ORXITHOLOGY 



325 



that may be obtained in such cases are, 

 indeed, remarkable. 



Being able to observe these redstarts 

 at so close a range, I discovered that 

 for the first two or three days the 

 youngsters' diet consisted chiefly of 

 mosquitos. and as the location was 

 very damp, the birds had no trouble in 

 securing them. 



I watched the process of feeding the 

 young by the hour. The male bird 

 seemed to do the greater part of it as 

 is not generally the custom. He would 

 dart from one small branch to another 

 and frequently I could hear his bill 

 snap as he snatched the insects. Hav- 

 ing secured a number the bird would 

 fly to the edge of the nest, when in- 

 stantly up would come five gaping 

 mouths, but it was generally not more 

 than two that were fed at a time. And 

 so on the birds would repeat the per- 

 formance throughout the day. 



As the young birds grew in size and 

 strength, larger insects were substitut- 

 ed, and in the course of a single day 

 this one pair of redstarts proved their 

 great value as insect exterminators by 

 consuming hundreds of noxious in- 

 sects. 



Derelict Cats. 



Few city dwellers realize the evils 

 resulting from the neglect of cats that 

 are for a time kept as pets, then allow- 

 ed to wander. This is well illustrated 

 from our experience with stray cats 

 within the boundaries of the Zoologi- 

 cal Park. It has been necessary to de- 

 tail one of our men to trap neglected 

 felines that have taken to a life in the 

 woods and subsist largely upon birds, 

 young rabbits and squirrels. It is as- 

 tounding to note the actual number of 

 cats trapped within the area of the 

 Park in the past three years. Up to 

 the end of November, 191 5, we had 

 trapped and otherwise destroyed six 

 hundred and two cats that were living 

 and hunting in the Park. The Botani- 

 cal Garden reports similar conditions. 



When we consider the other large 

 areas of the northern city parks where 

 hordes of cats prowl unmolested, the 

 extent of the depredations of these 

 bird-killing creatures may be esti- 

 mated. Many of the captured cats 

 are gaunt, savage creatures that 

 through a marauding, half-starved and 



desperate condition are a real menace 

 to full-grown rabbits and squirrels; 

 and bird-hunting is their constant de- 

 light. Occasionally, also, one of these 

 cats will fight a human enemy. The 

 writer can attest this by an experience 

 when a tramp cat emerging from some 

 foliage deliberately leaped upward and 

 savagely bit his hand. Keeper Roman- 

 off, who so persistently hunts these 

 animals, has several times been attack- 

 ed by them. 



During our cat-hunting work we 

 have come upon a surprising number 

 of other predatory animals in the Park. 

 Our lists for three years show twenty- 

 five wild racoons, twenty-one opos- 

 sums, and about a dozen weasels. 

 Although in a dififerent class, from the 

 damage they do, we have also checked 

 off fourteen muskrats. — "N. Y. Zoolo- 

 gical Societv Bulletin." 



The Virginia Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, which makes a specialty 

 of apples, is now engaged with the 

 problem of the inheritance of time of 

 blossomine. 



Not All That's Best Can Be Bought. 



Not all that's best can e'er be bought. 



But it can be so aptly sought. 



If we would only take the pains. 



And ours, at least, would be the gains. 



The sunrise is a pageant rare 



To most of us. as on we fare : 



ft only means an early rise. 



And thrills us with the glad surprise. 



The bird choir in the early morn. 



Mo one who hears could feel forlorn : 



The ecstasy would well repay 



A woodland walk at dawn of day. 



The roadside is a treasure-trove 

 To tliose who nature truly love: 

 And things that would our knowledge foil. 

 Are founrl in one square foot of soil. 



The trees and flowers, the birds and bees. 

 What interests can rival these? 

 A look, a hook to interpret them. 

 .-\nd in each one we find a gem. 



The stars that spangle all the sky, 

 We feel them there, yet pass them by: 

 The only need, an upward look 

 To rarest page of Nature's book. 



The simplest pleasures are the best ; 

 To them is brought an added zest. 

 Of joys undreamed of at the start. 

 .As knowledge reveals the heart 



— Emma Peirce. 



