Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts Part 64

2. How does the flight of a Bat differ from that of a Flying Squirrel?

3. Can you notice any peculiarity in the Rabbit's track?

4. Mention three mammals that hibernate.

5. Describe the methods of defense in the following mammals: Armadillo, Porcupine, Skunk.

6. Why do the front teeth of the Squirrel and the Beaver continue to grow?

The best way to find the answers to these questions is by actual observation of the animals, but when this is impossible, the references given under "Mammals" will be found useful.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RED FOX RETURNING TO ITS YOUNG FROM SOME FARMER'S HEN-ROOST

The Cross Fox, the Silver Fox, and the Black Fox are color phases of the Red Fox, and not different species. Range: Northern North America south to Georgia. Habitat Group in American Museum of Natural History.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BALD-EAGLE

The American Eagle, the Emblem of our Country. Range: United States]

Birds

_He who takes the first step in ornithology is ticketed for the whole trip._--_John Burroughs._

[Ill.u.s.tration: A GREBE COLONY IN SASKATCHEWAN

Showing the Western Grebe and the smaller Grebe. Note the young Grebe riding on its mothers' back. Another parent is covering its eggs preparatory to leaving the nest. Range of both these species: Western North America. Habitat Group in the American Museum of Natural History.]

The love of the beautiful seems to be innate; that is, born in us. And the birds appeal to this in at least two ways: First, on account of the beauty of their songs, and second, on account of the beauty of their plumage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCREECH OWL

The Screech Owl feeds largely upon mice and other destructive rodents.

Range: Eastern North America.]

Among the birds that have especially beautiful songs are the Thrushes, which include the Robin and the Bluebird, the finest singer in this family probably being the Hermit Thrush. In the Southern States there is no more popular singer among the birds than the Mockingbird. But it should be remembered that a bird's song cannot be separated from the a.s.sociations which it calls up in one's memory. So that the performance of an ordinary songster may be more pleasing to one than that of some finer one because of youthful a.s.sociations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SAND HILL CRANES IN FLORIDA

Unlike the Herons, these birds fly with neck fully extended. Their loud, resonant trumpeting is as characteristic as the honking of Wild Geese.

Range: North America. Habitat Group in The American Museum of Natural History.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: GREAT HORNED OWL

Rabbits const.i.tute a favorite food when available. Poultry and other birds are also destroyed by this owl. Range: Eastern North America.]

It seems to be a general law of nature that the finest songsters have the plainest coats.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BROWN PELICANS IN FLORIDA

The Pelicans nest in colonies, and the young feed from the parents'

throats. Range: Gulf coast of U. S. and southward. Habitat Group in The American Museum of Natural History.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: EGRETS: PARENT BIRDS]

Among the birds that we enjoy on account of their beautiful plumage are the Egrets, every feather of their coats being as white as snow, and the plumes of these birds are so beautiful, and human beings have been so thoughtless that the Egrets have been almost exterminated in order to supply the millinery trade. These plumes, known as aigrettes, grow on the backs between the shoulders of both the male and female birds, and are worn only during the nesting season. The only time during the nesting season that the plume hunter finds it profitable to hunt these birds is when the young are in the nest. At any other time the birds would be so wild that the plume hunter could not easily shoot them. When the young are in the nest the parental love is so strong that the adult birds cannot resist the instinct to return to feed the nestlings when they are begging for food. In this way both the father bird and the mother bird become an easy prey for the ambushed plume hunter, and there is but one thing that can happen to the baby Egrets in the nest after both of their parents have been killed--they starve to death. This is one of the most cruel phases of the plume trade, and there is no other way to secure the aigrette plumes of the Egrets than by killing the adult birds. Fortunately, in the United States it is against the law to shoot these birds, and it is against the law to import the plumes. Until recently it has not been illegal to wear these plumes, and the fact that there are still a few women who adorn their hats with them has encouraged the illegal and cruel killing of these birds in our country, or the smuggling in of the plumes from some other country. In the latter part of 1919 the federal regulations have been interpreted to make it illegal to possess aigrette plumes, and henceforth the law will be so enforced. This is the successful culmination of a long fight by the Audubon Society.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GOLDEN PLOVER

The Golden Plover makes the longest single flight known to be made by any bird in migration,--that is, 2,500 miles from Nova Scotia across the open ocean to South America. Range: North and South America.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOBOLINK

During the autumn migration this bird is the Reedbird or Ricebird.

Range: North and South America.]

A few other birds of striking plumage are the Bluejay, the Bluebird, the Baltimore Oriole, the Scarlet Tanager, the Cedar Waxwing, and Red-winged Blackbird.

Turning from the esthetic value of birds, which depends, among other things, upon the beauty of their songs and the beauty of other plumage, we may consider the value of birds in dollars and cents.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WILD TURKEY IN WEST VIRGINIA

Our most magnificent game-bird. Note how much the young resembles the dead leaves. Range: Eastern United States west to Nebraska and Texas.

Habitat Group in The American Museum of Natural History.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: NORTHERN SHRIKE IMPALING A HOUSE SPARROW UPON A THORN

The habit ill.u.s.trated here has given the Shrike the name of Butcher-bird. It is surprising to find a song-bird with the habits of a bird of prey. Range: Northern North America.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DUCK HAWKS ON THE PALISADES OF THE HUDSON

The "n.o.ble Peregrine" of falconry carrying a pigeon to its young. Range: North and South America. Habitat Group in The American Museum of Natural History.]

Every farmer and gardener must cultivate his crops and fight the weeds which are always crowding out the plants he is trying to raise, and in this fight he is helped by a great many birds of various kinds. Among these are the Mourning Dove, the Bob-White, and members of the Sparrow family, such as the Goldfinch, the Junco, and the Song Sparrow. In this country, in the aggregate, these seed-eating birds destroy every year tons of seeds of the noxious weeds, and are therefore valuable friends of the gardener and farmer. For more definite data see bulletins published by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, or "Useful Birds and Their Protection," by Edward Howe Forbush (Ma.s.sachusetts Board of Agriculture).

[Ill.u.s.tration: A KILLDEER FAMILY

This plover is common in meadows, cultivated fields, and about ponds and lakes. It gets its name from its note. Range: North and South America.]

Thousands of bushels of grain are eaten or spoiled by small mammals, such as mice, rats, and spermophiles or gophers. To the relief of the farmer, many birds feed upon these destructive little rodents. The Crow occasionally captures a mouse, while the Shrikes or Butcher-birds catch a great many. The Screech Owl feeds largely upon mice. The Red-tailed Hawk is called the Hen-hawk or Chicken-hawk by most farmers, but this is very unfair to the bird, for its princ.i.p.al food is mice. In fact, most of the Hawks and Owls of the United States are really valuable friends of the farmer because of the injurious rodents which they devour. (See "_Hawks and Owls of the United States_," by A. K. Fisher.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: STARLING

Introduced 1890 into New York City; since spread over northeastern states. Western and central Europe, New England and Middle Atlantic States.]

To be fair, it must be admitted that there are a few exceptions; that is, that there are a few Hawks and Owls which do more harm than good.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk kills many harmless songbirds and occasionally young game birds and young chickens. The Cooper's Hawk, which nests throughout the United States, is a real chicken hawk, and the worst one in the country. The Duck Hawk, the "n.o.ble Peregrine" of falconry, in this country feeds largely upon domestic pigeons, but no bird student would wish to see it exterminated on account of this habit.