THE KING OF THE WOODS. 325 



blue jays, woodpeckers, shrikes, and the beautiful little mourning 

 doves, the smallest known species, and other varieties less frequently 

 seen — all seemingly have perpetual treaties of peace with the mock- 

 ing birds. The only one that gets into a " scrap " with the " boss of 

 the forest " is the shrike, a short, chunky little fellow, about the size 

 of the mocking bird, and with a powerful beak with which he de- 

 lights to impale small animals upon orange thorns. One would 

 suppose that the mocking bird would be in deadly fear of this little 

 feathered bully. Not a bit of it! Other birds may run from the 

 shrike, but he doesn't. Both love to build their nests in the orange 

 trees, and there are frequent questions of " squatter sovereignty " to 

 be settled by beak and claw. Whether by lung power or muscle, 

 in the final " compromise " the shrike always goes to another tree. 



As to the morals of this little past master of song, the truth must 

 be told, he has no respect for the eighth commandment. He is a 

 thief, a cunning, inveterate, unscrupulous " conveyer " of other peo- 

 ple's property. Peaches, grapes, strawberries, figs, Japan persim- 

 mons, Surinam cherries, Catley guavas, are to him legitimate plun- 

 der. With the exception of oranges, bananas, pineapples, and ordi- 

 nary guavas, which he never touches, nothing is safe from his depre- 

 dations. Scarecrows don't even amuse him when he has made up his 

 mind to sample fruit. He is a capital judge, too, and always selects 

 the largest, ripest, and most juicy specimens for his repast. No 

 economic considerations trouble him either. He takes a bite here 

 and a nibble there, and ruins twenty times as much as he consumes. 

 Bagging fruit is no protection, for he only tears the bags to pieces 

 and helps himself. Even vines and fig trees incased in mosquito 

 netting are not secure; the little marauder will get in somehow and 

 complacently take what he wants. 



Yet, in spite of all this, the benefits received by the south land 

 from this cunning little giver of sweet sounds and lover of sweet 

 fruits vastly outweigh all the damage that he does, however vexa- 

 tious it may be. Bugs and worms and creeping things swarm here 

 the year round. The mocking bird is essentially insectivorous. His 

 " steady diet " consists of the enemies that the horticulturist and the 

 fruit grower have most occasion to dread. He takes his fruit by 

 way of dessert, and has fairly earned it like a good boy by eating first 

 a substantial dinner. 



A Berzelius museum is to be established by the Swedish Academy of 

 Science, with funds provided by Prof. Hj Sjorgen. It is to hold all the 

 objects formerly contained in the laboratory of the great chemist — which 

 are now scattered in various places. In connection with it a list of all the 

 works and treatises of Berzelius is to be compiled. 



