Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-13
BIRDS AND ANIMALS.
Some Interesting Anecdotes Conccrn-
Ing them.

- WI VI buS ItNlCS
says "It may interest your readers to
know that l have just lost canary
which was given to me in the Spring OF
1866, being then In full song. Tn
within few days of his death, althout
he rarely sang during the day, his song
was strong and sweet in the morning and
evening. He must have been at least
nineteen years old, aud he succeeded one
which L had in my possession fifteen
years.
A very good spider und fly story is told
on the authority of Mr.. Thomas Bell,
the naturalist, who witnessed the heroic
act. "a very strong, loud, clustering
fellow of q bluebottle fly bounced acct
dentally into a spiders web. Down
rushed the old spider, and threw her
long arms around his neck but ne fought
battered and tore the web into holes, and
SO got loose. The spider would not let
go his hold, aud the fly flew with the spi-
der"
Discoursing of the courtesy of birds, a
correspondent of the London Spectator
remarks that "every observer of the hab-
its of domestic fowls must be familiar
with the gallantry of the barndoor cock,
who, when he discovers dainty morGel,
summons his harem to the banquet, and
stands aloof while the ladies eat, not
tasting himself. 1t is well that there
should be redeeming feature in the
character of that ire-eating, pompous
and tyranical creature, who possesses,
perhaps, no other respectable trait except
undoubted courage, which continues un-
til he has been once well thrashed, when
as rule he becomes wretched craven. :"
The following is good cat and mouse
story, if TRUE. 1t seems to have been de-
rived from somewhat doubtful source,
though we must admit the possibility.
1t was entitled by it's author, melancholy
Accident. A Cat Killed by Mouse. A
cat had caught mouse on a lawn, and
let it go again in her cruel way, in order
to play with it when the mouse inspired
by despair, and seeing only one hole
possible to escape into, namely, the
round red throat Of the cat, very visible
through her open mouth, took bold
spring into her jaws, just escaping be-
tween her teeth, and struggled and stuff
fed himself into her throat, with the re-
suit that the cat was suffocated. 1t
reads plausibly, and may possibly be
true.
The Rev. Leonard Jenyns, anthor of
"Observations on Natural History" tells
good owl story. He knew tame owl
that was so fond of music that he would
enter the drawlng-room of an evening,
and perching on the shoulders of one of
the children, listen with great attention
to the pianoforte, holding his head first
on one side and then on the other, after
the manner of connOlsseurs. One night,
suddenly spreading his wings, rs if un-
able to endure the rapture any longer, he
alighted on the keys, and driving away
the fingers of the performer with his
beak, began to hop about the keys him
self, apparently in great delight with his
own execution. This pianist was born in
the woods of Northumberland, and be-
longed to a friend of the relator of the
story.
As easy OF belief perhaps, is the fol-
lowing I'm my neighborhood there
lived two large and ferocious cats, which
consorted together for the purpose OF
feloniously assaulting any unfortunate
dog they might happen to meet, Their
mOduS Opcrandi was as follows Having
selected their victim, they would lie in
wait for him behind wall, then they
would spring out, and while On jumped on
his back and dug its claws into him,
the other would lacerate his countcnance
III manner frightful to behold One
day they treated in this manner. and
| | half killed, young collie, who naturally
was much astonished and alarmed by
their sudden onslaught, and fled precipt
lately with his tail between his legs. Mex
time, however, he turned the tables Oh
them by pretending not to notice then
/ till they attacked him, when he got rid o
the cat who sprang on his back by run
ming under fence, and then he returned
to the charge, and slew the other cat
while the first, thinking it unsafe to risl
further combat, fled for its life, and di,
not stop till it had put II good mile he
tween itself and the dog, who, by hi
sa8aclty, had puta stop to the ill-treat
ment of his canine fellow creatures.
Diedrick Muller, during his hunting
time in South Africa, happened on on
occasion to come very suddenly upon
lion. The lion did not attack him, bu
stood still, as though he would have said
"Well what do you want here in IN
country? Muller alighted from his horse
| and took deliberate aim at the animal
forehead but just MS he drew the trigge
: his horse gave terrified start, and til
hunter missed his aim. The lion spran
forward, but, finding that the man stoo
f still-for he had no time either to +,
mount his horse or take to his heels-th
| lion stopped within few pace,
also, confronting him. They stood lool
ing at each other thus for some minutes
{ the man never moved, and at last the lilo
0 slowly turned and walked away. Null,
began hastily to reload his gun. III
lion looked back over his shoulder. gay
a deep growl, and instantly relurue,
V Could words have spoken palmer? Mu
0 Ter, Of course, held his hand, and remuil
/. ed motionless. The lion again moved OF
e waIily as before. The hunter bega
V softly to ram down his bullet. Aga
2 the lion looked back, and gave q threate
+ ing growl, This was repeated betwec
o them until the lion had retired to son
: distance, when he bounded into thick
e and disappeared.
: Though the duck is considered pa
ticularly interesting and prosaic amin,
It the same correspondent ventures to affir
r that IN point OF intelligence, social kin
If ness and sagacity, he is vastly superior
= the barndoor or any other cock or he
& He says: 81 have kept and close
5, watched hundreds of ducks; I nov
d knew, them fight with each other, IL
y ever knew duck to be aggressor in d
y pute with some other kind of fowl. b
IS have witnessed striking instances
r charity and kindness in ducks. Let O
1t such case suffice. Amongst some fiji
N or sixty head of ducks and fowls, l on
le had solitary, little, old bantam he
y She became blind, or nearly so, and Ii
it other birds in that condition .'sulke
T. as 1t is called. i.e., kept by herself il
f. dark, retired corner of the fowl-houI
is knowing instinctively that her cruel a
+ cowardly brethren and sisters would p
ID secute her to death if she appear
a amongst them. Here she might, perha,
to have starved, but for the constant a
ye sympathetic attant;ono Of a Ill, III