The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-19

the American black bird IN form
ana movement Both are melodlous but
noisy. They flock in great numbers and cry
"kl-ee-ing l-ee-ing-kl-ee-ingp with
the rhythmic modulations Of silver bells.
First, the totises sound their triple notes,
with rising scale. as if questioning. Then
from hundreds OF hidden places answer is
made in descending scale, by the chinchin-
guacos. The notes are almost identical {:
simply reversed. A singular fact is that
when the former sing their tails spread
Literally, and the latter, perpendicularly.
Thousands at one time will flock about
these home-spots, ringing these bird-voiCs
chimes until the din is often starting.
The cSbreros are between the hooking
bird and canary in size and ere very beauti-
full. They are notified black, yellow and
red in color. One OF their interesting char
acteristlcs is TO eat 30 freely as to barely en-
able them to remain upon branch OF shrub
when they twitter and sing with wondrous
and plaiutive sweetness. Two dainty
species are the tomegrines del pinar and the
pioreras. Both are much smaller than the
smallest canary and but q trifle larger than
the hum hing bird. For its size the former
has the most striking plumsge Of all Cuban
birds. With Robin Hood jacket of bright
est green, its breast is set with a silver
crescent, while a cleaning black, plume
like comb surmounts It's 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 black and
white back. white breast and a red neck.
DE Is an inoessant singer. with a pretty va
riety of trilled notes. But the zorales are
the buffoons Of these plantation chorislers.
They are the size of our wrens, of ash color,
notified with black and yellow, with yell
low bills and feet. Their impish activity is
astounding. Differing from the crow, mag
pie and hooking bird, they possess many Of
the qualities of each; though their gI 81,
taunts and teasings seem directed against
other birds. rather than humans. Their
initiative powers are marvellous. They will
mock the notes OF all song-birds to a nicely
OF tone and meditation, and their range Of
mimicry reaches to fair imitation of the
whinneying of horse; while their saucy
pranks are supported by more than bra
vado; for while each is a confirmed barra-
tor in bird strife, the rascels are without
exception undaunted fighters.
A curious incident OF a great industry
having almost its origin, and certainly
deriving its necessary physical support,
from children's game, came to my notice
recently in Labrador. This game is called
copy" 1t is similar under its peculiar
conditions to that of your own children
when they bolsterously follow your
leader"
1t is indeed wild and dangerous pastime
but is heartily encouraged by parents as
being at the basis of all success in seal
hunting. When the ice begins breaking up
in March all Labrador and Newfoundland
children hail the arrival of their annual
play spell with joyous delight. Copying"
consists In leaping from one floating slab or
pan Of ice to another. The most daring of
leaders are selected, and the sport is fol-
lowed with tremendous vigor so long as the
floating ice remains. Its utility lies in its
educative power. The very expertness 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 Lab
rador, stands weird, desolate Belle Isle
itself, the first land sighted on tue grew
some coast There is a light house on its
southern headlRnd, but no other sign Of
human hAbitatiou. The island is simply a
tremendous monolith Of stone nine miles
long and three broad, rising precipitousy
from the sea at the outer entrance of the
strait. with not an iota Of verdurs upon its
iron-like sides and top. once sailed close
enough TO Belle Isle in a little schooner
to supply it's hardy keeper with a few news
papers and some comforting American to-
bacco, which prompted this Renaissance
from the skipper of our craft.
YES" he said ruminatively, "only once a
year does any government vessel land there
and the storms are SO terrible that every
time we sailors pass we dread to look up
there, fearing the light'us III be blown
away. How hard does the wind blow
Well, can't rightly give ye the v'locity
but can furnish facts Twenty years ago
m well remember him-a keeper named
Vaughn had charge Of the light. He got
sort o hankerin' arter green things. Awful
foolish; but uwus hard to git anybody to
stay there at all, so they lowed his scheme
for garding. They took hull boatloads of
soil up there n mede him a garding n acre
big. Nothin' would grow on 1t, but he liked to
dig in 1t. prob'ly. One evenin' a whirlin'
sort of storm riz, m sOrter kept risin' all
night. W hen Vaughn poked his head out
in the mornin' he couldn't see the Rarding
nowhere. de didn't know at fukt but he
was a leetle confused hisself, an climbed
back an took his bearin's but Their was no
garding nowhere certain. That tornader
had jest yanked up the hull sle an spilled
it all over tn 'Lantic. Vaughn bad speriU,
he did. He wouldn't stand that So he
threw up the job an took to shown seals !"
e. A few years since / found light house
keeper in still greater misfortune than the
Belle Isle keeper who lost his garden. This
was while coasting among the Bahama
Islands. 1t was at Double Shot Head keys
at the edge of the grand banks of Bahama,
which you would pass, were you crossing
the banks CubGward, as you entered the
Gulf of Mexico 1t is a dangerous spot in
navigation low, ugly-looking, drearV, and
juts out Of the sea savagely. The English
government has q light house here. A half
dozen men who make salt, and the light
house keeper and his wife, are the only souls
who have existed here for a score OF years.
The woman is a character. In England
she was such a shrew that the government
finally took coxnizance of her powers of
home and neighborhood ruin and provided
her husband, VINO was light house keeper
on the Devonshire coast, with this torlorn
and isolated charge The woman is forty
incarnate fiends. Besides she is pirate in
her way. Alone and unaided she will
haunt the channel for merchant craft ply
ing between Cuba and American ports, de-
manding tribute. Shippers have whole
some fear of her tongue aud a superstit US
dread OF her "evil eye." and will humbly
toss her pork, beef, sacks of onions or pota-
toes and the like, glad TO thus easily escape
her wrath and maledlctions. Her husband
is an humble prisoner ana slave. Sever al
half-serious bat altogether ridiculous at
tempts to rescue him have been made by
wreckers aud others haunting the Florida
and Bahama reefs and keys, and in each in
stance this virago Of Double-Shot Head
keys has nearly clubDed them to death for
their pains. EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.
TO Prevent the Grip,
Or any other similar epidemic, the blood
~. II. - \