The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-15
ADVENTURES WITH WILD THINGS
Sandpipers, Bats and a Katydid, Be
sides a Ruined Caterpillar.

From the Springfi cid Republican.
It is always delightful 10 see nest full
of birds first try their young wings, and
this summer we were doubly fortunate IN
being able. to help distracted mother
bird out of her difficulties in this time Of
domestic trial. Early one June morning
at the shore, we We're attracted out Of
doors by the frantic demonstrations Of a
sandpiper She few eXcitedly in circles,
close to the piazza floor, utterins sharp
cries of distress and some one said THAT
bird would not be here unless there was
nest near" So we searched ana
there in the grass, just out
side the high lattice work which
enclosed the space under the piazza,
we found two nestlings-and jolly little
fellows they were--aH legs and bills their
stills fully as long as their bodies. Both
were smoothly dressed in pretty suits of
speckled gray, the waving tufts of down
which did duty as tails. looking like di-
minutive feather busters. The birds soon
cuddIed contentedly down In the box OF
cotton which we FASTENED 20 find and the
poor mother evidently gave them up for
lost and disappeared.
We debated long on what to do with our
new-found possessions. and finally, putting
them on the upper balcony. we too, retired
from the field of action. 1t was not long
before the curious eyes OF the children
took a peep through the blinds ana MADE
the discovery that the two "teeterers
were on an exploring expedition ana hau
already reached the edge of the roof ana
as we looked, slight breeze apparently
carried one over, at any rate, he went
suddenly out of sight. A rush was made
for down stairs, but no bird could - ind
though we could hear dismal peeps
from somewhere. The anxious search
went on, even a section of the lattice De-
ing taken down, only to bring to view
Mrs Sandpiper serenely brooding nesting
number three in the nest under the piazza.
A kind neighbOr, coming after her cat,
who had shown much interest in these
proceedings, suggested the gutter pipe,
which Connected with a drain few feet
beneath the surface, and on removing a
piece of the pipe, we saw, Just out OF
reach, the long, slender bill and bright,
imploring eyes of the little adventurer.
The swiftest-footed boy was sent for the
boy with the longest arms. and while
waited and bent alphabetically down,
the second bird suddenly dropped onto
my shoulder, taking the same strange
road his brother had taken before him.
When j. of the long arms arrived, he
could Just touch the little prisoner, who
made haste to avoid this new danger by
lodging aside where the pipe branched off,
but by patiently holding his hand till the
bird crept back, ii was at last captured
and brought triumphantly to the surface.
In the afternoon we had the satisfaction
of seeing the reunited family making it's
way, swiftly, and as gracefully as nature
would permit, to the quiet sands of the
beach, where hope neither cats nor hui
manity will ever again modest or make
afraid"
OF quite a different disposition was the
tiny bat, who fell one night just at dusk
"a chi
dren and beIligerent young fox terrier
soon gathered around this sputtering NOR
sci of vitality. One wing was disabled,
but he braVely declared war upon man
kind, dogs combined His angry black
eyes, shining like bits of jet, looked up at
us, without a sign of fear but when,
amid a chorus of "Oh, don ts," l picked
up this small handful of pure grit, he was
trembling violently This, however. did not
prevent him from making vicious at
tack, with his baby teeth, upon the hand
that received hint. His whole little
spunky body shook with his wrathful
growing and chattering, which was
funny enough considering his size. After
we had admired the soft raven-bIack
crown of erect feathers 81 on his head,
which, with his pluck was all we could
find to admire, ! put him the roof Of a
shed, where he quickly disappeared with
out even Thank you"
one noon, Wniie we were at luncneOn,
little r. brought in bewildered katydid,
and deposited 1t on the table. After a
digniiied tour around it's Unfamiliar sur
roundings, it suddenly jumped straight
onto a plate of hot fritters, which had
just been served Instantly there followed
a perfect volley of shriil and excited
"katydids and katydidnt s," and a very
expeditions retreat to the more comfort
able temperature of the table cloth, where
it tried vanly to remove the hot fat from
all its feet at once-much like cat on
a sticky fy-paper-causing shouts OF
laughter at its comical contortions. When
the little insect was at last carried pen
itently out Of doors to new fields OF
pastures green" it was still nursing one
little hind foot in both front feet, in true
human fashion.
fear the last adventure will not turn
out as happily as the others, for while II
is very interesting to us, it is grim tragedy
to the one most concerned. In trying tc
avoid a large green worm on a tomato
vine, l noticed It was adorned along both
sides with soft white fringe Now this
fringe is growing larger every day, on the
fat of this green monster and If somebody
does not rid him of his dainty ornament
| before he goes to sleep for the winter
the fringe will fall to and devour him en-,
tirely and in place Of the gorgeous mott
which we expected to see when the chrys
alis should open, there will be only 6
swarm of little black flies.