. Birds of Kansas. Birds. BIKDS OF KANSAS 15 capture, a mile distant, on a stick to which they held by their claws. They would eat bits of meat and live mice with the greatest relish. When a dog or cat came too near, an encounter of claws and fur was sure to result. A curious habit with them was that of solacing themselves upon their backs when they were suddenly attacked, and fighting with feet uppermost. It was a sad day for the dog who got his nose too near their unerring talons. At another time a nest containing young, high up on an overhanging limb of a cotton wood tree, was apj^roached.
. Birds of Kansas. Birds. BIKDS OF KANSAS 15 capture, a mile distant, on a stick to which they held by their claws. They would eat bits of meat and live mice with the greatest relish. When a dog or cat came too near, an encounter of claws and fur was sure to result. A curious habit with them was that of solacing themselves upon their backs when they were suddenly attacked, and fighting with feet uppermost. It was a sad day for the dog who got his nose too near their unerring talons. At another time a nest containing young, high up on an overhanging limb of a cotton wood tree, was apj^roached. The parent bird promptly came upon the scene and re- fused to leave, although not actually attacking the intruder. They were, to say the least, exceedingly tame. There is another fisherman better known to us than the Osprey. He justly deserves the name he bears—King- fisher. He flies up and down our larger creeks and rivers, sure to know where fish may be taken in season and out. His legs are very short and hardly used for walking. The outer and inner toes are grown together, making a flat sole upon which he can comfortably sit on the limb of a tree overhang- ing a stream, watching, waiting. ( See cut No. 5.) He spies a fish below him. Down he goes with a harsh sound, a hungry chuckle, and with his long sharp bill catches his victim, even plunging into the water after it. If the fish is small, he swallows it at once. If too large for this, he carries it away to his favorite perch and beats it soft against a limb. In this type it is the beak that is especially adapted for fishing, and not the claws. He cannot tear the fish to pieces, as does the Hawk, for his bill is straight and. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Eyer, Benjamin F. Topeka, Kan. , Crane & Company
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1900
