bird neighbors-第37章

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ation。

Longfellow　has　rendered　into　verse　the　German　legend　of　the　crossbill；　which　tells　that　as　the　Saviour　hung　upon　the　cross；　a　little　bird　tried　to　pull　out　the　nails　that　pierced　His　hands　and　feet；　thus　twisting　its　beak　and　staining　its　feathers　with　the　blood。

At　first　glance　the　birds　would　seem　to　be　hampered　by　their　crossed　beaks　in　getting　at　the　seeds　in　the　pine　cones　　a　superficial　criticism　when　the　thoroughness　and　admirable　dexterity　of　their　work　are　better　understood。

Various　seeds　of　fruits；　berries；　and　the　buds　of　trees　enlarge　their　bill　of　fare。　They　are　said　to　be　inordinately　fond　of　salt。　Mr。　Romeyn　B。　Hough　tells　of　a　certain　old　ice…cream　freezer　that　attracted　flocks　of　crossbills　one　winter；　as　a　salt…lick　attracts　deer。　Whether　the　traditional　salt　that　may　have　stuck　to　the　bird's　tail　is　responsible　for　its　tameness　is　not　related；　but　it　is　certain　the　crossbills；　like　most　bird　visitors　from　the　far　north；　are　remarkably　gentle；　friendly　little　birds。　As　they　swing　about　the　pine　trees；　parrot…fashion；　with　the　help　of　their　bill；　calling　out　kimp；　kimp；　that　sounds　like　the　snapping　of　the　pine　cones　on　a　sunny　day；　it　often　seems　easily　possible　to　catch　them　with　the　hand。

There　is　another　species　of　crossbill；　called　the　White…winged　（Loxia　leucoptera）；　that　differs　from　the　preceding　chiefly　in　having　two　white　bands　across　its　wings　and　in　being　more　rare。　


THE　REDPOLL　（Acanthis　linaria）　Finch　family

Called　also：　REDPOLL　LINNET；　LITTLE　SNOWBIRD；　LESSER　REDPOLL；　　　＇COMMON　REDPOLL；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5。25　to　5。5　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　A　rich　crimson　wash　on　head；　neck；　breast；　and　lower　　　back；　that　is　sometimes　only　a　pink　when　we　see　the　bird　in　　　midwinter。　Grayish…brown；　sparrowy　feathers　show　underneath　the　　　red　wash。　Dusky　wings　and　tail；　the　feathers　more　or　less　edged　　　with　whitish。　Soiled　white　underneath；　the　sides　with　dusky　　　streaks。　Bill　sharply　pointed。　Female　　More　dingy　than　male；　sides　more　heavily　streaked；　and　　　having　crimson　only　on　the　crown。　Range　　An　arctic　bird　that　descends　irregularly　into　the　　　Northern　United　States。　Migrations　　An　irregular　winter　visitor。

〃Ere　long；　amid　the　cold　and　powdery　snow；　as　it　were　a　fruit　of　the　season；　will　come　twittering　a　flock　of　delicate　crimson…tinged　birds；　lesser　redpolls；　to　sport　and　feed　on　the　buds　just　ripe　for　them　on　the　sunny　side　of　a　wood；　shaking　down　the　powdery　snow　there　in　their　cheerful　feeding；　as　if　it　were　high　midsummer　to　them。〃　Thoreau's　beautiful　description　of　these　tiny　winter　visitors；　which　should　be　read　entire；　shows　the　man　in　one　of　his　most　sympathetic；　exalted　moods；　and　it　is　the　best　brief　characterization　of　the　redpoll　that　we　have。

When　the　arctic　cold　becomes　too　cruel　for　even　the　snow…birds　and　crossbills　to　withstand；　flocks　of　the　sociable　little　redpolls　flying　southward　are　the　merest　specks　in　the　sullen；　gray　sky；　when　they　can　be　seen　at　all。　So　high　do　they　keep　that　often　they　must　pass　above　our　heads　without　our　knowing　it。　First　we　see　a　quantity　of　tiny　dots；　like　a　shake　of　pepper；　in　the　cloud　above；　then　the　specks　grow　larger　and　larger；　and　finally　the　birds　seem　to　drop　from　the　sky　upon　some　tall　tree　that　they　completely　cover　　a　veritable　cloudburst　of　birds。　Without　pausing　to　rest　after　the　long　journey；　down　they　flutter　into　the　weedy　pastures　with　much　cheerful　twittering；　to　feed　upon　whatever　seeds　may　be　protruding　through　the　snow。　Every　action　of　a　flock　seems　to　be　concerted；　as　if　some　rigid　disciplinarian　had　drilled　them；　and　yet　no　leader　can　be　distinguished　in　the　merry　company。　When　one　flies；　all　fly；　where　one　feeds；　all　feed；　and　by　some　subtle　telepathy　all　rise　at　the　identical　instant　from　their　feeding　ground　and　cheerfully　twitter　in　concert　where　they　all　alight　at　once。　They　are　more　easily　disturbed　than　the　goldfinches；　that　are　often　seen　feeding　with　them　in　the　lowlands；　nevertheless；　they　quite　often　venture　into　our　gardens　and　orchards；　even　in　suburbs　penetrated　by　the　trolley…car。

