Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-17
SCRUTATOR ON THE STOOL
PIGEON"

COhUIAlUh WV lhE ~ ClOOA
PIGEON"
~ EDITOR PUBLIC LEDGER: Never being
much of an ornithologist, and combining
my studies in that line to the manners
and habits of the "ducks" Of the oppo-
site sex, may not be the best qualified
person in Memphis to deliver an opinion
upon the present subject But as am
not the only one in the city who relies
upon his audacity in treating the public
to dissertations upon matters of which
he is profoundly ignorant, you might be
induced to overlook this impertinence,
and tickle my vanity by printing the pro-
duction, especially as there is no inten-
ton of proclaiming myself the recipient
of that peculiar information which
flashes along the wires-when the lines
are down; nor of making display Of
erudition conveniently furnished by the
critiques of the Round Table. Such
exhibitions of moral strabismus are left
entirely to enterprising incapables, and
presiding geniuses of defunct reading
rooms.
The birds under consideration have
lately made such terrible flutter in our
midst that more minute inquiry is be-
ing instituted respecting their habits and
mode of life than will be agreeable to
such modest specimens of the feathered
tribe. Curiosity is making sad inroads
upon their domestic arrangements; and
if persistently carried on may be the
means Of giving them the migratory
fever, which will deprive our citizens Of
the opportunity Of observing the partic-
ular traits assigned them by rumor's ever
wagging, and, it may be, censorious
tongue. At present the "stool pigeon
is supposed to build its nest in the vicin-
ity of police station, or a Commits.
sioner's office. 1t is said to prefer the lat
ter on account of the superior comforts
afforded, and the better protection given
against predatory incursons of seekers
after knowledge and appropriated articles,
and also for the prestige which hailing
from such an invulnerable domicile is
certain to bestow In one respect it
resembles the cuckoo, never going to the
trouble of building nest for itself, but
coolly making use of the best one that
offers at the time. This may be partly
accounted for by its borrowing DISPOSE
ton, which is accompanied with such
particular dislike to return anything,
that neighboring fowl get so irritated as
to make the place too hot to hold them.
In common with the buzzard, it cannot
be said to possess a refined or over fas-
tidious taste-the quality of the carrion
never being matter Of consideration
the only question being, is there suRi-
cheney? And in consequence it is to be
found abroad at all hours, and in all
places where its peculiar prey is plentiest-
Sometimes it is unsuccessful in securing
victim; and not unfrequently comes
out of the contest prettily plucked, the
principal plumage left being Of the
chalky hue, vulgarly denominated white
feather. 1t delights in the society of the
green parrot, to which it teaches nu
merous tricks, and exerts every artifce
to make the verdant companion fly,
that it may the quicker alight upon the
lined twig, or the easier enter the net
prepared for the reception of wild birds
in general The rapacious appetite is a
pretty good indication of gristmill
digestion and accordingly we find the
sign holding good in such a marked man
nor, that one is inclined to fancy that,
while God might turn stool pigeons
heart, the devil couldn't turn its stomach;
for, from the little known Of it in this
city, it is reasonable to suppose that
the ostrich, which is said to be
equally at home in dining upon a horse
shoe or granite boulder, would be
completely eclipsed by our imported
"siool pigeon" whose capacious maws
are equal to anything from diamond rings
to Italian BARRIERS, the latter not being,
by any means, the most enticing morsels
The very erroneous idea has been extern
sively circulated Of the stool pigeon
being a social benefactor, inasmuch as
it is always engaged in the laudable
work Of removing foul birds which prey
upon society. This is evidently vile
SANDER, intended to make them more
unnatural than they are by insinunting
that, like Saturn, they devOur their young
Bird, Of feather aock together" and
we're the charge of preying upon their
kind true, the species to which they be-
long would soon be extinct instead Of
aourishing so well as we see it all around
lisa bad bird that fouls its own nest;
L. N