The Osceola times., 1885-06-06
BIRD CRY.

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address for one year for s2,l0
BIRD CRY.
In company with DIR. Richardson,
the editor Of tins paper left Osceola
last Monday morning for Golden
Lake, going by the way of Carson
Lake. For the first time, during a
residence Of over Is years, we found
the roads, at this season OF the year,
dry and solid, and while the crops
along the route were found in splen-
did shape, they needed rain; in
fact, like the visiting statesman at
Washington begging for fat Offices,
the farmers are "crying for rain"
Arriving at Mr.. J. w. Rhodes resi-
dence just as the dinner bell was
sounded, from an old habit acquired
during the "wah" we can always
time our gait TO reach certain
point just at meal time), we accept
ed the hospitable invitation to slight
and come in" After doing ample
justice to bountiful dinner, pre-
sided over by our fair hostess, Mrs.
Rhodes, we were ready to proceed
to Bird City, sight Of which was
the object of our trip. Reaching
the Lake, and accompanied by Mr..
Rhodes, Mr.. Barrow and MIR. Shore,
the party was divided and embark
ed in two dug-outs, in which we
first visited a new bird city, opposite
Cane Island. This is inhabited
solely by Water Turkeys and
Herons. Their nests are built in
the tops of a cluster Of cypress trees
which covers some two or three
acres in extent, and has only been
occupied as nesting and breeding
place about two years. The sight
of the large birds, coming and GO
ing, in the work of providing food
aud feeding their young is full Of
interest, and might be compared to
a bee hive on a magnifed scale.
The old original Bird City of Gold
on Lake lies about one mile due
West Of this, and in this direction
we now turned our dug outs. Al
ter padding a quarter Of a mile, we
found further progress impeded by
shadows, "yonkerpins," flags, water
lilies, and other rank vegetation.
An attempt at dragging the boats
through, after the manner Of the
explorers of Africa, proved to be
more work than had been anlici-
pated, and so had to abandon furth-
er advance and to be content with
viewing the bird town at distance
of a quarter Of mile and then re-
trace our steps. This Bird City, as
it is styled by the people Of the
ncighborhood, is quite curiosity
in its way, and well worth trip to
visit it. Here, it is said, all species
of water fowls, indigenous to this
latitude, collect every Spring, and
rear their young IN peace and harmo-
my; the several species building
their nests side by side ON the same
tree, thus several varieties and many
hundreds Of bird nests may be seen
on one and the same tree. A month
sooner, say about the first of May,
would no doubt be the best time to
visit this interesting colony of birds,
as they could then be seen during
the building and laying season. AT
present the early broods are nearly
full hedged. The rest of the even
ing was devoted to trolling for
black bass with indifferent success,
when the party returned, just as
dark came on, to Mr.. Rhodes, with
two fine bass, three squirrels and
a duck, as the tangible results of
the evening spent on Golden Lake.
On the way home, Tuesday morn
ing, we stopped at Tyronza and
again tried our luck trolling, but
owing to the late hour of the day,
DIR. Richardson succeeded in string
ing only three fine bass, while ye
editor propelled the dug-out In
several places along the road the
locusts have made their appearance
in great numbers, but SO far have
done no pcrceptible damage. The
first place below Osceola where
they were noticed was on the Wal.
lcr farm, on Carson Lake, where, on
our way home, we were hospitality
entertained by Mr.. Hugh Waller
and sister, Miss Cassie.
We were pleased to note an air
Of thrift and prosperity pervading all
along the line-the farmers seem to
have gone to work with a determ.
ination and earnestness unusual
with them; but this may be owing
to the fact that the country was
spared from the usual overflow. Be
this as it may, the people seem hap
py and contentcd, and with good
seasons and largo crop, which is
already indicated, Mississippi coun-
ty with its many recent draw backs,
in the way Of overIlows and conse-
qucnt short crops, is bound to pros
per.