Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-04-24
From the \. T.. Farmer.
BENEVOLENCE IN Birds.
THEIR USEFULNESS, &C.

BENEVOLENCE IN BIlSDS.-
THEIR USEFULNESS, &C.
The COMMUNICATION of II. c. in tho
Farmer of the 9th inst, relative TO the
canker-worm, in which he says the only
cflcctual remedy against these insects
known to him is "the encouragement of
birds" brings fresh to our recollection
some "reminiscences respecting this perse-
cuted, interesting and useful race, which
VIC think will be pleasing to our readers
particularly to the younger ones. We
can hardly say with the writer of the arti-
ticle, that skiling a small bird should be
placed in our penal code next to killing
a child )" but we do say that it ought to
be met with punishment sufficient TO
prevent the destruction which annually
takes place, in mere wantoncss or sport,
among the innocent songsters OF our groves
and orchards. We have been almost
disposed in times past to bring the boys
before Judge Lynch, and might probably
have done it could we have put our hands
upon them.
While residing in Lancaster few
years since, We were located near tho
river which runs throug II the town, whose
banks and intervals are Ornamented with
numerous fine clms and other trees, which
add much to the beauty of this pleasant
village: in these trees the birds congre-
gate in great numbers and rear their
young. A gigantic elm, the admiration
of travellers and the pride of the village,
threw out its wide spreading branches
over the cottage in Which we dwell, and
while it shielded us from the scorching
sun, afforded in its ample head, IA forest
almost in itsclf) a secure retreat for
great variety of birds, whose movements
afforded much amusement for the family.
Among these birds were pair of crow
black birds, who had selected the fork of
a partly dccayed limb very high in the
tree, as place to build their nest and
rear their young. Having in my juvenile
days some prejudice against this bird, as
was taught, that with the crow it would
dig up the newly sprouted corn, and COM
nit slndry other depredations, l there
fore viewed them with suspicious eye as
| saw them in company from day to day
upon my newly planted grounds, busily
engaged in helping themselves to what
they liked best. l satisfied myself soon,
however, that they had been vilely SLAM
dered, and that they were friends and
not enemies: it was evident that they
were clearing my grounds Of grubs and
worms at great rate. They soon found
that was no enemy to them, and consc-
quently became quite tame and familiar,
following the plough or harrow with
nearly as much confidence as the domes-
tic fowls. 1t appeared that there was
good state of feeling among the numerous
tribes that inhabited the tree, consisting
as they did ofso many families, embracing
the robin, blue-bird, sparrow, golden robin,
and ii variety of others, and things seemed
to prosper among them and go on well,
until the night before old fashioned "'lec-
ton" "a fatal day to the ieathered tribe y
during that night there was very high
wind: early in the morning | was AVA
kcncd by an unusual clamor among the
birds, and rose to arcertain the cause-l
found that the decayed limb on the fork
of which was the crow black-bird's nest,
had been broken off by the wind, and the
nest and contents Give young ones,) pre-
cipitatcd to the ground, and that four Of
them were dead or dying. The surviv-
ing one was nearly iledged and could fly
little. | picked it up from the grass
and placed it in a secure situation, sup
posing the distressed parents would take
care of it. The old ones continued their
clamor all the morning, which with the
sympathizing cries of the other birds,
formed IA melancholy concert.
While the black-brds had perched
upon neighboring tree near the road.
still giving vent to their sorrow, boy
passed with his gun, fired, and brought
them both to the ground and carried them
away in triumph; luckily for the boy, |
did not witness the barbarous deed, but it
was noted by one of the family and soon
reported to me. As had become some
what interested in the unfortunate orphan,
| proposed to my children that they
should feed it with worms until it could
take care of itself, and accordingly placed
it in a pen under the tree and returned to
my work near by. 1t was not long be-
(See fourth poge.)