　only　a　bright　touch　of　scarlet；　yellow；　and　olive　to　prove　their　claim　to　the　parent　whose　gorgeous　plumage　must　be　their　admiration。　But　after　the　moulting　season　it　would　be　a　wise　tanager　that　knew　its　own　father。　His　scarlet　feathers　are　now　replaced　by　an　autumn　coat　of　olive　and　yellow　not　unlike　his　mate's。


PINE　GROSBEAK　（Pinicola　enucleator）　Finch　family

Called　also：　PINE　BULLFINCH

Length　　Variously　recorded　from　6。5　to　11　inches。　Specimen　　　measured　8。5　inches。　About　one…fifth　smaller　than　the　robin。　Male　　General　color　strawberry…red；　with　some　slate…gray　　　fleckings　about　head；　under　wings；　and　on　legs。　Tail　brown；　　　wings　brown；　marked　with　black　and　white　and　slate。　A　band…　　　shaped　series　of　markings　between　the　shoulders。　Underneath　　　paler　red；　merging　into　grayish　green。　Heavy；　conspicuous　bill。　Female　　Ash…brown。　Head　and　hind　neck　yellowish　brown；　each　　　feather　having　central　dusky　streak。　Cheeks　and　throat　　　yellowish。　Beneath　ash…gray；　tinged　with　brownish　yellow　under　　　tail。　Range　　British　American　provinces　and　northern　United　States。　Migrations　　Irregular　winter　visitors；　length　of　visits　as　　　uncertain　as　their　coming。

As　inseparable　as　bees　from　flowers；　so　are　these　beautiful　winter　visitors　from　the　evergreen　woods；　where　their　red　feathers；　shining　against　the　dark…green　background　of　the　trees；　give　them　charming　prominence；　but　they　also　feed　freely　upon　the　buds　of　various　deciduous　trees。

South　of　Canada　we　may　not　look　for　them　except　in　the　severest　winter　weather。　Even　then　their　coming　is　not　to　be　positively　depended　upon；　but　when　their　caprice　　or　was　it　an　unusually　fierce　northern　blast？　　sends　them　over　the　Canada　border；　it　is　a　simple　matter　to　identify　them　when　such　brilliant　birds　are　rare。　The　brownish…yellow　and　grayish　females　and　young　males；　however；　always　seem　to　be　in　the　majority　with　us；　though　our　Canadian　friends　assure　us　of　the　irreproachable　morals　of　this　gay　bird。

Wherever　there　are　clusters　of　pine　or　cedar　trees；　when　there　is　a　flock　of　pine　grosbeaks　in　the　neighborhood；　you　may　expect　to　find　a　pair　of　birds　diligently　feeding　upon　the　seeds　and　berries。　No　cheerful　note　escapes　them　as　they　persistently　gormandize；　and；　if　the　truth　must　be　confessed；　they　appear　to　be　rather　stupid　and　uninteresting；　albeit　they　visit　us　at　a　time　when　we　are　most　inclined　to　rapture　over　our　bird　visitors。　They　are　said　to　have　a　deliciously　sweet　song　in　the　nesting　season。　When；　however；　few　except　the　Canadian　voyageurs　hear　it。


AMERICAN　CROSSBILL　（Loxia　curvirostra　minor）　Finch　family

Called　also：　RED　CROSSBILL　＇AOU　1998＇

Length　　6　to　7　inches。　About　the　size　of　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　General　color　Indian　red；　passing　into　brownish　gray；　　　with　red　tinge　beneath。　Wings　（without　bands）；　also　tail；　　　brown；　Beak　crossed　at　the　tip。　Female　　General　color　greenish　yellow；　with　brownish　tints。　　　Dull…yellowish　tints　on　head；　throat；　breast；　and　underneath。　　　Wings　and　tail　pale　brown。　Beak　crossed　at　tip。　Range　　Pennsylvania　to　northern　British　America。　West　of　　　Mississippi；　range　more　southerly。　Migrations　　Irregular　winter　visitor。　November。　Sometimes　　　resident　until　April。

It　is　a　rash　statement　to　say　that　a　bird　is　rare　simply　because　you　have　never　seen　it　in　your　neighborhood；　for　while　you　are　going　out　of　the　front　door　your　rara　avis　may　be　eating　the　crumbs　about　your　kitchen。　Even　with　our　eyes　and　ears　constantly　alert　for　some　fresh　bird　excitement；　our　phlegmatic　neighbor　over　the　way　may　be　enjoying　a　visit　from　a　whole　flock　of　the　very　bird　we　have　been　looking　and　listening　for　in　vain　all　the　year。　The　red　crossbills　are　capricious　little　visitors；　it　is　true；　but　by　no　means　uncommon。

About　the　size　of　an　English　sparrow；　of　a　brick　or　Indian　red　color；　for　the　most　part；　the　peculiarity　of　its　parrot…like　beak　is　its　certain　mark　of　identification。

Longfellow　has　rendered　into　verse　the　German　legend　of　the　crossbill；　which　tells　that　as