bird neighbors-第36节

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d　the　black…and…white　lines　over　its　ruby　eye；　that；　in　addition　to　the　song；　are　its　marked　characteristics。

Whether　she　is　excessively　stupid　or　excessively　kind；　the　mother…vireo　has　certainly　won　for　herself　no　end　of　ridicule　by　allowing　the　cowbird　to　deposit　a　stray　egg　in　the　exquisitely　made；　pensile　nest；　where　her　own　tiny　white　eggs　are　lying　and　though　the　young　cowbird　crowd　and　worry　her　little　fledglings　and　eat　their　dinner　as　fast　as　she　can　bring　it　in；　no　displeasure　or　grudging　is　shown　towards　the　dusky　intruder　that　is　sure　to　upset　the　rightful　heirs　out　of　the　nest　before　they　are　able　to　fly。

In　the　heat　of　a　midsummer　noon；　when　nearly　every　other　bird's　voice　is　hushed；　and　only　the　locust　seems　to　rejoice　in　the　fierce　sunshine；　the　little　red…eyed　vireo　goes　persistently　about　its　business　of　gathering　insects　from　the　leaves；　not　flitting　nervously　about　like　a　warbler；　or　taking　its　food　on　the　wing　like　a　flycatcher；　but　patiently　and　industriously　dining　where　it　can；　and　singing　as　it　goes。

When　a　worm　is　caught　it　is　first　shaken　against　a　branch　to　kill　it　before　it　is　swallowed。　Vireos　haunt　shrubbery　and　trees　with　heavy　foliage；　all　their　hunting；　singing；　resting；　and　home…building　being　done　among　the　leaves　　never　on　the　ground。


WHITE…EYED　VIREO　（Vireo　noveboracensis）　Vireo　or　Greenlet　family

Male　　5　to　5。3　inches。　An　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　bright　olive…green；　washed　with　　　grayish。　Throat　and　underneath　white；　the　breast　and　sides　　　greenish　yellow；　wings　have　two　distinct　bars　of　yellowish　　　white。　Yellow　line　from　beak　to　and　around　the　eye；　which　has　a　　　white　iris。　Feathers　of　wings　and　tail　brownish　and　edged　with　　　yellow。　Range　　United　States　to　the　Rockies；　and　to　the　Gulf　regions　　　And　beyond　in　winter。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

〃Pertest　of　songsters；〃　the　white…eyed　vireo　makes　whatever　neighborhood　it　enters　lively　at　once。　Taking　up　a　residence　in　the　tangled　shrubbery　or　thickety　undergrowth；　it　immediately　begins　to　scold　like　a　crotchety　old　wren。　It　becomes　irritated　over　the　merest　trifles　　a　passing　bumblebee；　a　visit　from　another　bird　to　its　tangle；　an　unsuccessful　peck　at　a　gnat　　　　anything　seems　calculated　to　rouse　its　wrath　and　set　every　feather　on　its　little　body　a…trembling；　while　it　sharply　snaps　out　what　might　perhaps　be　freely　constructed　into　〃cuss…words。〃

And　yet　the　inscrutable　mystery　is　that　this　virago　meekly　permits　the　lazy　cowbird　to　deposit　an　egg　in　its　nest；　and　will　patiently　sit　upon　it；　though　it　is　as　large　as　three　of　her　own　tiny　eggs；　and　when　the　little　interloper　comes　out　from　his　shell　the　mother…bird　will　continue　to　give　it　the　most　devoted　care　long　after　it　has　shoved　her　poor　little　starved　babies　out　of　the　nest　to　meet　an　untimely　death　in　the　smilax　thicket　below。

An　unusual　variety　of　expression　distinguishes　this　bird's　voice　from　the　songs　of　the　other　vireos；　which　are　apt　to　be　monotonous；　as　they　are　incessant。　If　you　are　so　fortunate　to　approach　the　white…eyed　vireo　before　he　suspects　your　presence；　you　may　hear　him　amusing　himself　by　jumbling　together　snatches　of　the　songs　of　the　other　birds　in　a　sort　of　potpourri；　or　perhaps　he　will　be　scolding　or　arguing　with　an　imaginary　foe；　then　dropping　his　voice　and　talking　confidentially　to　himself。　Suddenly　he　bursts　into　a　charming；　simple　little　song；　as　if　the　introspection　had　given　him　reason　for　real　joy。　All　these　vocal　accomplishments　suggest　the　chat　at　once；　but　the　minute　your　intrusion　is　discovered　the　sharp　scolding；　that　is　fairly　screamed　at　you　from　an　enraged　little　throat；　leaves　no　possible　shadow　of　a　doubt　as　to　the　bird　you　have　disturbed。　It　has　the　most　emphatic　call　and　song　to　be　heard　in　the　woods；　it　snaps　its　words　off　very　short。　〃Chick…a…rer　chick〃　is　its　usual　call…note；　jerked　out　with　great　spitefulness。

Wilson　thus　describes　the　jealously　guarded　nest：　〃This　bird　builds　a　very　neat　little　nest；　often　in　the　figure　of　an　inverted　cone；　it　is　suspended　by　the　upper　end　of　the　two　sides；　on　the　circular　bend　of　a　prickly　vine；　a　species　of　smilax；　that　generally　grows　in　low　thickets。　Outwardly　it　is　constructed　of　various　light　materials；　bits　of　rotten　wood；　fibres　of　dry　stalks；　of　weeds；　pieces　of　paper　（commonly　newspapers；　an　article　almost　always　found　about　its　nest；　so　that　some　of　my　friends　have　given　it　the　name　of　the　politician）；　all　these　materials　are　interwoven　with　the　silk　of　the　caterpillars；　and　the　inside　is　lined　with　fine；　dry　grass　and　hair。〃


