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Title
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Thomas County, July 3-11, July 27-30, 1911
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Date
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July 3-11, July 27-30, 1911
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Creator
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Frank Shoemaker
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Description
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Narratives
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Identifier
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321301-1911-0149.jpg
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Transcription
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20 … infertile, and an egg of the cowbird, doubtless laid by the bird I had seen leaving the nest, as it proved to be perfectly fresh. My means of ascertaining its freshness, I do not scruple to confess, or rather boast, was the simple expedient of busting it open. Whatever may be said of the unwisdom of molesting the processes of Nature’s ordained plan, I draw the line just short of the cowbird, considering her definitely without the pale, and one of Nature’s worst blunders. When I find cowbirds’ eggs in a nest they come out, and I flatter myself that I have saved hundreds of young birds, of dozens of species, by removing these false gems. I did a little job of carpentering, shoring up the nest to a proper level, adding a scantling or two and repairing the wainscoting, replaced the fallen infant and went on my way. — It is unusual for the cowbird to deposit an egg with young birds so far developed. — Four days later the nest was found again pulled far down at the side, and the young birds were gone. Young orchard orioles were flying about in the bushes near where the vireo’s nest was found. I stalked one little fellow and caught him in my butterfly net, for the sake of a visit. I copy a very unscientific note from my field book, under date of July 10th, just as it stands: “Caught a mouse this morning in the upstairs room where we keep our things, and chucked it from a small box into a pail of water. Suddenly remembered that I had nothing against the mouse, and dropped it a tissue-paper rope, up which it promptly shinned and sat shivering on the rim of the pail, while I stood there ashamed of myself. I essayed to stroke its head with a finger-tip and it sat still; so I took it in my hands and warmed it up. Then I held it near the floor and tried to push it out of my palm with my thumb, but it ran around the thumb and signified its preference to remain in the warm quarters. So I babied it while and finally pushed it off, whereupon it faded promptly into the ample hole through which the water pipes pass.” — And while I am on the notes for July 10th, here is another
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Rights
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To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
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Is Version Of
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321301-1911-0149_321301-1911-0149.jpg
