Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-05-25
Cultivate the Society Of Birds


exchange. At the proper season we urge
our citizens to plant trees. Not only should
this be done for the health aud delightful
shade they afford, but in order that they
may furnish home for the brds-those
cheerful, joyous songsters, whose presence
contributes SO much TO our happiness Let
one listen TO the choir OF robins and their
assistants, every morning il he lacks rea-
sons for planting trees and cultiyating the
society of birds.
1.-The song OF the robin under our window
that halls the approach of the sun at earliest
dawn, AID watches his recedng rays at
iaintest twilight, reminds US Of a promise
long since made, TO speak good word for
birds. They are mans natural companions,
the guardians of his fruits, the graceful
| denzens of his trees, the minstrel choir
whose tuneful notes wake him from slum-
Der and whose vesper songs soothe him to
repose. What can be sweeter than that first
trill of the redbreast at dawn The first
note 10 scarcely audible, as il the poor bird
were afraid Of the lingering shadows, and
were asking leave of his sumbering lord
TO sing. The dawn increases, and with it
the boldness Of his song The sun himself
! at length comes forth like a bridegroom,
and the robin pours forth his whole soul in
tumultuous joy. We pity the poor souls
that live in wilderness of brick and NOR
| tar, and have no tree orchestra in the shad-
ow OF their dwellings sn these bright May
mornings.
| But those who live in the country often
] have no music in their souls, and have no
| eve to see what abor-saving machines the
/ birds are-saying nothing oftheir capacities
as artists. 81 the sportsman is suffered to
| prowl about the orchard and fruit yard. and
the red-breast, oriole, bluebird, sparrow
| and wren become food for powder. When
the robin claims his tribute OF currants and
cherries for the insects he has devoured,
! he is merclessly shot. as il he were vaga-
bond and thief Whether such merci-
less, unmuscal soul be aft for treason.
stra,agem and spoils" or not, il is pretty
certain that his trees will fall into that ca
tegory, and will soon be despoied Of fruit
and foliage.
single birds nest in your orchard is
worth dollars. What multitude of grubs
and worms a single pair Of robins and their
young will destroy in a season Watch
their busy flight BY day, and every visit to
their blrdings bringing destruction to a
number of grubs. II has been estimated By
cautious observer Of the habits of birds,
that single pair OF jays with their young
will dcyOur two hundred insects in day.
This, in u season OF three months, amounts
10 twenty thousand. Il has been estimated
that a single purple martin will destroy
nearly five thousand moths and butterflies
in u week. The moth that does so much
mischief in our wardrobes, is u small insect
that might escape the sight OF most other
birds. 4 little hive Of swallows close by
ones dwelling house, would probably be
an etiectual extermnator ofthese insects,
which would be seized and deyourej before
they entered our windows II we take into
account the innumerable caterpillars and
grubs that would spring from the eggs OF
all these different insects, we can bat re-
gard the martin as one of the most service
able of all creatures The lively twittering
OF these birds is one OF the most agreeable
accom- oanmen,s of the rural melodies of
the morn, and is associated with many de-
igh,ful incidents IN English poetry Who
ever has visited Burlington, VT, has noticed
ia their fruit-gardcns long, substantial pole,
mounted with Il martn-box. Their labors
are highly appreciated BIZ the fruit growers
there, and their example is worthy Of mi-
iaiion.
Il is bu, little trouble 70 any one of com.
mon ingenuity to build a Few bird houses,
and put them in various parts of the premi-
SEES Small boxes may be put in the cherry
trees, and UP u the fence near the currants
aud raspberr.es for the wrens. They will
almost certainly bc occupied aud this little
bird lives upon the irsects that crawl upon
the fences, aud Turk in the bark oi trees
and in the cresiccs OF buildings. On ac-
count If its fondncss for spiders, I q wren
has 10 some places received the appelatiun
OF spiderbird. The immense number of in
sects which he removes from our gardens
aud dwellings ought to eudear him 10 every
eultvaror even il he had nothing else TO
recommend him. He is the appropriate
guardian of our small fruits, md no robin
or Indicating bird will venture near the
home of this pugnacyus little bird, II is
amusing TO see the reckless desperation
with which they viii pitch into bird many
time. their size. driving all before them.
Cnltvlte, then, the society Of birds. The
robin needs no box, but ii you will let him
alone ne viii put up his dwelling in the
apple-trec, or in corner OF the fence, and
be much obliged for the privilege of killing
caterpillars for you all summer long. The
boy that comes nigh with gun, warn of
from your premises and i he does not heed
the warning, pu, the law in force 1; and II
there be no law call in the aid Of Judge
Lynch The birds must be saved H. you
would save your fruit. Your tenderness
and care for the birds will not be without
its moral impressions upon the hearts OF
your children. II will teach them many
humane lesson as they grow up, and save
them from habits of cruelty, which often
begin in destroying the eggs and young oil
birds. Smooth. barkcd trees, unscathed with
the wounds OF insects, and smooth-skinned
fruits, will keep company with children OF
fair characters, unspotted with vice.
How the Empress Eugenie Wears her Bonnet,
The London Morning Post was very