bird neighbors-第20节

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plements　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　the　blue　grosbeak　is　as　common　as　the　evening　grosbeak　is　in　the　Northwest。　Since　rice　is　its　favorite　food；　it　naturally　abounds　where　that　cereal　grows。　Seeds　and　kernels　of　the　hardest　kinds；　that　its　heavy；　strong　beak　is　well　adapted　to　crack；　constitute　its　diet　when　it　strays　beyond　the　rice…fields。

Possibly　the　heavy　bills　of　all　the　grosbeaks　make　them　look　stupid　whether　they　are　or　not　　a　characteristic　that　the　blue　grosbeak's　habit　of　sitting　motionless　with　a　vacant　stare　many　minutes　at　a　time　unfortunately　emphasizes。

When　seen　in　the　roadside　thickets　or　tall　weeds；　such　as　the　field　sparrow　chooses　to　frequent；　it　shows　little　fear　of　man　unless　actually　approached　and　threatened；　but　whether　this　fearlessness　comes　from　actual　confidence　or　stupidity　is　by　no　means　certain。　Whatever　the　motive　of　its　inactivity；　it　accomplishes　an　end　to　be　desired　by　the　cleverest　bird；　its　presence　is　almost　never　suspected　by　the　passer…by；　and　its　grassy　nest　on　a　tree…branch；　containing　three　or　four　pale　bluish…white　eggs；　is　never　betrayed　by　look　or　sign　to　the　marauding　small　boy。


BARN　SWALLOW　（Chelidon　erythrogaster）　Swallow　family

Length　　6。5　to　7　inches。　A　trifle　larger　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Apparently　considerably　larger；　because　of　its　wide　　　wingspread。　Male　　Glistening　steel…blue　shading　to　black　above。　Chin；　　　breast；　and　underneath　bright　chestnut…brown　and　brilliant　buff　　　that　glistens　in　the　sunlight。　A　partial　collar　of　steel…blue。　　　Tail　very　deeply　forked　and　slender。　Female　　Smaller　and　paler；　with　shorter　outer　tail　feathers；　　　making　the　fork　less　prominent。　Range　　Throughout　North　America。　Winters　in　tropics　of　both　　　Americas。　Migrations　　April。　September。　Summer　resident。

Any　one　who　attempts　to　describe　the　coloring　of　a　bird's　plumage　knows　how　inadequate　words　are　to　convey　a　just　idea　of　the　delicacy；　richness；　and　brilliancy　of　the　living　tints。　But；　happily；　the　beautiful　barn　swallow　is　too　familiar　to　need　description。　Wheeling　about　our　barns　and　houses；　skimming　over　the　fields；　its　bright　sides　flashing　in　the　sunlight；　playing　〃cross　tag〃　with　its　friends　at　evening；　when　the　insects；　too；　are　on　the　wing；　gyrating；　darting；　and　gliding　through　the　air；　it　is　no　more　possible　to　adequately　describe　the　exquisite　grace　of　a　swallow's　flight　than　the　glistening　buff　of　its　breast。　

This　is　a　typical　bird　of　the　air；　as　an　oriole　is　of　the　trees　and　a　sparrow　of　the　ground。　Though　the　swallow　may　often　be　seen　perching　on　a　telegraph　wire；　suddenly　it　darts　off　as　if　it　had　received　a　shock　of　electricity；　and　we　see　the　bird　in　its　true　element。

While　this　swallow　is　peculiarly　American；　it　is　often　confounded　with　its　European　cousin　Hirundo　rustica　in　noted　ornithologies。

Up　in　the　rafters　of　the　barn；　or　in　the　arch　of　an　old　bridge　that　spans　a　stream；　these　swallows　build　their　bracket…like　nests　of　clay　or　mud　pellets　intermixed　with　straw。　Here　the　noisy　little　broods　pick　their　way　out　of　the　white　eggs　curiously　spotted　with　brown　and　lilac　that　were　all　too　familiar　in　the　marauding　days　of　our　childhood。


CLIFF　SWALLOW　（Petrochelidon　lunifrons）　Swallow　family

Called　also：　EAVE　SWALLOW；　CRESCENT　SWALLOW；　ROCKY　MOUNTAIN　　　SWALLOW

Length　　6　inches。　A　trifle　smaller　than　the　English　sparrow。　　　Apparently　considerably　larger　because　of　its　wide　wingspread。　Male　and　Female　　Steel…blue　above；　shading　to　blue…black　on　　　crown　of　head　and　on　wings　and　tail。　A　brownish…gray　ring　　　around　the　neck。　Beneath　dusty　white；　with　rufous　tint。　　　Crescent…like　frontlet。　Chin；　throat；　sides　of　head；　and　tail　　　coverts　rufous。　Range　　North　and　South　America。　Winters　in　the　tropics。　Migrations　　Early　April。　Late　September。　Summer　resident。

Not　quite　so　brilliantly　colored　as　the　barn　swallow；　nor　with　tail　so　deeply　forked；　and　consequently　without　so　much　　grace　in　flying；　and　with　a　squeak　rather　than　the　really　musical　twitter　of　the　gayer　bird；　the　cliff　swallow　may　be　positively　identified　by　the　rufous　feathers　of　its　tail　coverts；　but　more