Richland beacon., 1873-08-02
A Question for Mr.. Darwin.

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They who study plants, who searcl
for botanical specimens, have no specia
need of leisure but they who woult
study birds must needs be quiet. Mucl
striving puts an end to observation. Ii
ramble one may start new kinds o.
birds, may search for their nests, may
learn something but only they who
live among birds get at their little ways
their characteristic traits, and distin
guish one kind from another by theil
minute habits. A house we'll sur.
rounded by trees and shrubs, with half.
covered porch, or windows opening into
coverts to which bir's love to resort,
furnishes an admirable point of study.
The old farm cottage which summer
in has Just the right attributes. In
front ar naples and elms; on the sides,
magnolias, birches and spruces; and
laced in between, all kinds of shrub
berry, with now and then a mulberry
tree, a cherry tree, and, at a stones
hill was almost bare of birds; but the
news has gone forth that here bOunti-
full bird table is always spread, fresh
meat under the sod, infinite insects in
the air, delicious worms, in great variety,
upon the tress, besides Strawberries,
cherries, plums, pears, apples, in their
seasons, and afterward grain and seeds
of grass, for all inclined to a farinaceous
diet.
And 20 it has come to pass that parents
have told it to their children, and chill
aeon have told it to their confidential
companions, unril the commonwealth of
birds is we'll established and popular
We can walk nowhere without soaring a
bird on its nest, in an evergreen or dog
wood tree, where foolish birds will con-
tinue to build, though the scythe, the
cat, and mans foot every year destroy
so many hopes.
Near front corner of the cottage is
cherry tree, which is kept partly for
its shade, but largely as a resort for
birds. Sitting at a window, or on the
snug porch in front, one may spend the
hours happily in watching the busy
creatures coming to market. Birds do
not fly in and out of this tree, as in other
trees. They have an instinct of pru-
dence, or a germ of moral sense, which
teaches them that their act may be
deemed by unfeathered creatures as
petit larceny.
Birds seldom sing in tree when they
are feeding. They glide in like a
They do not chatter. A dozen
robins may be making havoc of cherries
right over your head, and you will not
know it. This silence and stealth are
to one who watches. A bold
robin is tugging away at an unwilling
cherry, Dut he makes no noise. If he
one and it slips, You NAV hear
it patter on the ground, but nothing
more. After time he flies into another
tree, and looks out to see if the coast
is clear. Then quietly he descends un-
der the tree, and devours the fruit which
he has beaten of, or he beats in to
pulp, and carries it off to his home
folks.
A catbird is more nimble than his
cousin robin, and may be seen beating
off cherry, and then, quick as light,
he intercepts its fall, and bears it off
gracefully to his trencher in neighbor-
ing tree. Small birds can not master
cherry, pit and all, as large birds do.
Probably they are "too film" Spar
rows, innets, and other small fry, pick
the meat off and leave the stone cleaned
bare on the stem. When the fruit is
abundant, birds seem seldom to quarrel |
with each other, and all kinds consort |
together in amity, though they have
nothing to do with each other anywhere
else. So that my cherry tree, like q
grand hotel, brings every variety of |
guest together, only to feed and go
apart again.
Hunger, that makes small birds peace
'ul while feeding, stirs up dogs and cats
% all manner of growing and clawing.
[t is said that when wild animals are
lriven together by some freshet or
1oOd, they are harmless. In close con-
iguity will be found bears, rabbits,
ieer, catamounts, wolves, ETC., that ex-
libit a profound respect for those rights
If hospitality belonging to q common
But in peaceful times all
beasts refuse to eat together,
II keep good neighborhood. Are not
'irds lower on the scale than mammals
Yet they have better manners, are more
civilized. How is that, Mr.. Darwin : |
)r is it only the sesd-eating and fFuit-
owing birds that are peaceful at their
neals.
BLACKBERRY JAM.-To six quarts of
ipe blackberries add three poundss of
'rown sugar, mash altogetkw Vith .
poon. Put it iut0 . kettle . boiR<
NO hours, stirring frequently s.
-. >sSAinn 49, 49,