bird neighbors-第32章

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rd　that　tumbles　to　the　ground　at　your　approach　from　sheer　fright；　feigns　lameness；　trails　her　wings　as　she　tries　to　entice　you　away　from　the　nest。　The　male　bird　shows　far　less　concern；　a　no　more　devoted　father；　we　fear；　than　he　is　a　lover。　It　is　said　he　changes　his　mate　every　year。

Altogether；　the　cuckoo　is　a　very　different　sort　of　bird　from　what　our　fancy　pictured。　The　little　Swiss　creatures　of　wood　that　fly　out　of　the　doors　of　clocks　and　call　out　the　bed…hour　to　sleepy　children；　are　chiefly　responsible　for　the　false　impressions　of　our　mature　years。　The　American　bird　does　not　repeat　its　name；　and　its　harsh；　grating　〃kuk；　kuk；〃　does　not　remotely　suggest　the　sweet　voice　of　its　European　relative。


BANK　SWALLOW　（Clivicola　riparia）　Swallow　family

Called　also：　SAND　MARTIN；　SAND　SWALLOW

Length　　5　to　5。5　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow；　but　apparently　much　larger　because　of　its　wide　　　wing…spread。　Male　and　Female　　Grayish　brown　or　clay…colored　above。　Upper　　　wings　and　tail　darkest。　Below；　white；　with　brownish　band　　　across　chest。　Tail；　which　is　rounded　and　more　nearly　square　　　than　the　other　swallows；　is　obscurely　edged　with　white。　Range　　Throughout　North　America　south　of　Hudson　Bay。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Summer　resident。

Where　a　brook　cuts　its　way　through　a　sand　bank　to　reach　the　sea　is　an　ideal　nesting　ground　for　a　colony　of　sand　martins。　The　face　of　the　high　bank　shows　a　number　of　clean；　round　holes　indiscriminately　bored　into　the　sand；　as　if　the　place　had　just　received　a　cannonading；　but　instead　of　war　an　atmosphere　of　peace　pervades　the　place　in　midsummer；　when　you　are　most　likely　to　visit　it。　Now　that　the　young　ones　have　flown　from　their　nests　that　your　arm　can　barely　reach　through　the　tunnelled　sand　or　clay；　there　can　be　little　harm　in　examining　the　feathers　dropped　from　gulls；　ducks；　and　other　water…birds　with　which　the　grassy　home　is　lined。

The　bank　swallow's　nest；　like　the　kingfisher's；　which　it　resembles；　is　his　home　as　well。　There　he　rests　when　tired　of　flying　about　in　pursuit　of　insect　food。　Perhaps　a　bird　that　has　been　resting　in　one　of　the　tunnels；　startled　by　your　innocent　housebreaking；　will　fly　out　across　your　face；　near　enough　for　you　to　see　how　unlike　the　other　swallows　he　is：　smaller；　plainer；　and　with　none　of　their　glinting　steel…blues　and　buffs　about　him。　With　strong；　swift　flight　he　rejoins　his　fellows；　wheeling；　skimming；　darting　through　the　air　above　you；　and　uttering　his　characteristic　〃giggling　twitter；〃　that　is　one　of　the　cheeriest　noises　heard　along　the　beach。　In　early　October　vast　numbers　of　these　swallows　may　be　seen　in　loose　flocks　along　the　Jersey　coast；　slowly　making　their　way　South。　Clouds　of　them　miles　in　extent　are　recorded。

Closely　associated　with　the　sand　martin　is　the　Rough…winged　Swallow　（Stelgidopteryx　serripennis）；　not　to　be　distinguished　from　its　companion　on　the　wing；　but　easily　recognized　by　its　dull…gray　throat　and　the　absence　of　the　brown　breast…band　when　seen　at　close　range。


CEDAR　BIRD　（Ampelis　cedrorum）　Waxwing　family

Called　also：　CEDAR　WAXWING　＇AOU　1998＇；　CHERRY…BIRD；　CANADA　ROBIN；　RECOLLET

Length　　7　to　8　inches。　About　one…fifth　smaller　than　the　robin。　Male　　Upper　parts　rich　grayish　brown；　with　plum…colored　tints　　　showing　through　the　brown　on　crest；　throat；　breast；　wings；　and　　　tail。　A　velvety…black　line　on　forehead　runs　through　the　eye　and　　　back　of　crest。　Chin　black；　crest　conspicuous；　breast　lighter　　　than　the　back；　and　shading　into　yellow　underneath。　Wings　have　　　quill…shafts　of　secondaries　elongated；　and　with　brilliant　　　vermilion　tips　like　drops　of　sealing…wax；　rarely　seen　on　tail　　　quills；　which　have　yellow　bands　across　the　end。　Female　　With　duller　plumage；　smaller　crest；　and　narrower　　　　tail…band。　Range　　North　America；　from　northern　British　provinces　to　　　Central　America　in　winter。　Migrations　　A　roving　resident；　without　fixed　seasons　for　　　migrating。

