2 o Tin: AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



fulness in destroying harmful insects to trees and plants, are a 

 few of the reasons why every nfan and woman should do his or 

 her share in promoting schemes for the protection of our native 

 birds. It seems incredible that there should be so much indifference 

 to one of the most delightful features of the great out-of-doors — 

 the intelligent enjoyment of bird life. But lamentable as this state 

 of things is, let us no1 be discouraged. If the old are beyond 

 reclamation in the matter of becoming interested in our birds. 

 the voung are never so. They but await the helpful word of their 

 teachers or friends, to become life long lovers of our many beautiful 

 song birds. 



Many American birds are strikingly beautiful. Among the 

 most brilliant in plumage we may include the Scarlet Tanager, 

 Rose-breasted Gorbelk, Cardinal, Indigo Bird, Baltimore Oriole; 

 Blackburnian Warbler, Redstart, and Red-headed Woodpecker. 

 If these species were all seen together, they would make a wonderful 

 collection. And any person who had never seen them before 

 would say he had no idea that such beautiful wild birds were in 

 existence. I remember once the surprise of a girl whose attention 

 was called to a Scarlet Tanager. She could not believe that it vvas a 

 wild bird, but thought it must have been an escaped cage-bird. 

 The presence of these beautiful feathered creatures in our groves 

 during the summer adds a new charm to their attractiveness. 



Were our birds noted only for grace and beauty of form, they 

 would be thrice welcome on their return to us each spring. Besides 

 the exquisite colors of their coats, many of them are sweet-voiced, 

 and make our groves and fields ring with their clear, liquid notes. 

 What a chorus, never unappreciated by the bird lover, may be 

 heard any morning in spring and early summer. The Song Sparrow, 

 Warbling Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bird, Meadowlark. 

 Bobolink, Catbird, and Brown Thrasher are songsters whose 

 performances give the purest pleasure to every sympathetic student 

 of nature. In all there are about forty species of song birds that may 

 be heard in our part of the country, each with its own voice, which 

 can be distinctly recognized. 



The voice tones of birds may be musical or may lack that 



quality. A single note may suffice to determine to which class 



■ i! species may belong. Compare the utterances of the Wood 



and i In Phoebe, and you will note the musical quality in 



thi fir t and its absence in the second. Another difference between 



