The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-12-28


tree, or his comedy little house built OF
purpose for him; and, on the principl
that possession is nine points out of tel
IN law, contesJs him on his return in tb,
spring. We are happy to say that il
some cases the wee wren is more than ;
match for the sparrow, but in the major
ity of cases the might of the unamiabl,
intruder takes away the right of the hap
Ply, useful wren, and instead of his cheer
full song and salutary labors in the insect
world we have the Gathering twitter Of
the homely sparrow and his depreciation.
in the grain fields. A bad exchange, in.
deed, is this, to take place on a mans
premises right under the eayesdrop OF
his house; and that, too, without his con.
sent! But if We build the house for the
wren, we may control this matter in part
at least. Give the wren the advantage
OF nauItunn IN parCo, and making the en-.
trance 30 his house just large enough to
admit his wee body, exclude the clumsy
bulk of the intruder. Then your sweet
songster can leave his home with i'm
punity when he wishes to take his win
sojourn in the South. This, however.
will not secure him against all apnoy.
ance. Not long ago a lady of intelli,
gence and good powers of observation re-
lated to me the following incident: Hear
ing great noise among the birds in a
tree in the yard, she went out to see what
it meant. Presently down tumbled a
large bundle of feathers out OF the foliage
and on to the grass. Alarmed at her
presence, the clump of sparrows separated
and flew away, leaving poor wren half
dead. The wrens may endure this kind
of treatment for while, but it is hardly
probable that they can secure the wonted
happiness of their home life under such
circumstances. Therefore, unless war
fare is waged against the constantly and
rapidly increasing colony of sparrows, it
is to be feared that the wren will seek an
abode elsewhere.
Another bird of great usefulness around
the house is the cave swallow. That ele-
giant flight which it describes, like a
happy thought against clear sky, is not
merely recreation-it is a daily indus
try in search of food, constant capture
OF insects, and so a constant service to
man. Always seeming to be gyrating
merely for pleasure, it "makes it's way
through the trackless air with such nice
accuracy that it can pick up flying gnat
whilst moving at the rate of more than
hundred miles an hour" Though never
going out of its way for the purpose, it is
to capture not less than a thou
sands insects every day. This bird is,
therefore, the very best antidote for
gnats and mosquitoes, as we'll as number
less other insect pests. Besides, what a
lonely place is any farm villa without
these graceful, happy creatures. If they
cannot sing to us they, above all other
birds, seem to have the gift of conversa-
tlon. Hear them laugh and chatter up
there in that jug nosed habitation under
the caves of the old-fashioned barn.
Surely they must understand each other:
and did any 0Sz sof them ever fly away
from that place in such a manner as to
indicate anything but the lightest, hap
piest heart possible? Make the caves of
the barn broad, then, and protect your
little tenants against every insult or in
trusion. If you cannot truthfully tell the
boys that the COWS will give bloody milk
it they stone these happy, useful c1ea-
lures, give them at least to understand
that some of the flies which PLACED an
,ient Egypt will visit them if they perse-
cute and drive away the swallow. The
barn swallow proper is the fork tailed
Varity, distinguished to every eye. This
species gives life and cheerfulness to the |
inside of the barn, fixing his half-bowl of
\ nest on the large wooden pin the peak |
Of the rafter, or elsewhere along that fav-
'rite piece of timber. How many a time
The farmer boy watches the young family
pushing their row of heads over the rim |
Of the nest, or standing in line along
some collar beam of the spacious old-style |
their musical chatter being the |
most pleasing part of the general effect.
In building that new-fashionei and per-
aaps highly ornamented barn, initiate |
your grandfather in this at least, that |
you make the time -honored diamond |
shaped hole in each gable for the accom-
notation of this bird. Time fails us to |
speak of the black or purple martin the
argest of all swallows. When his large
black figure and loud note attract YOUR
attention on the first days of Nav see
hat the pertinacious sparrow is dislodged |
rom his house on your premises, or he |
nay become disguised with the everIast-
ng quarrel with this imprudent usurper
md leave you for good.
There is also the white-bellied, or
stump swallow, spending the summer to
he northward. 1t will sometimes leave
is natural cavity for cavity about the
The chimney swift, once an
of hollow trees, but now SO
'ttached to the neighborhood of man
hat he will endure almost any amount
IT noise and smoke rather than go else
where, is not swallow, but genuine
witt He is quite analogous to them,
however in the ponnlar mind ord nc |
destroyer of insects is probably quite as
seful. Since he and the swallows have
ii left their original habitat of hollow
Jumps and trees and caves, in order to
70 nearer to and consequently more SER
iceable to mn, let us give them our es
ecial care and protection.-J. II. Lang
lie in Baltimore Sun.