The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-17
From Littel's Living Age.
Early Rising and Iuds.sry Of Bfrd..

Early Kissing and Industry Of Birds.
The zeal and perseverance with which
some persons devote themselves to the econ
omy Of nature, to the developments Of sci
ence, the observation OF animal life espe-
cially, either in Its structural forms or its
habits, prove that there is something per-
fectly unsel6sh in human nature; love Of
truth for its own sake, absolutely disinter-
ested. The whole history of science mani
tests this. Bacon, it is true, de6led his
mind with the love Of lucre, and sullied his
great name by acts unworthy Of an honest
man; but generally the true devotee Of sci
ence is one who postpones all other gratih-
cations to the end he has in view, simply
TO explore nature, and to demonstrate her
laws.
One OF my friends in Paris has an &C
quaintance, remarkable for the simplicity OF
his manners and the kindliness Of his dis
position, who, like Alexander Wilson and
Audubon, delights himself in the history
and the habits Of the featheled race. NJ.
bureau de la Male is not adventurous like
our American ornithologsts. Linneus
sometimes employed himself with satisfac-
ton upon few square feet Of grass ground,
TO study the varieties Of its vegetable pro-
ducts, and the multitude Of insects that find
their sustenance upon them; and st. Pierre,
in the vitality Of single strawberry plant.
beheld with admiration the wisdom and
goodness which bestow consciousness and
lenloyment in minute and innumerable forms
Of life. NJ. de la Male, in like manner,
watches over the affections, the industry,
the pleasures, and the distinctive peculiar
ties OF the pretty creatures who have made
their resting place under his windows. To
do this, for half the year he accommodates
his own habits to theirs. "For the last thir-
ty years" says he, Sin the spring and au-
tumn, go to bed regularly at seven o. clock,
and rise at twelve; practice necessary to
make observations upon the matinal habits
of birds" Eight species have afforded the
following results the chafinch (piason,
Franeais) awakes from one to half after
one in the morning; the Innet Oaurette)
between two and three; the quail (caiLe)
between two and a half and three; the
blackbird ('nerle) between three and hall
and four; the nightingale (rOssignol des
murailles) between three and three and a
half; the laPwig (pOulioO at four; the
sparrow (raoineal) at from five to five and
a half the tomtiI (ulesaRge) also from FIVE
to five and half. Thus the chafinch i:
the most matinal and the sparrow and tom
tit the most dilatory Of the birds observed
Endeayorlng to ascertain the causes o.
, these differences in the commencement o.
their diurnal activity, NJ. de la Male no
ticed some curious facts in regard to several
, individuals. June Attn, 1916, the linne
and the blackbird, which had not previous
ly taken flight until four o'clock, changed
the time to two and half. What was the
occasion Of this! Their little ones wer,
Matched; the necessities Of each family haC
increased. Until this day the providen
male obtained food for himself, and had re-
Iieved the patient hen, both enjoying pro
tracted rePose compared with other tribes
but the increase Of a birds nest, like tina
Of human family, demands increase o
{ means, and, therefore, increase OF toll tC
supply their wants. By the clear light o
the moon, the fathers and mothers Of the
two species were then, and afterwards, seer
busy, searching among the grass and alons
the flower borders for insects, and stray par
ticles Of nutritious substance, destined Il
! feed the nestlings.
: June 18th, the linnet was awakened some
l hours before the usual time, by the light o
I brilliant lamp, and began to sing, bu
, Perceiving that she was out of season, she
! composed herself again. Free blackbirds
; fullgrown, were never observed to initiate
, any note Of other birds. while Gagged bird,
/ of that species, taken young, become very
, good imitators. NJ. de la Male possesse.
one OF the latter, which he caused 10 be
hung up near the garden. There its pow
erful voice sent out vigorously the acquired
song. The free birds, however, disdainine
this accomplishment, resisted all improve.
ment, and limited themselves to natures
teaching. Not so their fedglings: they,
impossible like him who has dominion
over the birds Of the air, and, like new
, generations Of men seizing upon new sug.
sestions. in despite of the tenacity of Their
predecessors, learned the song Of the little
captive. Hatched March 10Th, these young
blackbirds were the offspring Of the same
, pair; their birthplace was the same garden,
the same linden tree, the same nest, and,
by the middle Of June, they had become
proficient in the art Of the Gagged bird, an
sweriny to him, or singing in concert with
him, repeating with many voices the notes
, which had been sung in vain to their pa
rents. So much for good company and for
the education Of birds.
| According to M. de la Males observa-
J tons. domestic birds, for they may be call
ed such, that fix themselves con6dingly
near the habitations OF man, require Just the
same duration Of sleep as the lord Of crea-
ton. Seven hours, little more or less,
out Of the twenty-four. are necessary to the
daily refreshment Of our human life, and
80 long appears to be the period allotted to
| the oblivion Of those little lives which min
ister so delightfully."- to the eradication Of
J ours.