bird neighbors-第22章

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　than　it　can　the　tanager's　or　oriole's。

With　no　attempt　at　concealment；　which　he　doubtless　understands　would　be　quite　impossible；　he　chooses　some　high；　conspicuous　perch　to　which　he　mounts　by　easy　stages；　singing　as　he　goes；　and　there　begins　a　loud　and　rapid　strain　that　promises　much；　but　growing　weaker　and　weaker；　ends　as　if　the　bird　were　either　out　of　breath　or　too；　weak　to　finish。　Then　suddenly　he　begins　the　same　song　over　again；　and　keeps　up　this　continuous　performance　for　nearly　half　an　hour。　The　noonday　heat　of　an　August　day　that　silences　nearly　every　other　voice；　seems　to　give　to　the　indigo　bird's　only　fresh　animation　and　timbre。


THE　BELTED　KINGFISHER　（Ceryle　alcyon）　Kingfisher　family

Called　also：　THE　HALCYON

Length　　12　to　13　inches。　About　one…fourth　as　large　again　as　the　　　robin。　Male　　Upper　part　grayish　blue；　with　prominent　crest　on　head　　　reaching　to　the　nape。　A　white　spot　in　front　of　the　eye。　Bill　　　longer　than　the　head；　which　is　large　and　heavy。　Wings　and　the　　　short　tail　minutely　speckled　and　marked　with　broken　bands　of　　　white。　Chin；　band　around　throat；　and　underneath　white。　Two　　　bluish　bands　across　the　breast　and　a　bluish　wash　on　sides。　Female　　Female　and　immature　specimens　have　rufous　bands　where　　　The　adult　male's　are　blue。　Plumage　of　both　birds　oily。　Range　　North　America；　except　where　the　Texan　kingfisher　　　replaces　it　in　a　limited　area　in　the　Southwest。　Common　from　　　Labrador　to　Florida；　east　and　west。　Winters　chiefly　from　　　Virginia　southward　to　South　America。　Migrations　　March。　December。　Common　summer　resident。　Usually　a　　　winter　resident　also。

If　the　kingfisher　is　not　so　neighborly　as　we　could　wish；　or　as　he　used　to　be；　it　is　not　because　he　has　grown　less　friendly；　but　because　the　streams　near　our　homes　are　fished　out。　Fish　he　must　and　will　have；　and　to　get　them　nowadays　it　is　too　often　necessary　to　follow　the　stream　back　through　secluded　woods　to　the　quiet　waters　of　its　source：　a　clear；　cool　pond　or　lake　whose　scaly　inmates　have　not　yet　learned　wisdom　at　the　point　of　the　sportsman's　fly。

In　such　quiet　haunts　the　kingfisher　is　easily　the　most　conspicuous　object　in　sight；　where　he　perches　on　some　dead　or　projecting　branch　over　the　water；　intently　watching　for　a　dinner　that　is　all　unsuspectingly　swimming　below。　Suddenly　the　bird　drops　　dives；　there　is　a　splash；　a　struggle；　and　then　the　〃lone　fisherman〃　returns　triumphant　to　his　perch；　holding　a　shining　fish　in　his　beak。　If　the　fish　is　small　it　is　swallowed　at　once；　but　if　it　is　large　and　bony　it　must　first　be　killed　against　the　branch。　A　few　sharp　knocks；　and　the　struggles　of　the　fish　are　over；　but　the　kingfisher's　have　only　begun。　How　he　gags　and　writhes；　swallows　his　dinner；　and　then；　regretting　his　haste；　brings　it　up　again　to　try　another　wider　avenue　down　his　throat　I　The　many　abortive　efforts　he　makes　to　land　his　dinner　safely　below　in　his　stomach；　his　grim　contortions　as　the　fishbones　scratch　his　throat…lining　on　their　way　down　and　up　again；　force　a　smile　in　spite　of　the　bird's　evident　distress。　It　is　small　wonder　he　supplements　his　fish　diet　with　various　kinds　of　the　larger　insects；　shrimps；　and　fresh…water　mollusks。

Flying　well　over　the　tree…tops　or　along　the　waterways。　the　kingfisher　makes　the　woodland　echo　with　his　noisy　rattle；　that　breaks　the　stillness　like　a　watchman's　at　midnight。　It　is；　perhaps；　the　most　familiar　sound　heard　along　the　banks　of　the　inland　rivers。　No　love　or　cradle　song　does　he　know。　Instead　of　softening　and　growing　sweet；　as　the　voices　of　most　birds　do　in　the　nesting　season；　the　endearments　uttered　by　a　pair　of　mated　kingfishers　are　the　most　strident；　rattly　shrieks　ever　heard　by　lovers　it　sounds　as　if　they　were　perpetually　quarrelling；　yet　they　are　really　particularly　devoted。

