. The home life of wild birds; a new method of the study and photography of birds . ht tickling sensation between the fingers are scarcely felt. They do not seemto trouble the old birds much, but must give discomfort to the young, especially if fromany other cause they happen to be weakly. One would suppose that cleanliness must be an imperative instinct with such a birdas the Kingfisher, whose nest is underground, but the semi-fluid excreta is not re-moved from the tunnel, which according to some observers, becomes fouled in con-sequence. This was not true of the nest which I had under observ
. The home life of wild birds; a new method of the study and photography of birds . ht tickling sensation between the fingers are scarcely felt. They do not seemto trouble the old birds much, but must give discomfort to the young, especially if fromany other cause they happen to be weakly. One would suppose that cleanliness must be an imperative instinct with such a birdas the Kingfisher, whose nest is underground, but the semi-fluid excreta is not re-moved from the tunnel, which according to some observers, becomes fouled in con-sequence. This was not true of the nest which I had under observation last the course of seventeen days the nesting chamber was moved forward more than afoot, so that it always presented a clean surface. The Barn Swallow, the House Sparrow, and the wild Passenger Pigeon represent aconsiderable number of birds which secure protection in their breeding haunts by othermeans than by concealing the nest. While their nests may be clean, this is not true ofthe ground beneath. It is plainly advantageous for the smaller birds which breed in. loS Wild Birds. solitude on or near the ground to remove every particle of litter which would whitenthe grass or foliage and thus advertise the nest to their enemies, even to those whoprowl at night. When a Red-eyed Vireo whose actions I was watching at close range dropped oneof the sacs by accident, she would dart after it and snap it up before it reached theground not four feet from the nest. I have also witnessed the same performance in the Kingbirds. Not a trace of defilementis ever seen about the dwellings ofany bird possessed of the cleaninginstinct. On the other hand predaceousbirds like Eagles and Hawks pay noattention to such matters. The ex-creta of the young as of the adult isvoided in a semi-fluid state and ina peculiar manner. With tail up-turned over the edge of the nest itis shot to a distance of several feet,and may strike the ground two ormore yards from the nesting this way th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1901
