The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-06-18
Gketebes of Natural Historp.
From Arthur's Home Gazette
ANECDOTES
Or Bird, Beast, .Fish and Reptile
a0ith the Poetry and Philosophy
e Of their Respective Lives
and Habits, as Drawn
rS17d from life.
,s. BY G. w. WEBER,
Author Of "Shot in the Eye" ""Old Hicks" &c
ef 4. NO |.
MY EHstasafniRg Birds.
ICoNCLuDED.1 |

: CONCLUDED.
Tie first thing on reaching the
house, with cur captiyes, was to try
our nectar, Of tho homemade manu-
facture, upon the young strangers,
who Instantly paid US tho compliment
of recognising its merits in hearty
draught, which seemed to set them
perfectly at ease with the world and
With themselves. They now left the
nestand pcrched upon our fingers
with tho most lovely confidence, and
we saw that they were actually full
plumed-though l loubtif they had
yet attempted to use their wings
abroad. They seemed to take the
sudden change in their surroundings
with most consummate pcopleol-
.the-world sort Of air-just as il they
had been taught to consider it as un-
'genteel to look surprised or startled
at anything, or to exhibit more than q
very cool sort of curiosity. We wcrc
greatly amused at these aristocratic
airs, and were ourselves very curious
to know what might chance to be the
titles of our noble friends in their own
principality of air. Much as they
made of themselves, 1 thought our
Ruby. throat received them with
certain degree ofhautcur, which was
responded to with the most supcrcii
, lious indifference at all consistent
3 with perfect breeding. a IcW
days, however, suffceA to break down
the city crust Of Formally, and they
began to appear most gradually
awa,e of each Others existence. In
few weeks we hung tho cage out
with open d, rs again-Gnding that
all the birds were beginning to nope
and look as if they were going to die,
as had been the case with the Ruby
breast several times before. He had
always been relieved by letting him
out; but, as he instantly disappear.
ed, we. could not discover what the
antidote he sought might be. When
we opened The cage this time, it was
bright summer morning just after
sunrise. What was our surprise to
see the Ruby throat, instead Of dart
ing away as usual, remain with the
young ones, which had Immediately
sought sprays, rs if feeling u little
uncertain what to do with themselves.
Scarlet flew round them; then he
would dart off to q little distance in
the garden and suspend himself on
the wing for an instant, before what
I at first could not perceive to be
any thing more than two bare twigs,
then he would return and fly around
them again, as if to show them how
easy it was.
The bold little fellows did not re.
quire long persuasion, but wero soon
launched On air again, and in a mo.
ment Or so were using their wings
for all We could see with about as
much confidence and case as Mr..
Ruby.throat. They too commenced
the same mannuyrcs among the
shrubbory, and as there were nc
flowers there, VIC were sadly puzzled
s think what it was they were dip
at 80 eagerly to the utter neg
dect of the many flowers, not one Of
which they appeared to notice. We
moved closer to watch them to better
advantage, and, in doing 50, changed
our relative position to the sun. Al
once the thing was revealed to me.
caught friend Ruby in the very ac
Of abstracting small spider, with tho
point Of his long beak, from the cen
tre of one Of those beautiful circular
webs Of the garden spider, that So
abounds throughout the South. The
thing was done SO daintily that he
did not stir the dew drops which, nov
glittering in the golden sun, revealed
the gossamer tracery all diamond
strung.
'IIah! we've got your secret, ny
friends! Hah ha, hah !
And we clappod and danced il
triumph. Our presence did not dis
tnrb them in tho least, and we watch
edsthem catching spiders for balf al
hour. They frequently came within
two feet Of our faces, and we coul,
distinctly see them pluck the littl
spider from the centre Of its vince