WARBLING　VIREO　（Vireo　gilvus）　Vireo　or　Greenlet　family

Length　　5。5　to　6　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Ashy　olive…green　above；　with　head　and　neck　　　ash…colored。　Dusky　line　over　the　eye。　Underneath　whitish；　　　faintly　washed　with　dull　yellow；　deepest　on　sides；　no　bars　on　　　wings。　Range　　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　Mexico。　Migrations　　May。　Late　September　or　early　October。　Summer　　　resident。

This　musical　little　bird　shows　a　curious　preference　for　rows　of　trees　in　the　village　street　or　by　the　roadside；　where　he　can　be　sure　of　an　audience　to　listen　to　his　rich；　continuous　warble。　There　is　a　mellowness　about　his　voice；　which　rises　loud；　but　not　altogether　cheerfully；　above　the　bird　chorus；　as　if　he　were　a　gifted　but　slightly　disgruntled　contralto。　Too　inconspicuously　dressed；　and　usually　too　high　in　the　tree…top　to　be　identified　without　opera…glasses；　we　may　easily　mistake　him　by　his　voice　for　one　of　the　warbler　family；　which　is　very　closely　allied　to　the　vireos。　Indeed；　this　warbling　vireo　seems　to　be　the　connecting　link　between　them。

Morning　and　afternoon；　but　almost　never　in　the　evening；　we　may　hear　him　rippling　out　song　after　song　as　he　feeds　on　insects　and　berries　about　the　garden。　But　this　familiarity　lasts　only　until　nesting　time；　for　off　he　goes　with　his　little　mate　to　some　unfrequented　lane　near　a　wood　until　their　family　is　reared；　when；　with　a　perceptibly　happier　strain　in　his　voice；　he　once　more　haunts　our　garden　and　row　of　elms　before　taking　the　southern　journey。


OVENBIRD　（Seiurus　aurocapillus）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　GOLDEN…CROWNED　THRUSH；　THE　TEACHER；　WOOD　WAGTAIL；　　　GOLDEN…CROWNED　WAGTAIL；　GOLDEN…CROWNED　ACCENTOR

Length　　6　to　6。15　inches。　Just　a　shade　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　olive；　with　an　orange…brown　crown；　　　bordered　by　black　lines　that　converge　toward　the　bill。　Under　　　parts　white；　breast　spotted　and　streaked　on　the　sides。　White　　　eye…ring。　Range　　United　States；　to　Pacific　slope。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Common　summer　resident。

Early　in　May　you　may　have　the　good　fortune　to　see　this　little　bird　of　the　woods　strutting　in　and　out　of　the　garden　shrubbery　with　a　certain　mock　dignity；　like　a　child　wearing　its　father's　boots。　Few　birds　can　walk　without　appearing　more　or　less　ridiculous；　and　however　gracefully　and　prettily　it　steps；　this　amusing　little　wagtail　is　no　exception。　When　seen　at　all　　which　is　not　often；　for　it　is　shy　　it　is　usually　on　the　ground；　not　far　from　the　shrubbery　or　a　woodland　thicket；　under　which　it　will　quickly　dodge　out　of　sight　at　the　merest　suspicion　of　a　footstep。　To　most　people　the　bird　is　only　a　voice　calling；　〃TEACHER　TEACHER。　TEACHER；　TEACHER；　TEACHER！〃　as　Mr。　Burroughs　has　interpreted　the　notes　that　go　off　in　pairs　like　a　series　of　little　explosions；　softly　at　first；　then　louder　and　louder　and　more　shrill　until　the　bird　that　you　at　first　thought　far　away　seems　to　be　shrieking　his　penetrating　crescendo　into　your　very　ears。　But　you　may　look　until　you　are　tired　before　you　find　him　in　the　high；　dry　wood；　never　near　water。

In　the　driest　parts　of　the　wood；　here　the　ground　is　thickly　carpeted　with　dead　leaves；　you　may　some　day　notice　a　little　bunch　of　them；　that　look　as　if　a　plant；　in　pushing　its　way　up　through　the　ground；　had　raised　the　leaves；　rootlets；　and　twigs　a　trifle。

Examine　the　spot　more　carefully；　and　on　one　side　you　find　an　opening；　and　within　the　ball　of　earth；　softly　lined　with　grass；　lie　four　or　five　cream…white；　speckled　eggs。　It　is　only　by　a　happy　accident　that　this　nest　of　the　ovenbird　is　discovered。　The　concealment　could　not　be　better。　It　is　this　peculiarity　of　nest　construction　　in　shape　like　a　Dutch　oven　　that　has　given　the　bird　what　DeKay　considers　its　〃trivial　name。〃　Not　far　from　the　nest　the　parent　birds　scratch　about　in　the　leaves　like　diminutive　barnyard　fowls；　for　the　grubs　and　insects　hiding　under　them。　But　at　the　first　suspicion　of　an　intruder　their　alarm　becomes　pitiful。　Panic…stricken；　they　become　fairly　limp　with　fear；　and　drooping　her　wings　and　tail；　the　mother…bird　drags　herself　hither　and　thither　over　the　ground。

As　utterly　bewildered　as　his　mate；　the　male　darts；　flies；　and　tumbles　about　through　the　low　branches；　jerking　and　wagging　his　tail　in　nervous　spasms　until　you　have　beaten　a　double…quick　retreat。

In　nesting　time；　at　evening；　a　very　few　have　heard　the　〃luxurious　nuptial　song〃　of　the　ovenbird；　but　it　is　a　song　to　haunt　the　memory　forever　afterward。　Burroughs　appears　to　be　the　first　writer　to　record　this　〃rare　bit　of　bird　melody。〃　〃Mounting　by　easy　flight　to　the　top　of　the　tallest　tree；〃　says　the　aut