Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-09-30
AltstelIoneous.
Anecdotes of Birds.

We select from Francis c. Woodworth's en-
tertaining volume, Stories about Birds" the
following anecdotes:-
Jesse, in lis "rales of Animal Instinct"
mentions singular proof Of the robins love
for its young A gentleman" he says, I" in my
neighborhood had directed one of his wagons
to be packed with sundry boxes, intending to 90
with it 10 Worthng, place at some distance
from his residence. For some time, his going
was delayed, and he directed that the wagon
should be placed under shed in his yard,
packed as it was, till it should be convenient
for him to send it off. In the mean time pair
of robins built their nest among the straw in
tho wagon, sndhad hatched their young before
it was sent away. One Of the old birds, instead
of being frightend away by the motion Of the
wagon, only left it's nest occasionally, for the
purpose of flying to the nearest hedge for food
for its young and thus alternately affording
warmth and nourishment to them, it arrived at
Worthing. The affection of this bird having
been observed by the wagner, he took care in
unloading not to disturb the robins nest so that
the robin and It's young returned in safety to
Walton Heath, the place whence they were TAX
en-. The distance the, wagon went, in going
and returning, could not have been less than
one hundred miles"
A friend of mine, whom met in the City Of
Washington, some two years since, and who 10
al. n.
lated to me the following anecdote -" Six or
eight years ego" said he," 81 was passing the
mouth of an alley leading into vacant lot,
when my attention was drawn to a group Of
very young children, laughing vocferously.
entered the alley, to see the cause OF their
mirth and soon asccrtained it to be large
white goose, with narrow strip of lin bent into
hoop, and thrown over the head of the fowl by
one of the urchlns. The poor goose seemed
much annoyed by the shining necklace, and ran
about in every direction, trying TO shake it off.
| found that it was the sight Of these antics
which had so much amused the little ragged
juveniles. | stopped to see il the goose would
unyoke herself and while watching her, OBJ
served some ducks in another part of the yard
and very soon drake from among them made o
great quackng and started off towards the EN-.
barassed goose. When near, the latter stretch
ed her neck out horizontally, and to my very
great astonishment and admiration, the drake
selzed the lower part of the tin collar in hi
beak, the goose withdrew her head from it, ant
the drake Immediately dropped it upon the
ground when the air rang with the plaudts o
the children and the Cabling of the fowls"
gentleman Of veracity, who recently col
lected a number of different specimens Of th'
humning bird in Mexico, tells an interesting
story about the manner in which birds, belong
ing TO one of the smallest of this family, wer
in the habit Of catching the flies that had GO
entangled in a spiders web. The house re
sided in for several weeks" he says, Z" waa on
a story high, enclosing like most of the SPANS
houses, small garden in the ce.tre, tho roc
projecting some six or seven feet from the wall
covering walk all round, and having sma
space only between the tiles and the trees whic
: grew in the centre. From the edges of lhes
tiles to the branches of the trees in the gardcl
- muItiludes of spiders had spread their webs, 6
closely and coinpacty that they resembled Oh
vust net, | frequently watched with muc
ls amusement tho cautious nan9uvres Of the hun
e, ming bird, vino, advancing under the web, e
tered the various cells in search of flies. As Il
Mt srge spjdera did not tamely surrender heir pre-
r. the thief was ohsn compelled 10 retreat. Bt
.r ing within a few feet Of the parties, could nc
lice distinctly all they did. The active lit
sn bird genarally passed. once or twice round II
ls court as if to reoonnoitre his ground, and the
a. commenced his attacks by going carefully undt
o. the nets of the willy insect and selzng by su
ID prise the smalleat or feebIest Of the flies III
we're entanged in the web. In ascending Il
m traps of the spider great care and skill vera r
III auiFed. Sometimes h0 had scarcely room for h
lg LITTLE wings to PeEfoEm their Office, and the lea