Daily Tombstone epitaph., 1886-02-14
The Habits of Birds.

Birds not only cough and sneeze, but they dream and snore, making most distressing sounds, as if strangling. They hiccough--a very droll affair it is, too, and they faint away. The gold finch spoken of above, being frighten- ed one night, in his struggles was caught between the wires, and gave Q cry like the squeak of mouse in dis tress. On my hastening to his release, he slipped out into the room, and flew wildly about till he hit something and fell to the floor. He was picked up, and his fright eliminated in a dead faint. The little head dropped, the body was limp, apparently perfectly lifeless, and he was laid in his cage, ready to be buried in the morning. He was placed carefully on the breast, however, and in few minutes he hop ped upon his perch, shook out his ruf- fled feathers, and composed himself to sleep.
 One feat sometimes aseribed to man is in the case of birds literal fact,- they can sleep with one eye open. This curious habit have watched closely, and I find it common in nearly all the varieties have been able to observe. One eye will close sleepily, shut tight and appear to have a good nap, while the other is wide awake as ever. It is not always the eye towards the light that sleeps, nor is it invariably the one from the light. The presence or ab- sence of people makes no difference. l have even had bird stand on my arm or knee, draw up one leg, and seem to sleep soundly with one eye, while the other was wide open. In several years close attention I have been unable to find any cause, either in the position or the surroundings, for this strange habit.
 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 alighting places, even to the very twig they select. After weeks acquaintance with the habits of bird, can always tell when some- thing disturbing has occurred, by the place in which he is found. One bird will make the desk his favorite haunt, and freely visits tables, the rounds of chairs, and the floor, while another confines himself to the backs of chairs, the tops of cages and picture frames. One hermit thrush frequented the bu- reau, the looking-glass frame, and the top of a cardboard map, which had warped around till the upper edge was almost circular. On this edge he would perch for hours, and twitter and call, but no other bird ever approached it. Still another would always select the door casing and window cornices.
 Every bird has his chosen place for the night, usually the highest perch on the darkest side of the cage. They soon become accustomed to the situation oi the dishes in their cages, and plainly resent any change. On my placing a drinking cup in new part of the car dinars residence, he came down al once, scolded violently, pretended to drink, then looked over to the corner where the water used to be, and re- newed his protestations. Then he re. turned to the upper perch, flirting his tail and expressing his mind with great vigor. A few minutes passed, and he repeated the performance, keeping il up with great excitement until, to pac' fly him, I replaced the cup. He al once retired to his usual seat, smooth ed his roughened plumage, and in g few moments began to sing. A dress of new color on their mistress makes great commotion among these close observers, and the moving about oi furniture puts the tamest one in 6 panic.-Olive Thorne Miller, m De. cenn6er Atlantic.