Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-11-24

DS TIC dppSdidnOC vi the NeSeIaIlOn,
and its beak is formed for such a pur-
pose. If shot when feeding, it will be
often found coated with mud. This
bird is insectiverous, except when the
ground is covered with snow; it will
then, from necessity, visit your barns
or stacks for seeds and grain.
And now, please, let your imaeina-
tiOns carry you back to the country in
June, on the old farm-in the mead
Ows. You will see these superb tints
glistening in the sunbeams. You will
hear that glorious burst of melody.
and the sense Of happiness thrills ali
through you. God knew how to make
a world, and TO call it good when IL
was made. He made the meadow
lark. He painted it. He made its
beak to penetrate the earth, there to
catch the insects sapping the roots of
our plants. He fashioned the organ
to produce that wonderful melody.
Meadow-larks are sold in your mar
kets for ten cents apiece. Here is a
robin; bushels and bushels of robins
are in your markets for a dollar doz-
en-. How would any of you feel if
some vagabond boy should shoot your
robin-the red-breast that greets YOU
/ morning and evening from the ton of
your highest tree In the garden?
This larger bind is the largest of the
woodPecker family in this part of the
country. 1t is commonly called
flicker, sometimes high-hoIer, because
it makes hole for its nest high up in
tree. The stomach of this bird con-
tanned a red berry like a cranberry.
the seeds of dogwood berries, and
nearly thousand small ants. From
former examinations of this bird, L
should judge that ants are the chief
food. l once counted 500, mostly in
the larvae condition, taken at one
meal. The flesh of this bird is hard
and the smell rank-not fit for food:
still it is often in the market.
Here are the heads of three cat
birds. Every one knows this bird
1t is everywhere in the country, and
often frequents our larger gardens in
the city. 1t is a mocking bird, and
very nearly allied to the one kept as a
pet. Like your pet mocking bird, it
will eat a great variety of food. These
had been feeding upon berries; one
had eaten purple ones, from a species
of dogwOod, until the stomach was
purple through and through. In the
summer, when feeding its young, the
cat bird is often very valuable. Many
times our grape leaves are DESTROYED
by caterpillars. One species this last
season was very destructive, they ap-
pearing in great numbers very sud
denly, and from their manner Of feed
ing are called processionary eaterpil-
lars. Ina few days the leaves on those
grape-vines will be mere Skeletons
If cat birds have nests in that neigh
6orhood, those professions are soon
broken up.
Near where 1 bought these birds
was another stand, kept by a woman,
where birds still less were hanging up
for sale. l asked what they were
She said reed-birds. (Reed-birds left
us for the South a month ago. She
had ten or twelve punches, with a
dozen each. There were blue-birds,
yellow-birds or finches, creepers, nut
matches, several dOwny woodpeckers
but the greater number were wood
robins and the hermit-thrush, and at
four shillings dozen. / offered to
buy dozen if she would let me pick
out the different kinds. This seemed
to excite suspicion, and she at once
said: '.There were no English spar
rows amongst them" / soon found |
it would be impossible for me to get !
what l wanted, and left, intending to |
send some one the next morning to !
get either an assortment or take the |
whole. But the next morning they |
were gone. The blue-bird 1 had sew |
eral times examined, finding it exclu-
sively insectivorous, as its beak indi- |
Gates. The creepers and nut-hatchers |
can eat nothing else but insects. The |
wood-robins and hermit-thrushes / |
had never killed, nor never will
While their beaks indicate them to be |
somewhat Omniverous, like the other
thrushes, as they live in the dense
woods, they can do us no harm, even
if they do not live exclusively on in
sects. Any one familiar with the
song of the wood-robin needs no de-
scription. That most valuable author
on ornithOlogy, Alexander Wilson,
left directions in his will that he
should be buried under the trees in
the burial ground of the Swedes'
Church, near Philadelphia, so that the
birds could sing over his grave. OF
all the singing-birds, the wOod-robin
was the special favOrite of Wilson:
but the songs of the hermit-thrush
were considered by Audubon as still
more exquisite. BY common consent
the melody of these two little birds is
unrivaled in this world; and vet a
woman in the Washington Market
calls them reed-birds, and sells them
for four shillings a dozen.
l have for years been investigating
the food of birds. l wished to know
positively how far they were useful to
US in controlling the insects destruc- g,
tive TO our crops. have killed and J
dissected many, so that the infOrma-
ton should be absolute. l shall kill
no more for such purpose. / have
learned enough to satisfy any one that
the birds are one of the links in the
chain of creation, Just as necessary as
any other link for the harmonious
working of the whole. There is check
and countercheck everywhere. Take
out the birds, and insects would soon
Hundreds of instan-
ces could be given where the expert
ment has been tried
Now, what can be done to prevent :
the wanton destruction of agents so :
valuable? In New Jersey we have a ;
law ample for the protection of the :
birds, if enforced. Most other States,
believe, have similar laws. But ..
your markets show how little they /
are regarded. This Club may do
By giving proper infor- :
we may show the people how :
ruch it is to their interest to spare
The birds, and thus create public sem =,
timent stronger than law for their 4.
protection. True, some of them will !
help themselves to cur cherries, and :
an oriole will occasionally sip nectar :
from our grapes. Not only boys, but =
even men, have been known to shoot :
them for making so fee. Let me i'm 2
plore both men and boys to shoot no !;
more birds from such motive. Re :
member they work for you seven days ;
IN the week, and charge you nothing
but this occasional Indulgence.
The Boston advertiser, referring to t
he efforts of the Free Traders, re- b