Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-03-26
rrrom the y. Y. Spirit OF the Times.l
Hunting and Fishing I'm the West.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1860.


DEAR Cash." Behold, how bright
" breaks the morning r in the woods
rs the sun rises over the hill-tops. pours
his mellow light down the coolies, and
blazes over the slopes of the opposite
bluffs. The combined moisture Of rain and
dew gIitters on the maple, elm, oak and
linden, on every bush, on the vegetation
of the ground, in a million sprangles of
gold aud green. Hicks patch of corn
has grown an inch during the night,
and added shade of deeper green to its
color, and all its heads are bowling in
lhankfulness for last nights shower
The birds that have twittered here and
there since early dawn now break into
full chorus of happy song all through
the woods; while the steady undertonc
OF the rivers flow, and the ding dong of
the cow-bell where "bossy" is patient
" waiting for the . maid with the milk
ing pail" are joining harmony and
pleasant discold with The voices OF the
feathered sOngsters. You hear the rob
bins and the sparrows striving for the
leadership in soprano; the orioles sweet
voice, just often enough to invite atten
ton to his fire.red coat. rs he hops from
twig to twig to show it; the mischievous
crow, dropping his cav ! daw caw!"
half derisively down from the highest
tree-top; tho bluejay's harsh note, as he
flies bv TO show us that If he can't sing
any good tunes, he can at least exhibit
a commissioned officers uniform OF loyal
blue, which is always ready for dress
parade; the brown thrush, cousin to the
Southern mocking bird, trying to imi-
tate all the melodeous voices of the choir,
ard succeeding perfectly with some; and
the hysterical cat bird, sometimes snarl-
ing and finding fault with everything,
and. again, joining the thrush in his
clever limitations, but with still, sweet
tone. Bobolink, bobo!ink, - sphinx,
spank. sphinx y may be there, though it
is rather early for him to visit these for
est clearings. If you have the ear of
an ornithologist, / wouldn't venture TO
limit the number of distinct and separate
song,ters you will hear this morning.
The brown thrush is n favorite of
mine, not only for the sweetness of its
song. but for IFS love for human COM
pany, and the constancy of its attach
ment to home and friends. There was
one used to come and sing in an oak
tree in front of my house on the river
bluff at Prescott, every spring, for many
years. / think he was an old bachelor,
or widower of too happy memories 10
take another mate, for he was always
alone; and although cheerful in his de.
meanor, there seemed to 10 vein of
sadness in his song-a plaiHtive tone
that told of happier days and young af-
fections gushing for some dusky char
nsr, that is now though lost to sight.
to memory dear" | presume he sings
there still, transferring his Affections to
the rollieking, but poetic, genial and
witty, and popular scribe. 10 whom L
sold the premises. if so, Lutte Taylor
will cherish the bird, and translate his
songs into poetry for the Editorial Con
venlion.
The robin is favorite everywhere ex-
cept in the District of Columbia, where
it is made game" bird, of, and have
heard it said that it is called sportsman
ship there to shoot the incuhatlnr moth
er robin from her nest. You gentleman
fowlers of Washington, who are true
sportsmen. and there NAV be many of
you, should see to this, and make it a
capitol crime to shoot any bird of song
in The District of Columbia. Let the
folks stop shooting the robins, and they
will nest with you and sing on your hills
all summer now they light on them
once in the spring, smell powder, and
fly away to the North, where they are
appreciated. "Tear down the haunt-
ing le." unless it will protect the robins
in that district over which our Congress
has exclusive jurisdiction.
That kiuefsher that has been vainly
watching the water for some available
fish from the top of stub on the other
side of the river, tumbies off with pier
cling scream of hunger and disappoint-
ment, and showsus clean pair of heels
as he flies down stream to All easier.
found but less delicate breakfast, at some
well known bog below. We have al,
ready enjoyed the luxury this morning
of good wash of hands and face in the
river, wadng into the ripples with our
rubber boots on, and using the pure cle-
ment freely without offence 10 the "Wa-
ter Registrar" How civilization cor
rup's everything Goose Greek and
the "Tiber' at Washington were once
as pure rs this wild stream, and charmed
the early colonists with their freshness
and beauty; now they are receptacles of
sewers.
l have great faith in Nichols meeting
us somewhere to day, and vet am little
uneasy. l do hope no new bug has
made bis appearance in his precious
vineyard of grapes at Prescott, and that
none of his hundred hives of bees