The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-05-02
Notwithstanding.

Bird-Housekeeping.
Some birds are very particular about
their housekeeping, and they like
grand houses, too. The bower-birds
are not content with bit of a nest just
large enough to squeeze their dump
ling bodies into they must have, be-
sides a nest promenade, and they like
to have the affair well ornamented be
sides. Shall tell you how they build
their houses? In the first place, the
young married couple select a spot
where there are plenty of sun and
heat then they make a pavement of
rounded she'll think they must have
city notions-then they plant a little
avenue of branches, and this is the way
they do it: They bring fine shoots of
trees, and thrust the thick ends of
them between the pebbles But if they
should leave them standing upright
they wouldn't get much shade or shell
ter-these little carpenters are wise
enough to know that, and they contrive
a fine roof for their habitatiOn- You
| see the branches are arranged in oppo-
site rows, and they just bend abe tops
of the twigs together, make them fast,
and they have as good and as pretty a
| covering over their heads as any bird
need ask for Their houses are about
three feet in length, and roomy enough
for whole picnic party of small feath-
ered-folk, with chance for the young
sters to play hide-and-seek in the cor
ners. These bOwer-birds have, too, an
eye for beauty as well as comfort, and
when the house is built they at once
set themselves about embellishing it.
The young couple go in search of the
most brilliant objects that can be found ;
such as cleaning m0ther-of-pearl shells,
gay feathers, and any bright trinkets
they can lay their bills on. I fear they
are not very scrupulous about the
rights of property, for I have heard
they would take watches, rings, knives,
and anything they think looks pretty.
Some travellers have been robbed of gold
watches by these audacious little crea-
lures. [ am sorry to say they have
such naughty tricks, but we viii have
to excuse them, because they don't
know any better. Some birds are very
particular to have plenty of water about
their houses. don't know whether il
is because they have more scrubbing
and cleaning than other birds, anG
want to have the water handy, or wheth
er it is because they like a fine view
and the privilege of taking little sal
: now and then. There is bird by the
name of grebe, that sails about in he
house. OF course it is built very diff
ferent from other bird houses, or i
would very soon sink to the bottom
, The cunning little creature fastens to
2 gether strong stems of water plants il
1 the form of raft, that she can foa
about at her pleasure, using her foo
for paddle. AS she builds her hOus,
i, in some lonely spot where tall rushe
I grow, think she must be very retirin,
in her disposition, and not very fond 0
company. Very likely when she sees
d neighbor coming with whom she doe
e dies herself off into some quiet nook
IL which would be a very modest way O
IS saying, Not at home p There is an
other bird that belongs to the swallow
i family, that lives in China and tn
n neighboring islands. She must be
"heathen Chinee," at least she Ina
some heathenish ways of doing things
For instance, this is the untidy way sh
prepares for house-building She gait
II ers the material from saltwater plants
it gulps it down her throat, makes a sol
1t of paste of it in her stomach, the
o throws it up again in the form of a dirt
L white substance that looks somethin
II like isinglass. This she contrives
Il fashion into a house which she faster
e to a high rock, or hides in some lionel
/, cavern. This bird must be kept in til
d building business most of the time, {
her houses are so often destroyed The
s are in great demand among dainty ric
ii people, who can afford to pay goo
E. price to have them served up in the
u soup. Ridiculous, heathenish bus
E. ness you say, eating up bird-houses
l. So it is. And if this bird were at a
ID sensible, like keen Yankee bird, 81
Id would build her house of some unpal
ID table stuff that would put such a pucl
IL er in the mouth of the plunderer /
e. would soon make an end to such who'll
'e sale robbery. But no, the silly thin
u keeps on building with the same mat,
sr rial, only to be plundered again an
81 again, and her houses are sold as del
"a cacies in the city of Canton. The
Il bring from S25 to $40 a pound. Prett
r dear seasoning for q mess of soup III
re name of this queer bird is salangane, {
in esculent swallow.
r MADAME NmssoS, whose success
TO Russia since her performance {
"Opheha" in Hamlet has made her on
r of the greatest favorites with the arii
10 tocracy there. has been re-engaged q
tho IN - - & QnNF On ay-ar,frrr tI.s eYrv