Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-01
A Talk about Blrds---NO. 3.
ny s. MINERVA Boyer.

FOR the vermont Waiclman.
A Talk about Birds---No. 3.
ny $. mSFRyA BorcE
Here we are again Now you have been
such very good children, and waited so pa
tently since we last met, have put on my |
pleasantest face-not the one wear when |
the sugar is boiling over and the smoke |
putting from an oven filled with burning |
pies, but the one | always wear when |
group of happy faces gather around to hear
Auntie Min. tell a bird story. | believe |
promised you something about summer birds |
Which shall it be-robin or wren? "Both ?"
Very well, then both it shall be. | will first |
describe them as well as | cam then when
you go out into the gardens and orchards |
you will feel acquainted with the bright |
little songsters all around you.
The American robin (7urduS Migrate.
rius) is found during the summer through
out the whole of North America. This
little favorite of both old and young is the
most familiar of all our birds, and seems to
seek to place its nest where it will be under
mans protection. They retire to the South
late in the autumn, where they pass the
colder part of the winter; usually returning
to Vermont about the Goth of March. Their
arrival is hailed with joy, as the unerring
harbinger of spring When the season is
late and the ground covered with snow, the
poor little shoeless and stockingless robin
has very cold red toes, and chirps sadly
thinking, presume, of the mistake he made
in immigratng so early from his sunny
southern home Nevertheless he does the
very best he can, which is all that is re-
quired of even a bird. For food he is com
PEELED to fly around very swiftly, and look
sharply with his keen brown eyes for the
remaining berries on the sumach, mountain
ash and red cedar. But the dear old nest
would not forget. That last years nest of
moss and clay has stood the storms of fall
and winter, and is as round and trim as
ever-with a very few repairs, a bit of fresh
clay here and there, new lining of fine
dried grass from the hillside, four blue eggs,
few weeks of watchful care, then four
open mouths to feed, and Sir Redbreast and
lady have all they can do to support their
little family for the next six weeks.
| remember one time when | was little
girl, my father came in and said, " That old
robin is building her nest in the long shed ;
be very careful not to disturb her, we like to
have the birds familiar with u.s." was
very careful and would climb up to the great
beam under the caves every day to peep at
the four beautiful blue eggs. Imagine my
surprise one morning to find my pretty eggs
Just four great open mouths. Those capa-
cious mouths--l see them yet The anxious
mother bird hurried very fast and brought a
great many worms. Sir Redbreast did very
well for one unaccustomed to labor, and yet
those mouths cried for more. | was puzzled
what to do--as usual, | told my good papa
all about it. He said, " Feed the young
birds crumbs of bread" At first the old
birds scolded very loud; however, they soon
became convinced meant them no harm,
and while | fed their nestlings would
patiently wait on the great beam few feet
from me, with the food in their beaks,
"hiflng" in good-natured way. found
much pleasure in performing this little act
of kindness, and never heard as the birds
found any fault
The house Troglodyes Kdon--is a
familiar and interesting little bird, common
in all parts of the United States from April
until the beginning of October, when it re-
tires to the South, but the place where it
winters seems yet to remain unknown. The
wren is sprightly, active and diligent Its
nest is formed with coarse sticks, shreds of
bark and wood, in some cavity, such as a
hollow stump, or the vacant space at the
foot of brace in the frame of building,
with the cunningest little pink eggs from
six to eight in number. Experiments have
been made at the cost of the poor little
birds happiness, which well might teach
many little girl or boy a lesson of perse-
verance. remember one day there was a
great disturbance among the birds. Our
pet robin was mourning for her young, and
would not be comforted. Her nest of blue
eggs, nearly ready TO hatch, were all de
stroyed. wren who had built her nest at
the foot of a brace near by was thought to
be the enemy-we afterwards found out
Frisky," the red squirrel, was the thief
The poor little wronged wren chartered and
flew, trying all the while to convince us OF
her innocence, We thought OF our robin
hardened our heart, tore the beautiful rus
tic nest from its hiding-place and destroyed
the eggs. Two weeks later we returned To
find the nest rebuilt and filled with eggs
We again destroyed it, and continued to dc
so all summer The eggs destroyed must
have numbered over fifty.
Perhaps you have never heard the fable OF
the eagle and the wren. When the world was
young there arose great contention among
the birds as to which should be king The
eagle drew himself up in PRIDE tapped his
monstrous wings, and in voice that terrified
the smaller birds and frightened Lady Mag
pie so badly she tainted away, exclaimed
"Let this dispute be settled in this wise
We will all start together; the one who scars
the highest will forever remain your &C,
knowledged king" They all agreed; very
soon the eagle had outstripped them all, and
was only mere speck between the earth
and sun. Then out spoke the bold eagle
Behold, | am king" Just then little
shrill voice exclaimed, 81 beg your pardon
! am above you, therefore | am king" The
astonished eagle looked over his shoulder
and saw a tiny wren perched upon his back
lie was very wroth and dashed the fright
ened little bird from him, exclaiming, " &c
down to earth for your folly you shall never
fly higher than mans head" The mora
is good. We should never aim to fly higher
than our own wings will carry us.
The Stream TO the Mill.
90 I notice " said the stream to the mill