The　nest　of　these　birds；　like　the　bank　swallow's；　is　excavated　in　the　face　of　a　high　bank；　preferably　one　that　rises　from　a　stream；　and　at　about　six　feet　from　the　entrance　of　the　tunnel　six　or　eight　clear；　shining　white　eggs　are　placed　on　a　curious　nest。　All　the　fish　bones　and　scales　that；　being　indigestible；　are　disgorged　in　pellets　by　the　parents；　are　carefully　carried　to　the　end　of　the　tunnel　to　form　a　prickly　cradle　for　the　unhappy　fledglings。　Very　rarely　a　nest　is　made　in　the　hollow　trunk　of　a　tree；　but　wherever　the　home　is；　the　kingfishers　become　strongly　attached　to　it；　returning　again　and　again　to　the　spot　that　has　cost　them　so　much　labor　to　excavate。　Some　observers　have　accused　them　of　appropriating　the　holes　of　the　water…rats。

In　ancient　times　of　myths　and　fables；　kingfishers　or　halcyons　were　said　to　build　a　floating　nest　on　the　sea；　and　to　possess　some　mysterious　power　that　calmed　the　troubled　waves　while　the　eggs　were　hatching　and　the　young　birds　were　being　reared；　hence　the　term　〃halcyon　days；〃　meaning　days　of　fair　weather。


BLUE　JAY　（Cyanocitta　cristata）　Crow　and　Jay　family

Length　　11　to　12　inches。　A　little　larger　than　the　robin。

Male　and　Female　　Blue　above。　Black　band　around　the　neck；　　　joining　some　black　feathers　on　the　back。　Under　parts　dusky　　　white。　Wing　coverts　and　tail　bright　blue；　striped　transversely　　　with　black。　Tail　much　rounded。　Many　feathers　edged　and　tipped　　　with　white。　Head　finely　crested；　bill；　tongue；　and　legs　black。　Range　　Eastern　coast　of　North　America　to　the　plains；　and　from　　　northern　Canada　to　Florida　and　eastern　Texas。　Migrations　　Permanent　resident。　Although　seen　in　flocks　moving　　　southward　or　northward；　they　are　merely　seeking　happier　hunting　　　grounds；　not　migrating。

No　bird　of　finer　color　or　presence　sojourns　with　us　the　year　round　than　the　blue　jay。　In　a　peculiar　sense　his　is　a　case　o。　〃beauty　covering　a　multitude　of　sins。〃　Among　close　students　of　bird　traits；　we　find　none　so　poor　as　to　do　him　reverence。　Dishonest；　cruel；　inquisitive；　murderous；　voracious；　villainous；　are　some　of　the　epithets　applied　to　this　bird　of　exquisite　plumage。　Emerson；　however；　has　said　in　his　defence　he　does　〃more　good　than　harm；〃　alluding；　no　doubt；　to　his　habit　of　burying　nuts　and　hard　seeds　in　the　ground；　so　that　many　a　waste　place　is　clothed　with　trees　and　shrubs；　thanks　to　his　propensity　and　industry。

He　is　mischievous　as　a　small　boy；　destructive　as　a　monkey；　deft　at　hiding　as　a　squirrel。　He　is　unsociable　and　unamiable；　disliking　the　society　of　other　birds。　His　harsh　screams；　shrieks；　and　most　aggressive　and　unmusical　calls　seem　often　intended　maliciously　to　drown　the　songs　of　the　sweet…voiced　singers。

From　April　to　September；　the　breeding　and　moulting　season；　the　blue　jays　are　almost　silent；　only　sallying　forth　from　the　woods　to　pillage　and　devour　the　young　and　eggs　of　their　more　peaceful　neighbors。　In　a　bulky　nest；　usually　placed　in　a　tree…crotch　high　above　our　heads；　from　four　to　six　eggs；　olive…gray　with　brown　spots；　are　laid　and　most　carefully　tended。

Notwithstanding　the　unlovely　characteristics　of　the　blue　jay；　we　could　ill　spare　the　flash　of　color；　like　a　bit　of　blue　sky　dropped　from　above；　which　is　so　rare　a　tint　even　in　our　land；　that　we　number　not　more　than　three　or　four　true　blue　birds；　and　in　England；　it　is　said；　there　is　none。


BLUE　GROSBEAK　（Guiraca　carulea）　Finch　family

Length　　7　inches。　About　an　inch　larger　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Deep　blue；　dark；　and　almost　black　on　the　back；　wings　and　　　tail　black；　slightly　edged　with　blue；　and　the　former　marked　　　with　bright　chestnut。　Cheeks　and　chin　black。　Bill　heavy　and　　　bluish。　Female　　Grayish　brown　above；　sometimes　with　bluish　tinge　on　　　head；　lower　back；　and　shoulders。　Wings　dark　olive…brown；　with　　　faint　buff　markings；　tail　same　shade　as　wings；　but　witb　bluish　　　gray　markings。　Underneath　brownish　cream…color；　the　breast　　　feathers　often　blue　at　the　base。　Range　　United　States；　from　southern　New　England　westward　to　the　　　Rocky　Mountains　and　southward　into　Mexico　and　beyon　d。M　ost　　　common　in　the　Southwest。　Rare　along　the　Atlantic　seaboard。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

This　beautiful　but　rather　shy　and　solitary　bird　occasionally　wanders　eastward　to　rival　the　bluebird　and　the　indigo　bunting　in　their　rare　and　lovely　coloring；　and　eclipse　them　both　in　song。　Audubon；　we　remember；　found　the　nest　in　New　Jersey。　Pennsylvania　is　still　favored　with　one　now　and　then；　but　it　is　in　the　Southwest　only　that