The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-03-04
NOT A FISH STORY, But FACT
THAT is VOUCHED FOR BY A
GOOD GEORGIA WOMAN.

The following story in regard to
fish pond in a tree in Alabama Is
taken from an Alabama paper and
is vouched for by q good ValdosIa
woman, who formerly resided in Ala
bama and who says that the story IS
Among the trees in the magnificent
pecan orchard ON the Hatch planta-
ton at Pedido Beach, Ala, stands,
or rather stood, predominant mag
nolia, a most perfect specimen OF It's
kind, straight and tall, towering ma
jestically above the neighboring bos-
cage. In this tree there has existed
a birds home since beyond the men,
DRY of the oldest inhabitan
DRY of the Oldest natives ancestors,
and occupied at certain seasons OF
the year by colony of Mason birds
or properly termed terraplasts, so
termed from their method of build
ing, thier abode being composed OF
elements taken from the earth,
craft apparently known exclusively
by these birds, and excepting the
most perfect concrete known by any
man. tensile, compressive and abfas-
i've as marble. Judging by the enor-
nous size of this structure it mush
have required the work of genera
tions of these birds year after year.
until il now resembles a city sedi-
ment basin on. a small scale, but real
" sufficiently large to battle full
grown person.
Their modus operandi is to increase
the area of the house on the outside
by applying their own mixture OF the
earth's secrets and making it cores
pondingly as large inside by the OPP
posite process of excavating, thus
keeping the walls the same thickness
and incidentally increasing the capac-
itv. The entrance is at the top sum
GENTLY large enough to admit the
terraplast, but small enough to keep
out larger and naturally formidable
birds. The entrance is ingeniously
built under a large limb of the tree,
which sheds the rain, keeping the
structure dry inside.
II was noticed that when the terra
blasts made their annual return,
three years ago, they had abandoned
their quarters and built, or rather
commenced those operations in an
other tree, eliciting much speculation
from the nat yes, the only sign OF lie
around the old home being a number
of fish hawks, which seemed to be pc
culiarly attracted to the spot, ana
since that time the number has grad
ually increased and the noise ana
gesticulations of the birds became so
incessant that it resembled a suffra-
gette mob interrupting a COMPRESSION
al sitting.
A gentleman watching this daily
performance became so interested ne
decided to investigate the cause.
Now, word about the fish hawk.
This bird inherits its name naturally
through the suggestion of its dietary
habits. Soaring far above the water
in search of fish with eyes that ma
tire has provided for the purpose 1t
is capable of penetrating the pelag1c
depths to locate his prey; then div1pg
suddenly he emerges with the fish IN
his talons, and flying to the tallest
tree undisturbed he consumes the hsh
at leisure. 1t was noted by the gen
tleman that this particular tree now
reigned supreme as the fish hawks
banqueting table.
The tree being so tall and with so
few limbs for hand holds made 1t
quite impossible to climb. Obtaining
the owners permission the woods
man was requested to spare not his