WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



minish its force in the older districts, but crowding 

 the wild and refractory raven farther and farther 

 beyond the western frontier. 



Although none have abandoned their old way 

 of life so completely as the swallows, many other 

 birds have profited by the constructions and friend- 

 ship of the human race. The bluebird and house- 

 wren, chickadees and nuthatches dig holes in the 

 fence-posts conveniently rotting for their use; and 

 even such wild species as the Western fly-catcher, 

 great -crested kingbird, and Bewick's wren occa- 

 sionally attach themselves to mankind, and hatch 

 their young under his roof for greater security. 

 Even the whippoorwill and nighthawk, asleep all 

 day in the swamp, are glad to come to the farmer's 

 house in the evening, and now and then to deposit 

 their eggs on a flat roof. In the Rocky Moun- 

 tains I have seen flocks of white ptarmigans nim- 

 bly hopping around the door-steps of miners who 

 were seeking silver far above timber-line, picking 

 up the crumbs thrown to them, as tame as pet 

 chickens. 



In not a few instances, here as well as abroad, 

 superstition brings profit to our birds. An honest 

 old Pennsylvania Dutchman, around whose barn 

 clouds of swallows hovered, told Wilson that he 



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