File:Bird-land echoes; (1896) (14751147625).jpg

Identifier: birdlandechoes00abbo (find matches)
Title: Bird-land echoes;
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Abbott, Charles C. (Charles Conrad), 1843-1919
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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well was not the leastattractive feature. A coral honeysuckle and atrumpet creeper struggled for supremacy, and bothwere well laden with bright flowers. How thehumming-birds buzzed about them !—not fighting,but forever threatening, I thought; and the bees,butterflies, dragon-flies, and beetles,—what goodlystore of sweets they all found ! and not for an instantwas there positive silence. Their humming wasincessant and made excellent bass when the trebleof joyous birds sounded from overhead or struggledthrough the foliage of the thick-set shrubbery. Theorioles whistle was the first clearly distinct soundthat I heard, and the nest that had been in usethree months before was almost within reach. Thebird itself was merely revisiting old scenes, and Iwas not surprised to hear from Aunt Peggy that atnesting-time they are too noisy for comfort. * Thesehang-nests never fail to come, and always build inthat weepin willow. I dont know a season whenthey missed, said Aunt Peggy. But I have not
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Our Old-Garden Birds. 131 observed such regularity. In my own yard, in thesummers from 1874 to 1895, these birds have beenabsent but four times, and during the twenty-oneyears have nearly equally divided their attentions, asregards nest-building, between a sycamore and anelm. The rule has been to alternate, and it has beenpretty closely adhered to. The beauty and intelli-gence of orioles are to be commended, but thereis too much edge to their whistle : it cuts the earinstead of falling gently upon it. If indulging ina day-dream, we are startled, not merely roused,by its suddenness and shrillness. The orioles thatstay with us after nesting-time are never musical. The day is not far distant when Aunt Peggy andher husband will pass away, and the old garden, solong a landmark, will be of interest only as regardslocal history. Place and people, the old cottage andits occupants, are so well fitted to each other that wecannot dissociate them ; but young people would beout of place here. A ne

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