The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-16

one glance at that bird house was
enough for madam for without even
a peep at the inside she left in dis
gust and they built elsewhere. Then
pair OF wrens came along Mr..
Wren was very anxious for Mrs. w
~ take possession al once, but there
vas something about il that didn't
fiji her IDEAS a all so she turned up
her nose al i ami lett. Othere did
likewise. some objecting 10 the tin
100. others seemed Il think the
parlor WASN'T large enough or the
outlCC-- rem the front deer wasn't
{, 70 :c-GE-2: of course the worthy
6octct w1s YER much discouraged
; hen along CINE croIhcr wren and
his bride and toCl. rossession Of I 81
once 81 commenced housekeeping
by bu:l&:1g their rest. but all the
straw and every twig that went into
that nest was put there by her labor,
but when in the fullnesS of time that
nest was occupied by five baby wrens
all of whom judging by the photo,
must have been principally mouth
then the man of the house got busy.
He began to forage for food and
when he brought home a bug or
worm he would sit on a limb and
sing and brag about it while the lady
of the house was bringing in
square meal for the whole family.
Speaking Of wrens, he said they
were almost invaluable to farmers
and gardeners, as it had been dem
onstrated that 90 per cent. of their
! food was injurious insects: also the
robin, protected III this state now for
! the first time, who are charged with
eating cherries and strawberries,
! yet so per cent of their food con-
! sists of devastating insects.
| Of the Bob White" the doctor
could scarcely say enough. He had
pictures of these under all cOndi-
tons, the eggs in the nest, the
( y
quietly in somebody's two hands. the
whole 10 grown large enough to for
age for themselves. Of so much
value have they been found to crops
that New Jersey and some other
states are spending thousands Of dol
lars each year in purchasing trapped
birds from states where they are yet
somewhat numerous, and turning
them loose in their own woods in
hopes of eventually finding them
again plentiful.
The dove is another bird that a
few years ago was almost as plentf-
full as the wild pigeon. but when par
ties go out from this city to a near
by plantation AMI when night comes
they have a pile of dead doves 500
in number to their credit, the craws
Of each one containing from Is to
1900 seeds Of nOXiOus weeds, it Is
little wonder that these beautiful
birds-emblems Of peace and limo
cense-are getting scarcer each year
while the farmer finds it almost i'm
Fosible to raise certain crops even
with infinite labor on account Of the
fearful growth Of weeds.
A series of pictures Of the life and
death OF the beautiful heron, were
shown-on the nest, feeding its
Young. dead from the shot of the
hunter, the skin torn from its back
to furnish the aigrette for some wo
mans hat, the young birds dying o.
starvation because their mother was
killed. and lastly the little plume fol
which all: this bloody work was
done.
The doctor tried to point mora
from these pictures that he hoped
the ladies would take to heart, bu
while so doing remarked that the
men were by no means innocent, az
the butchery was all their work.
On the screen was also shown pic
: lures Of birds not considered Of ben
eft TO man, but the doctor had {
good word for each. Crows, bats
owls and hawks may appropriate {
few grains of corn and may even 81
sc far as to indulge in spring chick
en-. all Of which is far unbalanced
by vast numbers Of worms, bugs
grasshoppers, mice and other vermil
that they eXterminate. The doctor
: pictures and lecture was highly ap
preciated by all present. and will I'm
doubtedly tend TO much good.
H. c. P.
CAaTlRpH CANNOT BE lJ-RED