The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-03
Birds In tho South.

twas our first winter in the South,
and while we enjoyed its bright sunny
days ana moonlight nights, nature was
preparing surprise for us. UneXpec-
tedly cloud passed over tho firma-
ment; the stars hid themselves and a
white mantle was spread over the earth.
AS we stood at tho window next morn
ing and watched the snow birds pick
ing the crumbs scattered for them, q
feeling OF home sickness passed over
our hearts rs we thought OF tho friends
we had lott far away In Northern
homes. Just then beautiful vision
greeted our sight. A flock of red birds
flew over the house and mingled with
the tiny grey folks and picked crumbs
with them. by and by the sun came
out and the snow birds vanished, az did
the red birds. We saw no more Of them
only as a stray one darted here and
there among the trees. They had with
drawn to the denscr timber. How we
watched and waited for the mocking
birds to come, but their day was not
yet. We must content ourselves with
our canaries. One morning rs OUR
cage hung ut the window strangegrcy
bird dashed itself against the pane as
II 1t wanted to come in. An empty
cage was hung out to tempt it, for we
| thought 1t was pet mocker that had
! escaped from its cage. But no, the
stranger would not enter and abide
with us neither did we desire his COM
pany when we learned his true charac-
dreaded by all classes of birds, as he
would kill and feed upon their young
even tearing canaries from their cages.
lie Is gray, with three white stripes on
the head. Our home was right among
the birds, dense forest of oaks sur
not only the Knockers, but the red birds,
thrush, blue birds, robin, Spanish ca
narics and tiny grey birds that
have strange mission OF which
wewill speak further. But the
mocking bird is king. r!e exccl2
in strength, courage, grace and
song, He is dark grey; the wings, tail
and back being very dark while the
breast Is much lighter. The bill Is soft,
and the eye large with black pupil
and yellow iris. They build their nests
among the low leafy trees instead Of in
the high ones as one would Judge who
observes them when they sing, for
then they seek the highest point. They
arc very mild when unmolcsted. 1t Is a
usual thing to see from ten to dozen
hunting worms in the newly plowcd
garden. They are very hard to raise
by hand. If a nest is found with young
ones III 1t, placed In cage and hung
on the gallery or on tree. the mother
bird Will feed them until ones hopes
are high, when unexpectedly you find
your little prisoners dead. Then the
mother comes no more. She has pois-
oned them. The Spanish canaries arc
tiny birds, not as large apparently, as
our tame canaries. They are almost OF
rs many colors as the rainbow. 1t is
said they sing swcetly, but although
they were llying among the trees day
after day, we never heard them. They
are very much sought after because Of
their brilliant plumage and diminutive
size. Large tlocks Of blackbirds follow
the cattle and catch the tiles about
thcm-hence their name COW black
birds. They do not raise their own
young, but lay their eggs ia the nests
of the small gray birds Of which we
have spoken. These hatch and support
tho little strangers.