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

was only the works OF the smaller spider that he
dare attack as the largest rose TO the defence OF
their citadels, when the cunning enemy would
shoot Oft like sunbeam, and could only be trac-
ed by his shining colors. The bird usually spent
about ten minutes at time in this enterprise,
ailer which be would always light OIL tree near
by, and rest himself awhile"
1t seems that the snow bird is very affection
ate little creature. Some years ago one Of them
flew into house, where finding itself quite
welcome, it remained over night. By accident,
however, it was killed and in the morning one
of the servants threw it into the yard. In the
course Of the day one of the family witnessed a
most affecting scene in connection with the dead
body. It's mate was standing beside it, mourn
ing its loss Il placed its bill below the head Of
its companion, raised II up, and again warbled
Its song Of nOsFning BY and by It few away,
and returned with grain or two Of wheat, which
it dropped before its dead partner Then it fut-
tered it's wings, and eudeavored 10 call the at
tention of the dead bird to the food Again it
few away, again ii returned and used the same
efforts as before. AT last, it took up kernel of
the wheat and dropped it into the mouth Of the
dead bird. This was repeated several times.
Then the poor bereaved one sang in the same
paintive strain as before. But the scene was
too affecting for the lady who witnessed it. She
could bear the sight no longer, and turned away.
always loved tho snow bird but have loved
him more than ever, since heard this story.
That ardent admirer Of nature, Mrs. Child,
tells pretty anecdOte about family of swa-
lows, which she was acquainted with. "Two
barn swallows" she says: "came into our wood
shed in the spring g-time. Their busy, earnest
twitterings led me at once 10 suspect they were
looking cut building spot; but as carpen-
tef's bench was under tho window, and very
frequently bammering, saving and planning
were going on, had little hope that they
would choose location under our roof. To
my surprise, however, they soon began to build
in the crotch Of beam over the doorway was
delighted, and spent more time in watching than
penny-wise' people would have approved. II
was, in fact, beautiful little drama of domes-
tic love. The mother bird was SO busy and SO
important and her mute was so attentive =!
Never diG any newly married couple take more
satisfaction with their first nicely arranged draw
er of baby clothes, than they in fashloning their
little woven cradle.
"The father bird scarcely ever left the side
Of the nest. There he was all day long, twit-
tering in tones that were most obviously the out
pourings of love. Sometimes he would bring in
a straw Or hair, to be interviewer in the previous
little fabric. One day my attention was arrest
ed by an unusual twitteFing, aud saw HIN cir
cling round, with large downy feather in hi
bill. He bent over the unfinished nest, and OF
fered it to his mate with the most graceful ant
loving air imaginable and when she put vi
her mouth to take it, he poured forth such gusl
of gladstone sound 1t seems as if pride an'
affection had sweIed his heart till it was almos
TOO Dig Tor MS little Dosom
"When the young became old enough to fly
anybody would have laughed to watch the ma
nouvres of the parents Such chipping an
twittering! Such diving down and flying VI
again Such wheeling round in circles, talkin!
to the young ones all the while Such clingins
10 the sides eff the shed with their sharp claws
to show the timid little ledgings there was n
need Of falling! For three days all this wa
carried on with increasing activity. 1t was OBJ
viously an infant flying school. But all thei
talking and fussing was of no avail. The lVttl
things looked down, then looked up, but alarme
at the lnfnty of space, sunk down in the nel
again. At length the parents grew impatier
and summoned their neighbors. As | was pick
ing up chips one day, found my head encircle
by swarm of swallows. They flew up 10 til
nest. and jabbered away to the young ones
they Clung to the walls, looking back to tell ho
the thing was done they dived, and wheeled
and balanced, and foaed in manner perfect
beautiful to behold. The pupils were evidentl
much excited. They jumped on the edge
the nest, and twittered, and shook their feather
and waved their wings, and then hoped bac
again, saying, It's pretty sport, bnt we can't {
it, Three times the neigh5ors came and RI
peated their graceful lesson. The third tim'
two Of the young birds gave sudden plung
downward, and then futtered and hoped ii
they lighted on ANAL upright log. And O
such praises as were warbled by the whole troo
The air was filled with their joy Some wei
flying around, swift as ray Of light ; othe
were perched on the hoe handle, and the tee
of the rake muItitudes clung to the wall, aft
the fashion of their pretty kind, and two we
swinging, in most graceful style, on a peht
ant hoop. Never, while memory lasts, shall
ferget the swallow party"
Great stories are told about tho nest buidir
of the orchard startling. Wilson, who all inu
admit is pretty good authority in matters Of tn
kind, gives very particular account Of the wi
in which the nest is put together. He says tn
he bird commonly hangs its nest from the twi
tOf an apple tree The outside is made Of pl
ticular @inG Of long, tough grass, that will bel
without breaking and this grass is knit or SO
ed through and through in a thousand direction
just as is done with needle. The little oret
ure does it with its feet and bill Mr.. wills
says that he one day showed one of these nel
to an old lady, and she was SO much stru
with the work, that she asked him, half ia ear
est, if he did not think that these birds could
taught to darn stockings? Mr.. Wilson took I
pana, too, to draw out one of these grass throa,
and found that it measured thirtsen inebes Il
in that distance the bird who used it had pass
, it in and out thirty-four times.
The following anocdote relate on tho autht
ity Of Wilson. "a box" ho saws. lifted
in the window Of the roon where slept, W