The Believing Years

the meaning of "sub-species," it may be stated that in Texas the plumage of the Bob-White is lighter in colour than the plumage of the typical eastern Bob-White, which was fir

explain why this variation in colour and size is so pronounced in some species and yet is totally absent in others of equally wide range. The Mourning Dove breeds in many localities from the southern tier of Canadian Prov

erica, and the Kestrel and Rook from western Europe, are known to come to our shores only as rare wanderers who had lost their way, or were blown hither by storms. Eighty-five species of the birds now listed for North America are of this

reference to mountains, coastlines, etc. The number of bird students and the character of their field studies determine the extent to which the birds of a State have been catalogued and listed. The following list indicate

75 (Oberho

371 (Cook

255 (How

541 (Grinn

403 (Coo

1

334 (Sage and

229 (Renno

olumbia, 293

62 (Thurst

0 (Merril

390 (Cor

321 (Butl

(Anderso

79 (Bunke

228 (Gar

(Byer, Allison,

27 (Knig

290 (Kirkw

369 (Howe and

326 (Barro

, 304 (Ha

383 (Widma

418 (Swe

50 (Hoffm

re, 283 (Al

, 358 (Sto

o, 314 (F

412 (Eat

342 (Pearson a

a, 338 (Sch

0 (Jones

28 (Woodc

a, 300 (War

93 (Howe and St

ina, 337 (W

223 (Rhoa

6 (Streck

4 (Hensh

255 (Ho

302 (Riv

, 372 (Daw

ia, 246 (Br

(Kumlien and Ho

288 (Knig

tates no list of the bir

decreased in numbers, but because there has come a change in the man's ideas and viewpoint; in short, the change is chiefly a psychological one. The gentleman doubtless does not see the birds as much as he did when he was a boy on a farm, or if he does, they do not make the same impression on his mind. It is but another example of the human tendency to

rds that thrive in open countries could not find suitable habitation. As soon as the trees were cut the face of the country began to assume an aspect which greatly favoured such species as the Bobolink, Meadowlark, Quail, Vesper Sparrow, and others of the field-loving varieties. The open cou

Wild Duck must go, but the meadowland that takes the place of the s

igeons Are

on of forests. In parts of the Middle West the Woodpeckers have no doubt decreased in numbers. There are

Despite the generally accepted statement that these birds succumbed to the guns, snares, and nets of hunters, there is a second cause which doubtless had its effect in hastening the disappearance of the species. The cutting away of vast forests where the birds were accustomed to gather and feed on mast greatly restricted their feeding range. They colle

orth Yakima, Washington. The birds here seen at their

ts that the reduction of the forest areas was responsible for this bird's disappearance, but it is hard to believe that this fact alone was sufficient to affect them so seriously, for the birds live mainly in swamps, and in our Southern States there are extensive lowland regions that remain practi

merica are those on whose heads a price has been set by the markets. Let a demand once arise for the bodies or the feathers

e islands and along the shores of Labrador, as well as on the islands and mainland about the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Any one over forty years of age will remember how very popular feather beds used to be. In fact, there are those of us who know from experience that in many rural sections the deep feather bed

or Duck and the Eider. These adventurous bird pirates secured their booty either by killing the birds or taking the down from the nests. The commercializing of the Labrador Duck meant its undoing.

emely abundant in the northern Pacific and Bering Sea. They were killed for food by Indians, whalers, and others who visit

led with clubs on the breeding rookeries, and provided an acceptable meat supply for fishermen and other toilers of the sea; also their f

of the year. However, it was the white man who brought ruin to this magnificent sea-fowl, for the savage Indians were too provident to exterminate any species of bird or animal. The Great Auk was last seen in America between 18

uk, Another

-day. Constant shooting and the extensive settling of the prair

where their bodies commanded a price of so much per head have swallowed them up. The shotgun has also played havoc with the Prairie Chicken and the Sage Grouse. Of the former possibly as many as one thousand exist on the Heat

ch year because they have been commercialized. There is a demand in the feather trade which can be met only by the use of their plumage, and as no profitable means has been devised for raising these birds in captivity the few remaining wild one

stables and not infrequently on similar supports of wide verandas. The Cliff Swallow builds its gourd-shaped mud nest under the eaves and hence is widely known as the Eaves Swallow. No rest of any kind in the form of a projecting beam is needed, as the bird skilfully fastens the mud to the vertical side of the barn close up under the overhanging roof. In such a situation it is usually safe from all beating rains. The Cliff Swallow has exhibit

s and their eggs. Some of the southern Indians hung gourds up on poles and the Martins learned to build their nests in them. This custom is still in vogue in the South, and thousands of Martin houses throughout the country are erected every year for the accommodation of these in

it is wise to nest near human habitations. At Plant City, Florida, one may find their nests in the large electric arc-lights swinging

ry in south Florida. There were no bird boxes or gourds for at least twenty or thirty miles around, so the birds had appropriated some old Flicker nesting cavities in dead trees, that is, one pair of the birds had appropriated a disused hole, an

remotest parts of the country that these birds still resort to hollow trees for nesting purposes. There is-or was a few years ago-a hollow cypress tree standing on the edge of Big Lake in North Carolina which was used by a pair of Chimney Swifts, and it made one feel as i