Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-08-05

These ducklings seemed 10 inherit
some of the peculisrities OF Sir Francis,
FOR one OF them, seeing glimmer OF
water 1O3 feet below him one day while
strolling around the well, took notion
to cool his little red feet in the dark
tide. lie found large knothola ia tho
well euro and descended. deity TO the
bottom.
As he went down his whole life
doubtless, covering a period of'three
weeks, was unrolled before MIN like
panorama, and when he reached the
water his soul had Quilted It's little ten
ement Of clay.
When we took him out, his still feath-
ers showed no signs Of pain, but ne lay
peacefully In the old oaken bucket, for
ever a. rest.
II was almost pathetic to know how
even in death be had called our attention
70 the fact that he was down there all by
himself. Instinct perhaps, you will say,
but does is not almost approach actual
intelligence?
The hen turkey is doubtless for her
size the most successful ornithological
ass known to science. Sh9 is poorly
fitted for a parent, rs every one knows
who has studied her. She becomes
thoughtful aud preoccupled In the
month OF May, and you may SEQ her
strollng of by herself at times as II
studying nature. She soon after be-
comes a nonresident, ard just as you
decide that she has been yielded up as
sacrifice 10 the cOored revival near
by she suddenly appears on the scene
with nine small editions OF herself,
each with little Waterbury tick OF its
own.
She exhibits these specimens OF her
handiwork about twice and then dis
appeaps. She takes offense at any az
tention, though sometimes she prefers
TO 90 up tree for the night, leaving
her little ones In wide eyed wonder
ment to put In the night in the grass.
At early dawn she comrs down and
starts off through .the wet, Icy weeds
I'm search OF food. The little chaps,
broken OF their rest aud heavy eyed
with loss Of sleep, are dragged l8 or 20
miles through the tall wet grass till
they are soaked and chilled TO the
heart. Then they are given each
hard, indgestibe grasshopper or
hunting case beetle for breakfast. The
hot sun comes pouring down upon
them, and when you meet thu old idiot
TWO weeks later she has one little bob
tail, moth eaten turElet for whom
Thanksgiving could have m horrors.
The hen turkeys morbid desire TO In
cu5ate is peculiar and powerful. She
prefers for this purpose the primevsl
forest There she selects the dead tree
top OF prime giant oak and deposits
hatful OF freckled eggs. To see her
on her nest at such . time one would
think she was preparing al article on
the tariff, but as one approaches her
q dangerous light seems 10 come Into
the gentle eyes, and one passes by on
the other side.
A hen turkey Is no more lifted Tor q
mother, however, than the sonbrette Of
a road company. She Is q great psdes-
TRAN, and OF course after her long sed-
eniary spell naturally wants 20 exercise,
so she starts of the day after her fami-
ly has broken the shell, and stepping
about Two feet a. tine expects her
little folks TO keep up With her. When
they fail 20 do so. she curses them Bit
]
terry aud shows no patience whatever.
When she overtakes a large grsssbop-
per. she eats IL and gives her little ones
the drumsticks. Is that any kind OF q
way 10 win the love OF the young?
Not By any means whatever.
Let me pause here TO say word on o
| subject to which desire 10 call tho at
tention Of my fellow ornithologisis
throughout the country, and especially
10 this State.
For years In has been noticed that IN
tellectualiy the hen Is failing. She Is
not what she was even before the war,
and il has attracted the attention not
only Of scientists, but OF the average
layman. What is the cause Of the hens
| intellectual retrogression?
! Others may have a more plausible
theory than my own, but l submit here