. Bird-lore . I. GRAY BIRCH PITTED BY SAPSUCKERSA natural-size detail of the preceding illustration 304 Bird- Lore at the waterside. This was repeated over and over again, and sometimesthe old birds, losing patience, would actually knock the youngsters fromtheir perches by force, and then call them up to some other nearby even went so far as to make a few pits on an oak at a point near adead stub of a limb. The young birds would try the sap, which appearedunpalatable, and the old birds would attempt to interest them in the insects inthe dead stub. The adults labored persistently at t
. Bird-lore . I. GRAY BIRCH PITTED BY SAPSUCKERSA natural-size detail of the preceding illustration 304 Bird- Lore at the waterside. This was repeated over and over again, and sometimesthe old birds, losing patience, would actually knock the youngsters fromtheir perches by force, and then call them up to some other nearby even went so far as to make a few pits on an oak at a point near adead stub of a limb. The young birds would try the sap, which appearedunpalatable, and the old birds would attempt to interest them in the insects inthe dead stub. The adults labored persistently at the weaning, but with little. FIG. 2. GRAY BIRCHES KILLED BY SAPSUCKERS. The Audubon Societies 305 result. They made no more pits, but the little fellows soon learned howto enlarge and make them themselves. This seemed to discourage theadults, and they would go oflf for hours to fend for themselves, leaving theyoung imbibing sap. The flowing sap attracted a host of insects, so that theyoung managed to vary their diet by picking up many flies, ants, and smallmoths. One of the most interesting features of my observations was the watchingof the antics of the various animals which were attracted to the flowing pair of Hummingbirds devoted their whole time to the tipple. They becameentirely demoraUzed and, instead of performing the duties for which nature in-tended them, they went on one long and extended spree. I expected to seethese Uttle tyrants drive the Sapsuckers away, but they did not do so, fearing,perhaps, to kill the goose which laid the golden egg. The antics of themale Rubythroat were wonderful and ma
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirdsperiodicals
