Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1911 — Birds That Build on the Ground. [ARTICLE]

Birds That Build on the Ground.

The magnificent golden eagle has its nest of sticks and rushes on the ground. The primitive ostrich simply scratches out a hole in the sand, several laying in one nest Sand martins build their homes on a sand cliff, boring holes to a distance of three or more feet Meadow larks build their structures of dried grasses, which are likely to be hidden in clover. The titlark’s grassy, moss lined nest is placed flat upon the ground away up In chilly Labrador. The bank swallow bores for its home in the sandy bank of a river. Lapland snowbirds simply depress their nests in a bed of moss upon the ground. The Savannah bunting only slightly hollows out its pasture nest a mere suggestion of a cup. v Swamp sparrows often select a home amid the roots of upturned trees quite surrounded by water. The vesper sparrow has a nest of neatly woven grasses quite flat on the ground. The thrasher or brown thrush builds on the ground unless cats drive her to selecting the bushes. Kingfishers build on banks, tunneling in several feet like several other members of birddom.

Sentence Building. Each word of the sentences must begin with the initial letter of the word given by the leader in each round. For convenience let the hostess begin; then the player on her right gives the second word, the next player the third, etc., so that the sentence will be completed only when it reaches the hostess or whoever started it.

Great care must be taken not to give a word that will end the sentence, as the leader is the only one who is supposed to finish it. Bat If a player cannot avoid finishing a sentence he mast pay a forfeit or drop out of the game.

Suppose there are six players (any number may play) and the leader says “boys.” No. 2 “beat," No. 3 “bumble.” No. 4 “bees.” Thus No. 4 is out or pays some forfeit, as he has finished the sentence. But the sentence might have been, “Boys, bad boys, beat bumble bees," thus bringing it to the leader to finish. The more ridiculous the sentences are the more fun.

Sing a Song of Sixpence. “Sing a Song of Sixpence” was sung by boys and girls as long ago as the time of James I. of England, 1603. The “four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie” are the twenty-four bours of the day. When “the pie was cut”— that is. when the day opens—the birds begin to sing. So you see the simple rhymes were intended merely to illustrate a natural phenomenon.

Conundrums. What is the difference between truth and eggs? Truth crushed to earth will rise again, but eggs won’t. What was the difference between Noah’s ark and Joan of Arc? One was made of wood; the other was Maid of Orleans.

The City of Not at All. "Totnorrow I'll do it," says Bennie. "I Will by and by,” says Seth. “Not now—pretty soon," says Jennie. "In a minute." says little Beth. Oh. dear little people, remember That true as the stars in the sky The little streets of tomorrow. Pretty soon, by and by. Lead one and all As straight, they say. As the King’s highway To the city of Not at All!