The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-02-15
THE TOILET OF BIRDS.
Peouiisrities OF Feathered Creatures NJ
gardlng Their hath.

garding Their bath.
The feathered tribes have many Pc
culiar ways and fancies about the de-
tails Of their toilets. Some birds use
water only, some water and dust, while
others prefer dust and no water. Birds
are not only exceedingly nice in their
choice OF bath water, says New York
Home, but also very particular about
the quality of their toilet dust"
Wild ducks, though feeding by salt
water, prefer to battle In fresh water
pools, and will fly long distances In.
land to running brooks and ponds,
where they preen and dress their
feathers In the early hours of the
morning. Sparrows battle often, both
in water and in dust. They are not so
particular about the quality of the
water as about the quality of the dust.
They prefer clean water, but have
seen them take a dip in shallow pools
that were quite muddy. The city spar
row must take water bath where he
can get Tin the street or on the tops
OF hJuscs-but he is most careful in
his choice of his dust bath. Road dust,
the dryest and finest possible, suits
him best. / have noticed the city
sparrow taking his dust bath In the
street and invariably he chooses q
place where the dust Is like powder.
Partridges prefer dry loan. Thoy
like TO scratch out the soil from under
the grass and I'LL their feathers with
cool earth. Most birds nre fond L.
burnt ashes. Some morning early talte
a walk across field that has been
burnt over and sec the number of
winged creatures that rise suddenly
from the ash heaps. A darling form,
a small cloud Of ashes and the bathsrs
disappear,
EDISON AND THE BEAR.
How tho Great Inventor Received an Up-
expected Visit. -,
Thomas A. Edison's father, on ono
Of his visits TO Menlo park, brought
with him q surprise to his son, q tame
bear that he had captured with his
own hands, says the New York World.
II was very late when he arrived,
and finding that his son was on one Of
his usual midnight experimental
"sprees," he determined not to bother
him, and went TO bed after first care
fully .,.a &c Gu ~ TIE cellar.
The experiments on which tho wiz
ard wac ut work were the 1nAl ones
in the invention OF the photograph.
Mr.. Edison was kneeling on the aoor
listening TO the reproduction Of an old
song, and his assistants were punched
behind him, with every nerve strained
10 catch the far-off, curious sounds.
So intent were they that the stumbling
OF heavy footsteps up the stairs and
the opening of the laboratory door
were unnoticed, and IL was only when
a heavy 'woot" drowned the imitation
song that the little group became
aware that q stranger was among
them.
The next instant the laboratory
shelves bore, instead OF bottles, half a
dozen Of the worst-soared scientists In
history.
Seeing the lack Of disposition TO
show him tho Inequalities of tho
place, tho bear started on tour Of In
spection Of his own. He used his
paws as the farmer from "Wayback''
uses his umbrella In art galleries, and
soon had the wen-arranged workshop
In compound disorder. The shelved
scientists were wishing every minute
that he would seize high-voltage cir
cult which would give him . tenn
porary trance, But he was too wise for
that, and IL began TO look as IL the
greatest problem Edison would have
TO solve that night was how 70 escape
the clutches Of a bear
The beast was having veritable
picnic In tho electrical sanctum whom
Mr.. Edison, Sr., stall5ed into the room
Explanations were soon made, the
bear was led downstairs and the elsc-
tricians descended from their perches