Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-03
TEE zza8ETS 0F EsFkzEss.
By OLIVE THORN MILLER.

From the December Atlantic.
Birds nos only cough and saaeza but they
dream and slorc. makia1 most distressing
sounds, as if s,fangdHg. Taey hjceouea--a
very dcoii atTi'r It is. too.-aad tany faint away
The goidiach spoken Of ABOVE. being frightened
one n.g5:t in his struggles was caught between
tie wires. AMI gave 2 cry like tha squeak Of
mouse in distress On my hlsteaia- to his re-
lea.e. ne slipped out Into the room Esd flew
wildly about til he hiro ee}i...c arI lei! totle
door. He VAS picked up, and his flight crIni-
natol in = dead faint. The little head dropped,
the body was limp, apparently perfectly litaIass
and h. WAS laid in his cage. ready to be buried
In tle morning. He was placed carefully on the
ar1sFt.' however. and in 2 few minutes he
hoped upon his perch. sHo0k ont his ruuied
feathers and composed himself to sleep.
one feat sometimes asCribh1 tn man IS in the
case OF birds literal fact-tney can sIeep with
one eye open. This curious habit l have
watched closely. and / find it common in nearly
all the varieties have been able to observe.
One eye VIII close s!eepiiy. shut tight and ap-
par TO enjoy good nap, while the other is
wide awake as ever. II IS not always the eye
towards the light that sleeps nor is it invaria-
oily the one from the light. The presence or ab-
ScIce OF people makes no difference. / have
even had bird stand Oh my arm or knee. draw
up one leg and seem to sleep SoGndiy with one
y
years close attention | have been unable to find
any cause either in the position or the surround
ings. for this strange haJit.
No set old woman" is more welded to her
accustomed ways" than are birds in general to
theirs. Their hours for eating. mapping and
singing are as regular as ours. So. likewise,
are their habits in regard to alimhtinG places
even to the very twig they select After a
weeks acquaintance with the habits of bird
| can always tell when something disturbing has
occurred 10y the place IN which he is found. one
bird will make the desk his favorfe haunt. and
freely visit tables. the rounds Of chairs and the
floor. lille another confines himself to the backs
OF chairs. the tops Of Cagcs and picture frames.
One hermit thrush frcCucnted the bureau the
map which had warped around till the upper
edge was almost circular. On this edge he
would perch for hours. ana twitter and call. but
no other bird ever approached it. still another
would al" ays select the door casing and window
corniceS.
Every bird has his chosen place for the night.
usually the highest peTCn on the darkest side of
the care. They soon become accustomed to
the situation Of the dishes in their cages. and
plainly resent any Change. On my placing
drinking cup in new part OF the cardinals
residence. he came down at once. scOlding vio-
lently, pretended to drink, then looked over to
the corner where the water used to be. ard re-
neWed his proteStati0ns. Then he returned to
the upper perch. frtn0 his tail and expressing
his mind with great vigor. A few minutes
passed. and he repeated the performance, keep
ing it up with great excitement until. to plcify
him. replaced the cup. He at once retired to
his usual seat. smouthed his rOughened plum
age, and IN few moments began to sing. A
dress OF new color on their mistress makes great
the moving about of furniture puts the tamest
a manic