The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-31
FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
An ACCOUNT or A pRrrrv rJRD
Tho Wandering fIy-Caieher OF IN. Texas
Prairies-Thc Grass Infested with Thou
sands Of These Birds.

All oyerthe Texas prairies duringthe spring
and early summer may be soen in vast num-
bers one Of the sbyest and yet most connding
of birds. It's called Familiarity the PARADISE
BIRD among the people that know it best.
but il is not related to the snowy sBird OF
Paradise" Of the tropics. a more scientific
name is the forked tail ny-catcher, but it has
a Latin name as well, almost as long as the
tail from which it derives its name. It is
called the mIlyulus iorlicatus.
It's color is a delicate ashen gray. with
traces Of rose color on It's wing c0teris and
its tail. This shade is scarcely noticeable.
however, until it flies, when the l0YeIiest rose
color is 10 be seen under It's wings. us tail is
fully twice the length Of lis b0dy. and is di-
vided at the end. like the tail Of the ish-hawk.
~ hen it flies indeed. its tail seems too long,
and gives one the impression that it weighs
the bird down. but IN spite OF this seeming in
convenience the pretty vOyagtr manages 70
make a fair record as ny-catcner. Is
general thing the ny-catchCrs are swiit-
winged. able TO make sudden darts and quick
turns, 20 rise, to stop. TO follow the futtering
moth or ID darling bee, and this one Of the
ly-caicher family holds his own, whatever the
iDc0nyenences Of his makeup.
The ParaO Sc bird lives cOntentedly on the
broad praires, or in forests, many miles from
any human habitatiOn; but il Is not because
he is ayerse 70 towns or villages, as he some
times builds bis nest and raises his brood close
20 the dwellings OF men. Like the mOckng-
bird, he selects some shade tree in the door
yard, where the bOughs are thickest and the
cOncealment most complete; but unlike that
mtrriest and most cOmpaniOnaDle OF all the
Southern song birds. he does not perch on the
hOuee-tOp TO pour forth his flood OF song. nor
does be fly into the porch or through the halls
in pursuit of some stray butterfly, or eat his
dinner with the chickens around the kitchen
door.
Indeed, 50 quiet are the 1y-cather's motions,
and 50 un0btruslye is his presence, that have
known q pair 20 build their little home IN
maple tree within ten steps OF cottage begin
housekeeping there and never betray their
presence until the family found, from the
chlrping Of the young. that there was BIRDS
nest u the tree.
Soft as a dream is their fitting back and
forth The faint rustic Of the leaves attracts
your attention: YOU look up and terc over.
mead is the Hash OF rose color. and your Para
disc bird Is gone. Sporismen and boys are
uecuharlY mercIiul % them-perhaps because
they cannot mud it in their hearts 70 Kill
creature 80 innocent aud 80 beautiful.
The first drive that took across the Texas
prairies lei over rolling hills, stretching
away, mile after mile. To the far. blue horizon,
with nowhere the sight OF d farm house or OF
smoke curling from chimney.
A strange feeling OF loneliness comes upon
one III such country. one feels Withdrawn
from ali the world, shut ont from all his kind,
and burGened with sensation OF hopeless
melancholy
This sensation was intensified on thatmem0-
rabie drive by ihe groves of mesquit trees
through which We were continually passing
Ihtse trees are scraggy and mlssnapen'
covered witt thin foliage, and bear a strange
resemblance TO old, run down peach trees. 10
was difficult to imagine, III looking at them,
that they We're not the remains OF long
abandoned orchard, and this competed the
loneliness OF tine picture.
But the day was a hot one, and the driver
suddenly turned his horses aside and drove
into the little shade afforded by one OF the
struggling mesquit trees for brief rest.
Sitting nm the open carriage ana looking
around over the wide stretch OF summer land
scape. we finally. by some chance, turned our
ewes 10 the branches of the mcsquit above Ohr
heads. and behold, there was BIRDS nest
with The bird upon it,.
AWAY i'm Der pra home the sight OF
human being must have been very rare % this
little bird, yet there she sat while "A whole
calriage-lOad Of us passed directly under her
dwelling place. ! could SIT still and put my
hand upon her. Sue was so near. lndee0,
did raise my hand and lightly toucn her soit,
gray feathers. bat she merely crouehed closer
and did not move.
Blessed. brave little mother, so shy OF man,
and vet so confident Of his tenderness and
mercy! ! waved her a goodbye as we drove
away. but / took her lesson with me.
1t must he that in August some swift
winged messenger, who understands and can
speak their language. goes about among them
a I'd tells them that it IS time to 90, for all at
cnce they begin to gather in nocks, and the
trees arefull Of them, and young and old, they
all get ready for a long journey.
NOone knows whether they fix upon the day
beforehand. OF decide upon their route, but all
at once they are gone Who guides them to
that fair land where they 20 to seek eternal
summer? Who told them that beyond the
purple seas there are SOFT and balmy airs on
those hills, Where falls not rain, nor hail,
nor snow"
None can tell. but even while I write, back
and forth through the Mexican forests go the
flashes Of rose color that last summer bright
ened the smiling Texas prairies.