The mountain Democrat., 1864-07-23
Tn. Insects and the Birds.

Robert was very fond of hunting. In
The neighborhood where he lived there
was no game worth shooting, excepting
now and then fox, a rabbit, or wild
pigeon, and these were TOO shy for his
skill. There were, however, plenty OF
robins, bobOlinks, meadow. larks, yellow
birds and sparrows Chipping birds, he
called them), and it was his great delight
to bring them down with stones, or with
shot when he could coax some unthinking
person to lend him gun. One warm day
in June, he had been very successful in
shooting birds ; he had silenced the sweet
song of many little warbler, and left
many poor fielding to perish in its nest
for want of its mothers care. Being
warm and tired, lie laid down on the
grass in the shade of large elm, and soon
saw some very curious things. A mon
strous mosquito came and perched on a
limb overhead and began to blow horn
which he carried. immediately q great
crowd Of insects, flies, bugs, beetles, grass
hoppers and crickets came swarming to
the place, filing the branches of the tree
and covering the ground around it. Al
ter them crawled an innumerable host OF
worms, large and small-Such surprising
collection as was never before seen. Pres.
emily, q huge locust, sitting in fork OF
the tree for q chair, called this strange
meeting to order, and said; " 1t is well
known to all of you that our lives are in
constant danger from the terocious birds
which abound in this neighborhood. Not
a.,
lucky tribes are remorSelesSly gobblcd up
by these singing robbers, who are the
greatest helps Of our other enemies-the
human racO-in our destruction. But
have the pleasure to announce TO you that
we have at last found friend " here we
least expected it. This young man whom
you see near you, has come to our rescue.
He saved my head this morning by in
stAntiy killing biackbird that was just
about to dart upon me, and he has slain
dozens Of the robins, sparrpws, catbirds
and other wretches that have picked up
so many Of our unlucky relatives. If he
continues this good work, we shall soon
have the best of times. The farmers have
sown plenty of grain, the gardeners are
raising abundance of vegetables, fruits and
flowers, and we shall have nothing to do
but live on these fine things and enjoy
ourselves on the fat of the land. Now
then,I propose that we all do him honor.
"Agreed! agreed" shouted the whole
multitude together. wen spin hand
some webs all over his brdioom," said
the spiders oven build pretty mounds
in his front yard" cried the ants "We'll
sing for him all night" chimed in the
mosquitoes owen dance around him
all day. put in the ftas "We'Il make q
nest and spin our finest yarns in hi,
trees" added the catcrpillars, and so thC
whole throng Of insects agreed TO show
their regard. A huge green tobacco
worm was particularly delighted. "l
want to embrace him." said the frightfu
creature "and too," said each Of tht
others; and with that they all made to-
ward the poor boy, who was too much as
tonished to move. One company crawled
up to his face, another buzzed about his
ears, and others scrambled over his naked
feet, until, with loud cry of disgust and
horror, he awake from his curious dream
to find mosquito singing at his ear, O
caterpillar crawling over his hand, and
several large red ants creeping up the legs
Of his pantaloons. He has never shot q
bird since that day; and We commend his
experience and his resolution to othel
boys.-[American Agriculturalist