New-York tribune., 1878-07-23
HARPER.

The subjects treated of in this number are
70 an uncommon extent adapted to pictorial Illustration
combining rare artistic excellence with high degree OF
literary merit OF this character are The Golden Age
OF Engraving" by F. Keppel, "The White sulphur
Springs" by John Esten Cooke, "An Od-Fashloned
epa0 by Clara f. Morse, and especially the singulary
interesting natural history articles on Birds ana PUN
age admirably illustrated by ". H. Gibson) by Helen
s. Conaut, and "a Glimpse of Nature from My Veran-
daD by General L. Veile Mrs. Conant has presented
series Of sketches OF birds most remarkable for the
beauty of their pumage the forests OF the Old World
and the New bringing great power Of description TO
representing their characteristic features n which she
Is ably sustained by the artist, whose illustrations are
mastery studies in this attractive branch OF natural MS
tory General Vele relates bis Summer experience In
the observation of insect tribes whose acquaintance he
has formed in their little homesteads among the
vines which Chamber the yeraDda OF his
country nome, displaying the wonderful In
stncts which now believed to be shared
in common by the plant and the animal His atten-
ton has been particularly devoted TO colony OF black
ants whose habits are set off with few touches OF
fancy though in strict accordance with the facts Of
nature "The which this family belongs have for
years been notorious savedrivers and cruel task
masters They extremely warke, and go into battle
with regularly organized battaOns, making slaves OF
thsr prisoners, who, yielding to the force Of crcum
stances become faithful servants, and procure all the
food that Is eaten by their idle masters The family v
ing my veranda, although fierce and determined
In their nature have apparently devoted themselves ex
cusiyely TO dairy-farmmg having numerous herds Of
eate-cows and calves-that are regularly MIXED by
their owners, who drink the milk for their food. One
of the larger leaves Of the Virginia creeper forms rich
meadow, where from fifty to seventy-Ave cows and
calves con pasture These little domestic animals
known aphidcs and IL is certainly an extraordinary
sight TO see the black whom they to belong
20 through the field and milk these little cows He car
ries with him long whip (antenDa), with which he
strikes the little doee animal the back, when 1t i'm
nedlately deposits the milk that its master eagerly
drinks When the pasture gives out the ant carries
his herd to another leaf or fed and when the
little calves are old enough TO be MIXED,
nc begins their education by biting them"
His Summer recreatons have also brought the writer
into contact with another class Of facts connected with
organic life which less marvellous in their charac
ter and as yet unexplained by any mechanical the
ories of the vegetable world "But the peculiar
characteristics insects alone that my veranda affords
me an opportunity for observing Plants and trees have
also their peculiaries and on close inspection become
very different objects Nature than they appear to a
casual observer The question has been asked Who are
the trees indicating that trees have real and not alone
imaginary personalities and certainly there are many
traits thst trees and plants exhibit which almost lead
one to regard them sentient beings. The beautiful
linden or lime tree Tia eROpea) that Overhangs my
yeranda has some remarkable ways, that first found
difficulty 10 understanding. This tree flowers late n the
Summer while most trees blossom In the early Spring
time These tardy only lose large amount Of
the acnIc OF the solar ray but they sub
jected TO the increased force Of light and heat which,
unrestraned by some intercepting medium, would pre-
vent their development and eventually destroy them
lust as young child would If exposed to the burning
rays of the without protection be prostrated hence
IL rs not little singular 70 how with an almost
ternal instinct light green is held between
the bud and the until 1t has blossOmed and become
matured The screen turned with the direcn of the
suns rays. so always TO intercept them.
This is a very approach 70 personality"
"The Easy Chair presents judicious and dscrim-
mating estimate OF Bryant and among other TOPICS de-
fends the ustous poet from the charge OF not being
American tone aud expression which has been brought
forward. the groteFQue assurance OF ignorance or
thoughtlessness by several English literary journals
His poetry is intensely aud disnetively American.
He man Of scholarly accomplishments, familiar
with other languages and literature But there is
tone OF anything not peculiarly American In his
poetry. II is as characteristic the wine OF the
Catawba grupe, and could have been written only
America by American naturally sensitive to what
ever is most dstinctiyely American"