Usually　in　winter　we　hear　only　their　lisping　call…note；　but　if　the　birds　linger　late　enough　in　the　spring；　when　their　〃fancy　lightly　turns　to　thoughts　of　love；〃　a　gleeful；　canary…like　song　comes　from　the　naked　branches；　and　we　may　know　by　it　that　the　flock　will　soon　disappear　for　their　nesting　grounds　in　the　northern　forests。

The　Greater　Redpoll　（Acanthis　linaria　rostrata）　may　be　distinguished　from　the　foregoing　species　by　its　slightly　larger　size；　darker　upper　parts；　and　shorter；　stouter　bill。　But　the　notes；　habits；　and　general　appearance　of　both　redpolls　are　so　nearly　identical　that　the　birds　are　usually　mistaken　for　each　other。


PURPLE　FINCH　（Carpodacus　purpureus）　Finch　family

Called　also：　PURPLE　LINNET

Length　　6　to　6。25　inches。　About　the　same　size　as　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Until　two　years　old；　sparrow…like　in　appearance　like　the　　　female；　but　with　olive…yellow　on　chin　and　lower　back。　　　Afterwards　entire　body　suffused　with　a　bright　raspberry…red；　　　deepest　on　head；　lower　back；　and　breast；　and　other　parts　only　　　faintly　washed　with　this　color。　More　brown　on　back；　and　wings　　　and　tail；　which　are　dusky；　have　some　reddish　brown　feathers。　　　Underneath　grayish　white。　Bill　heavy。　Tail　forked。　Female　　Grayish　olive　brown　above；　whitish　below；　finely　　　Streaked　everywhere　with　very　dark　brown；　like　a　sparrow。　Sides　　　of　breast　have　arrow…shaped　marks。　Wings　and　tail　darkest。　Range　　North　America；　from　Columbia　River　eastward　to　Atlantic　　　and　from　Mexico　northward　to　Manitoba。　Most　common　in　Middle　　　States　and　New　England。　Winters　south　of　Pennsylvania。　Migrations　　March。　November。　Common　summer　resident。　Rarely　　　individuals　winter　at　the　north。

In　this　〃much　be…sparrowed　country〃　of　ours　familiarity　is　apt　to　breed　contempt　for　any　bird　that　looks　sparrowy；　in　which　case　one　of　the　most　delicious　songsters　we　have　might　easily　be　overlooked。　It　is　not　until　the　purple　finch　reaches　maturity　in　his　second　year　that　his　plumage　takes　on　the　raspberry…red　tints　that　some　ornithologists　named　purple。　Oriental　purple　is　our　magenta；　it　is　true；　but　not　a　raspberry　shade。　Before　maturity；　but　for　the　yellow　on　his　lower　back　and　throat；　he　and　his　mate　alike　suggest　a　song…sparrow；　and　it　is　important　to　note　their　particularly　heavy；　rounded　bills；　with　the　tufts　of　feathers　at　the　base；　and　their　forked　tails；　to　name　them　correctly。　But　the　identification　of　the　purple　finch；　after　all；　depends　quite　as　much　upon　his　song　as　his　color。　In　March；　when　flocks　of　these　birds　come　north；　he　has　begun　to　sing　a　little；　by　the　beginning　of　May　he　is　desperately　in　love；　and　sudden；　joyous　peals　of　music　from　the　elm　or　evergreen　trees　on　the　lawn　enliven　the　garden。　How　could　his　little　brown　lady…love　fail　to　be　impressed　with　a　suitor　so　gayly　dressed；　so　tender　and　solicitous；　so　deliciously　sweet…voiced？　With　fuller；　richer　song　than　the　warbling　vireo's；　which　Nuttall　has　said　it　resembles；　a　perfect　ecstasy　of　love；　pours　incessantly　from　his　throat　during　the　early　summer　days。　There　is　a　suggestion　of　the　robins　love…song　in　his；　but　its　copiousness；　variety；　and　rapidity　give　it　a　character　all　its　own。

In　some　old；　neglected　hedge　or　low　tree　about　the　countryplace　a　flat；　grassy　nest；　lined　with　horsehair；　contains　four　or　five　green　eggs　in　June；　and　the　old　birds　are　devotion　itself　to　each　other；　and　soon　to　their　young；　sparrowy　brood。

