Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-02-18

| owners.
Among these were the following
The solvros, which live by sucku.
honey from the flowers They have
brilliant green jackets with yellow vests.
| As large as our robin, thcy live ~ goufd.
shaped, double. Widowed nests attached
to Inc under side OF large troplc leaves.
| The male is ruminative, but It's mate is
full Of Joyous song. The mayitos are
- large as ,ur Southern mOcking-hird,
and IN form and action resemble them.
, Their backs are blue-black; aud they
have Gorgeous yellow breasts, and a
yellow slashing along each wing. Their
songs are precisely like those OF the
canary, but Dolder and stronger.
The negritos are here called the black,
canary birds. Their wings have lew
dainty white feathers and their singing IS
marvellous. The savaneros are delight
lul inhabitants OF the shorter Cuuln
grasses, and have the form Of our thrush,
win dark puce-brown feathers, delicate
ly mottled, clinging close to the frame;
and their CHEEKY chatter IS endless.
Other lfequentcrs OF the ground and
grasses about pllntation'houses are The
totises aud the chnchlnguacUs.
They are alike black, and IN their re.
semblancc to the American blackboard
IN form aud movement. Both ave me-
lodlous but noisy. They flock IN great
numbers aud cry'Kl.ce.m, .--kl'ee mc 80
kl.ee iggl' with the rythmlc modulauuns
Of silver bells First, the touses sound
their triple notes, with rising scale, as II
Questioning. Then from hundi eds Of
hidden places answer is made IN descend.
ing scale, by the chinchinguacOs. The
notes are almost identical; SIMPLY re-
versed. A Singular TACT Is That when the
former sing their tails spread laterdlly,
and the latter, pefpendcularly. Thoa.
sands at one time will flock about these
home.spots, ringing these bird'voice
chimes until the din Is often startling.
The cabrcros are between the mock
ing-bird and canary IN size, and are very
b autilul. They are mouled black,
yellow and red in color One OF their IN.
terestng characteristics is to eat SO freely
n, TO barely enable them TO remain upon
their branch OF shrub, when they twit.
ter and sing with wondrous aud plaintive
sweetness Two dainty species are the
tOmegfines del pinar aud the pioreras.
Both are much smaller than the smallest
canary, and but triile larger than the
humming-bird. For IT'S size the former
has the most striking plumage Of all
Cuban birds. With a ROuin Hood
jacket OF brightest green, its breast is
set with silver crescent, while CLEAN.
ing black, plume-like comb surmounts
is tiny head. Its notes are similar to
those Of the American ROBIN, but with
more of the piccolo in them than the
flute.
The piorera Is smaller with a black
49, 4
neck, lie Is an incessant singer, with a
pretty variety OF trilled notes. But the
zorales are the buiiOons oil these planta-
ton chons,ers. They are the size of
our wTens, OF ash color notified with
black and yellow, with yellow bills aud
feet. Their impish activity Is astounL-
ing. Differing from the crow, maybe
and mocking. bird. they possess many OF
the qualities of each; though their gibes,
taunts aud teasings seem directed
against other birds, rather than humans
Their initiative powers are marvellous.
They will mock the notes of all song.
birds TO q nicely OF tone and modulation,
and their range OF mimicry reaches TO
lair imitation Of the whinneying OF a
horse; while their saucy pranks are sup
ported by more than bravado; for while
each IS confirmed bafralor In bird
strife, the rascals are without exception
undaun'ed fighters.
a curious incident of great industry
having almost It's origin, and certainly
deriving Is necessary physical support,
from chlldren's game, came to my no.
tice recently in Labrador. This game is
called copy" 1t is similar under It's
peculiar conditions to that Of your own
children when they boiSterously follow |
your leader"
Indeed II is a wild and dangerous pas.
time but is heartily encouraged by pa. |
rents, rs being at the bass OF all success |
in seal hunting. When the ice begins |
breaking up IN march, all Labrador and |
children hail the arrival OF |
their annual play'spell with joyous de-
light. Coping" consists IN leapins
from one floating slab, on pan, OF ice TO |
another. The most daring OF leaders are
selected, and the sport Is followed with |
Tremendous vigor SO long as the floating
Ice remains. It's utility lies In its educa. 1
1--we power. The very experiences and |
bravery thus engendered are the supreme
requisites in youths and men as seal (
hunters.
In the middle Of the narrow straits of |
Belle Isle, between Newfoundland and |
labrador, stands weird, desolate Belle
Isle itself, the FIRST land sighted on the
,rewsome coast There is lighthouse
On IT. southern headland, but no other
sign OF human habitauon. The island is
simply q Tremendous monolilh Of stone
llne miles long and three broad, rising
from the sea at the outer
oil the STRAIT, with not an iuta OF
.erdure upon ITS IRON like sides and top,
once sailed close enough TO Belle Isle
n little schooner, to supply It's hardy
ieeper with lew newspapers and some
comforting American tobacco, which
prompted this Renaissance from the
'kipper OF our craft.
Yes" he said ruminatively, "only
,nce year any government vessl lands
here; aud the storms are SO terrible lhat
very time We sailors pass we dread to
ook up there, fearing the hghtus N be
blown away. How hard docs the wind
,lowl Wed, ! can't rightly give We the
''locity, but can furnish facts. Twenty
ears ago-'n' ! well remember him--a
Keeper named Vaughn had charge OF the
ight. He got SOFT O. hankerin' arter
,reen things. Awful foolish; but TWINS
Iard to GIT any body to stay there at all,
o they lowed his scheme ior garding'
They took hull boat-oads OF soil up
here N made him agardng N acre big.
Iotin' would grow on ii, but he liked 10
Iig IN IL, prob'iy. One eyenin' a whlrlini
urt of storm riz, m sorter Kept rlsin ali
light. When Vaughn poked' hi, head
VI IN the mornin he couldn't see the
L.. q. L.. |