Identifier: birdsnature131903chic (find matches)
Title: Birds and nature
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds Natural history
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Mumford, Publisher
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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observed a nest containing sixeggs on the 29th of March. Nests areplaced from twenty-five to seventy feetabove the ground, preferably in thecrotch of a forest tree. In Dakota, wheretimber was scarce during the latter partof May, 1900, I found them nesting onlyten feet above the fround. Recently Ihave located several nests about Chicagowhich were only fifteen feet above theground, while other pairs continue house-keeping at an elevation of sixty feet. The nests are constructed of twigs,hay, roots, grass and sod, with a liningof finer material consisting of bark stripsand bunches of hair and wool. They areon the whole very bulky affairs, althoughquite substantially built. Last yearsnests are a favorite receptacle for theeggs of the horned and barred owls,which utilize them for breeding purposesduring February and INIarch. The eggsin a Crows nest average four to sevenin number and exhibifgreat variation insize, shape and coloring. Eggs from thesame nest frequently appear to have been 216
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laid by different birds, so varied are eggs that are nearly equal in width and they in appearance. Some eggs are light breadth. blue or green and almost immaculate; A large series of Crows eggs in my others are heavily spotted, speckled or collection shows remarkable contrasts in blotched with different shades of brown size; ranging from one and fifty-eight and olive, and often the markings are so hundredths to one and seventy-three dense as to almost conceal the back- hundredths inches long, by one and fif- ground. The specimens vary in shape, teen to one and twenty-two hundredths from extremely long and narrow ones, to inches wide. Gerard Alan Abbott. THE CHICADEES SPRING SONG—PHOEBE. What mean you, Lady Chicadee, Changing your name capriciously ? When your true lover calls today He does not call in the old way. Hark! hear him now: Phoebe! Phoebe! Perhaps you like that name the best, And will not answer save when he.With throbbing throat and swelling breast. Calls you, and oh! so

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