But　when　parental　duties　are　over；　the　finches　leave　our　lawns　and　gardens　to　join　flocks　of　their　own　kind　in　more　remote　orchards　or　woods；　their　favorite　haunts。　Their　subdued　warble　may　be　heard　during　October　and　later；　as　if　the　birds　were　humming　to　themselves。

Much　is　said　of　their　fondness　for　fruit　blossoms　and　tree　buds；　but　the　truth　is　that　noxious　insects　and　seeds　of　grain　constitute　their　food　in　summer；　the　berries　of　evergreens　in　winter。　To　a　bird　so　gay　of　color；　charming　of　voice；　social；　and　trustful　of　disposition；　surely　a　few　blossoms　might　be　spared　without　grudging。


THE　AMERICAN　ROBIN　（Merula　migratoria）　Thrush　family

Called　also：　RED…BREASTED　OR　MIGRATORY　THRUSH；　ROBIN…REDBREAST

Length　　10　inches。　Male　　Dull　brownish　olive…gray　above。　Head　black；　tail　brownish　　　black；　with　exterior　feathers　white　at　inner　tip。　Wings　dark　　　brownish。　Throat　streaked　with　black　and　white。　White　eyelids。　　　Entire　breast　bright　rusty　red；　whitish　below　the　tail。　Female　　Duller　and　with　paler　breast；　resembling　the　male　in　　　autumn。　Range　　North　America；　from　Mexico　to　arctic　regions。　Migrations　　March。　October　or　November。　Often　resident　　　throughout　the　year。

It　seems　almost　superfluous　to　write　a　line　of　description　about　a　bird　that　is　as　familiar　as　a　chicken；　yet　how　can　this　nearest　of　our　bird　neighbors　be　passed　without　a　reference？　Probably　he　was　the　very　first　bird　we　learned　to　call　by　name。

The　early　English　colonists；　who　had　doubtless　been　brought　up；　like　the　rest　of　us；　on　〃The　Babes　in　the　Wood；〃　named　the　bird　after　the　only　heroes　in　that　melancholy　tale；　but　in　reality　the　American　robin　is　a　much　larger　bird　than　the　English　　robin…redbreast　and　less　brilliantly　colored。　John　Burroughs　calls　him；　of　all　our　birds；　〃the　most　native　and　democratic。〃

How　the　robin　dominates　birddom　with　his　strong；　aggressive　personality！　His　voice　rings　out　strong　and　clear　in　the　early　morning　chorus；　and；　more　tenderly　subdued　at　twilight；　it　still　rises　above　all　the　sleepy　notes　about　him。　Whether　lightly　tripping　over　the　lawn　after　the　〃early　worm；〃　or　rising　with　his　sharp；　quick　cry　of　alarm；　when　startled；　to　his　nest　near　by；　every　motion　is　decided；　alert；　and　free。　No　pensive　hermit　of　the　woods；　like　his　cousins；　the　thrushes；　is　this　joyous　vigorous　〃bird　of　the　morning。〃　Such　a　presence　is　inspiriting。

Does　any　bird　excel　the　robin　in　the　great　variety　of　his　vocal　expressions？　Mr。　Parkhurst；　in　his　charming　〃Birds'　Calendar；〃　says　he　knows　of　〃no　other　bird　that　is　able　to　give　so　many　shades　of　meaning　to　a　single　note；　running　through　the　entire　gamut　of　its　possible　feelings。　From　the　soft　and　mellow　quality；　almost　as　coaxing　as　a　dove's　note；　with　which　it　encourages　its　young　when　just　out　of　the　nest；　the　tone；　with　minute　gradations；　becomes　more　vehement；　and　then　harsh　and　with　quickened　reiteration；　until　it　expresses　the　greatest　intensity　of　a　bird's　emotions。　Love；　contentment；　anxiety；　exultation；　rage　　what　other　bird　can　throw　such　multifarious　meaning　into　its　tone？　And　herein　the　robin　seems　more　nearly　human　than　any　of　its　kind。〃

There　is　no　one　thing　that　attracts　more　birds　about　the　house　that　a　drinking…dish　　large　enough　for　a　bathtub　as　well；　and　certainly　no　bird　delights　in　sprinkling　the　water　over　his　back　more　than　a　robin；　often　aided　in　his　ablutions　by　the　spattering　of　the　sparrows。　But　see　to　it　that　this　drinking…dish　is　well　raised　above　the　reach　of　lurking　cats。

While　the　robin　is　a　famous　splasher；　his　neatness　stops　there。　A　robin's　nest　is　notoriously　dirty　within；　and　so　carelessly　constructed　of　weed…stalks；　grass；　and　mud；　that　a　heavy　summer　shower　brings　more　robins'　nests　to　the　ground　than　we　like　to　contemplate。　The