ABOUT BIRDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1324, 14 April 1877, Page 19

ABOUT BIRDS.

Birds are in some respects alike : they all have two feet, two wings, a horny beak, and a body covered with feathers. The feathers fall off at a season of the year ; but others grow again very soon : in this way they get a new suit every year. This is called the moulting of birds. Many birds change their place of residence at certain seasons, and are therefore called " birds of passage." It is remarkable that, after a long absence, they can always find their old nests again. Many birds lead a wandering life, and remain in one place only so long as they find plenty of food ; as, the wild pigeon, the heron, wild geese, and wild ducks.

Others fly from the approach of winter, and come back in the earliest days of spring; as the sparrow, the robin, and the blackbird.

Some birds perform these journeys at night; as the owl, the kingfisher, and the thrush : others, only during the day ; as crows and swallows. Cranes and swans, on the contrary, continue their journey both day and night. Birds have no teeth, but are obliged to tear their food to pieces with their beaks, or to swallow it whole." In those birds who live on seeds, and swallow them whole, the food does not pass at once into the stomach, but remains a while in the crop where it is softened. Many birds swallow sand and little pebbles to help the digestion of their food.

The sense of sight is very acute in birds. The hen perceives a hawk at a great distance, at which no common human eye could observe it; and the littlo insect-catchers see the smallest insects that move on the highest branches of the trees. Owls can see best in twilight.

The care and skill with which birds build their nests are wonderful. The number of eggs laid for hatching by different kinds of birds is various. Many water-birds lay only one egg ; most pigeons, two ; ravens, four ; partridges, about fourteen ; while the hens of our barnyards will lay more than fifty, provided they are well fed, and the eggs are taken away by degrees. Many birds live to a great age. The eagle, the pelican, and the parrot have been known to reach the age of one hundred years ; swans, two hundred years. Canary-birds and pigeons often live more than twenty years.