The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-11-24
GUlIS AND SNJPE.

beach on the northern side Of Long Island |
discovered a gull's nest with two young,
downy little ones, and one egg. The chicks
were ust able to cry q little and open their
big red mouths for food, and were in the
down, and spotted with brown spots pre-
clsely like the color of the egg. took the
entire party home, determined to ascertain
what ! could concerning their food and hab
its. Having no means of Matching the egg
artificially, l put it in among some little
chickens that had lost their mother, that oc
cupied a small padded coop. Next day it
was placed in the sun, and to my surprise
and qualification hatched. This gave me
three lively, healthy gulls, and at about the
same time captured a wing-broken, yellow
leg snipe, which was not injured otherwise,
and which appeared, by the brightness of
his eye, to be in good health generally. |
kept my strange pets in box half filled
with sand and commenced feeding them on
CLAIMS. They both soon came to know me !;
even the snpe, a bird that is usually regard
ed AS shy and the gulls would clamor to be
fed whenever any person would pass their
nest. They seemed to eat the CLAIMS readily,
but before long it was plain that an exclusive
diet Of this character was not the proper food.
Two of the gulls finally died and the other
began to droop. Up to that time had no
way Of catching minnows. but having secur-
ed the assistance of some small boys,l at last
obtained supply of what are known on
Long Island as mummies These my pets
deyoured with voracity, the gull taking in
one as long as his head, and the yellow-leg
spearing them with his long bill with Won
derful accuracy when pan of the live Kill
/ leys was placed in his box. 1t was curious
to see the certainty with which he seized his
prey at each thrust, and to observe how he
I apla1 tho Il lb rounH in hiS c1anHar hill
that he could swallow it head foremost 1t
soon became manifest that minnows were
the natural food of both these birds. The
snipe throve well, and the gull not only re-
covered his health, but grew rapidly. There
has always been much doubt and speculation
as to the nature of the food of the shore birds.
Their long bills seemed adapted to boring in
soft mud they affected the meadows and
| oozy spots, and there was manifest evidence
that some of them obtained portion Of their
food at least in that way. have seen OK
eyes thrustng their little bills into the mud
of some bare bank, accompanying the action
with t1utter Of their wings; but, although |
have noticed the larger birds searching
among the gravel and sand on the bars, |
never was satisfied that they bored for food.
1t now seems to me clear that all the varie-
ties, especially the larger ones, feed mainly
on small fish, and seek the sand-bars for
gravel to assist digestion, as is the habit with
other fowls. Confinement, however, did
not agree with the yellow-leg or his wound
injured him, and he died without any appar-
ent cause. The gull lived and grew more
voracious daily; he has devoured, at one
meal, sixty-two killeys, a bulk Of food near
ly as large as his body, and seems ready to
eat on all occasions. He has become very
tame, and, although he can now fly, he does
~ h,xt In
is called He struts about the piazza fol-
lowing any one he knows, in the most comi-
cal way, his red legs and small feet seeming
i'll adapted to pedestrian exercise. He will
fly up on the trees or soar about in the air,
and utters all the expressive cries of the wild
birds, but as yet he has shown no inclination
to desert his comfortable quarters or leave
his devoted friends If at all alarmed, as by
the approach of a child of whose intentions
there may naturally be some doubt, he puts
up his shoulders and lowers his head, and
utters low murmur5 in a deprecatory way
but ordinarily he is hail fellow well met with
every human being, although of course he
has his tavorities. His flight is exceedingly
easy and graceful when he is soaring in the
air, diving into the creek which runs past my
door, and from which he now draws a large
part of his proyender, or when skimming
the earth, preparatory to alighting, or when
he rises. When he is flying, all that is nee
cssary to do is to call Gully, gully, gully"
and he will come instantly and either drop
at the speakers feet, or perch on the house,
barn, Or piazza roof, and squawk conYersa-
tional triendliness with vehemence and en-
thusiasm. New York Citizen.
A MILE A MINUTE The Washington and
New York express train, which leaves Phla-
delphia for New York at 2 80 A. NJ, always
stops at Mantua Junction to change engines.
The locomotive in readiness at this point
brings the train on to New Brunswick where
it is replaced by third engine, which takes
the train to Jersey City. AT o'clock, on
Wednesday morning, Engine No. 81 was
ready at Mantua junction for the express.
This locomotive is said to be the oldest pas
senger engine on the road, and, though
somewhat worn with age, excels many of its
juniors IN both power and speed While
waiting for the express, the engineer and
fireman. having half an hour to spare, left
their engine on the main track and went to
breakfast. At this dark and early hour the
only persons at the Junction were employees
OF the company. The veteran locomotive
was standing alone. Its bright head light
threw CLEAN up the track revealing distinct
" far into the darkness beyond the continu-
Gus line of steel over which its ponderous
wheels had so often rolled. From it ash pan
dropped the heated cinders, and from the oily
elbows of its steel joints came the tizzing
sound Of imprisoned steam. All was quiet,
and the men, whose duty it was to handle the
reins of this iron monster, supped on unsus-
picious of such a contingency occurring as its
breaking loose. The homely feast disposed
of they lit their pipes, but they had not en-
joyed more than half u dozen whiffs VIXEN
they were startled from their reverie. 70
their astonshment their engine began NOV
ing, and before either of them could recover
their self possession it had shot out of sight,
and was making the most remarkable time
on record. In few more minutes the ex-
press came up. Without a seconds delay its
engine was sent in pursuit of the runaway
locomotive. The news of the runaway spread
CONSERVATION among the passengers, and so
anxious was they on the subject that nearly
all of them left their seats and crowded round
the operator
Kensington, Frankford, Brederburg and
Tacony stations were successfully passed by
the pursuing locomotive without discovering
anything of No. 81. just before reaching
Holmesburg junction Il thin streak Of light
was deserted in advance, which appeared to
them like a fiery serpent shooting over the
track. The tail Of the imaginary serpent was