As　the　cedar　birds　travel　about　in　great　flocks　that　quickly　exhaust　their　special　food　in　a　neighborhood；　they　necessarily　lead　a　nomadic　life　　here　to…day；　gone　to…morrow　　and；　like　the　Arabs；　they　〃silently　steal　away。〃　It　is　surprising　how　very　little　noise　so　great　a　company　of　these　birds　make　at　any　time。　That　is　because　they　are　singularly　gentle　and　refined；　soft　of　voice；　as　they　are　of　color；　their　plumage　suggesting　a　fine　Japanese　water…color　painting　on　silk；　with　its　beautiful　sheen　and　exquisitely　blended　tints。

One　listens　in　vain　for　a　song；　only　a　lisping　〃Twee…twee…ze；〃　or　〃a　dreary　whisper；〃　as　Minot　calls　their　low…toned　communications　with　each　other；　reaches　our　ears　from　their　high　perches　in　the　cedar　trees；　where　they　sit；　almost　motionless　hours　at　a　time；　digesting　the　enormous　quantities　of　juniper　and　whortleberries；　wild　cherries；　worms；　and　insects　upon　which　they　have　gormandized。

Nuttall　gives　the　cedar　birds　credit　for　excessive　politeness　to　each　other。　He　says　he　has　often　seen　them　passing　a　worm　from　one　to　another　down　a　whole　row　of　beaks　and　back　again　before　it　was　finally　eaten。

When　nesting　time　arrives　　that　is　to　say；　towards　the　end　of　the　summer　　they　give　up　their　gregarious　habits　and　live　in　pairs；　billing　and　kissing　like　turtle…doves　in　the　orchard　or　wild　crabtrees；　where　a　flat；　bulky　nest　is　rather　carelessly　built　of　twigs；　grasses；　feathers；　strings　　any　odds　and　ends　that　may　be　lying　about。　The　eggs　are　usually　four；　white　tinged　with　purple　and　spotted　with　black。

Apparently　they　have　no　moulting　season；　their　plumage　is　always　the　same；　beautifully　neat　and　full…feathered。　Nothing　ever　hurries　or　flusters　them；　their　greatest　concern　apparently　being；　when　they　alight；　to　settle　themselves　comfortably　between　their　over…polite　friends；　who　are　never　guilty　of　jolting　or　crowding。　Few　birds　care　to　take　life　so　easily；　not　to　say　indolently。

Among　the　French　Canadians　they　are　called　Recollet；　from　the　color　of　their　crest　resembling　the　hood　of　the　religious　order　of　that　name。　Every　region　the　birds　pass　through；　local　names　appear　to　be　applied　to　them；　a　few　of　the　most　common　of　which　are　given　above。

Of　the　three　waxwings　known　to　scientists；　two　are　found　in　America；　and　the　third　in　Japan；


BROWN　CREEPER　（Certhia　familiaris　americana）　Creeper　family

Length　　5　to　5。75　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Brown　above；　varied　with　ashy…gray　stripes　and　　　small；　lozenge…shaped　gray　mottles。　Color　lightest　on　head；　　　increasing　in　shade　to　reddish　brown　near　tail。　Tail　paler　　　brown　and　long；　wings　brown　and　barred　with　whitish。　Beneath　　　grayish　white。　Slender；　curving　bill。　Range　　United　States　and　Canada；　east　of　Rocky　Mountains。　Migrations　　April。　September。　Winter　resident

This　little　brown　wood　sprite；　the　very　embodiment　of　virtuous　diligence；　is　never　found　far　from　the　nuthatches；　titmice；　and　kinglets；　though　not　strictly　in　their　company；　for　he　is　a　rather　solitary　bird。　Possibly　he　repels　them　by　being　too　exasperatingly　conscientious。

Beginning　at　the　bottom　of　a　rough…barked　tree　（for　a　smooth　bark　conceals　no　larvae；　the　creeper　silently　climbs　upward　in　a　sort　of　spiral；　now　lost　to　sight　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　tree；　then　reappearing　just　where　he　is　expected　to；　flitting　back　a　foot　or　two；　perhaps；　lest　he　overlooked　a　single　spider　egg；　but　never　by　any　chance　leaving　a　tree　until　conscience　approves　of　his　thoroughness。　And　yet　with　all　this　painstaking　workman's　care；　it　takes　him　just　about　fifty　seconds　to　finish　a　tree。　Then　off　he　flits　to　the　base　of　another；　to　repeat　the　spiral　process。　Only　rarely　does　he　adopt　the　woodpecker　process　of　partly　flitting；　partly　rocking　his　way　with　the　help　of　his　tail　straight　up　one　side　of　the　tree。

Yet　this　little　bird　is　not　altogether　the　soulless　drudge　he　appears。　In　the　midst　of　his　work；　uncheered　by　summer　sunshine；　and　clinging　with　numb　toes　to　the　tree…trunk　some　bitter　cold　day；　he　still　finds　some　tender　emotion　within　him　to　voice　in　a　〃wild；　sweet　song〃　that　is　positively　enchanting　at　such　a　time。　But　it　is　not　often　this　song　is　heard　south　of　his　nesting　grounds。

The　brown　creeper's　plumage　is　one　of　Nature's　most　successful　feats　of　mimicry　　an　exa