34 



THE OOlvOGlST 



near by and watched proceedings. > Just 

 as the Robin had completely pulled a 

 huge worm from his hole, in hopped 

 Mr. Grackle, and with a dash at Mr. 

 Robin drove him away. He then grab- 

 bed the prey and flew to his nest with 

 his enemy in useless pursuit. 



Once I witnessed a battle between a 

 pair of Grackles and a half-grown cat. 

 Pussy was intent on capturing a young 

 bird who had just left the nest and 

 landed in the garden among the cur- 

 rant bushes. There was no escape for 

 JEneus for he was hemmed in by a 

 fence, shed, and with a cruel enemy in 

 front, and unlike jEneus, when he elud- 

 ed the Cyclops,* by the open sea, this 

 traveler had no loophole to escape by. 



The cat was crouching and creeping, 

 and. I imagine that young variety 

 ^neus was shivering, when up came 

 the old folks <and attacked Mr. Tom 

 Cat. No sooner had they appeared on 

 the scene than the old birds took oppo- 

 site sides of the feline and endeavored 

 to draw the enemy's attention. Then 

 while the cat was looking at Mrs. 

 Grackle behold Mr. G. drew near and 

 gave Mr. T. C. a crack with his wing 

 on the side of the head, which so rat- 

 tled T. C. that he incontinently fled 

 and the family was united in peace 

 once more. 



The Bronzed Grackle is a beautiful 

 bird and a full plumaged male is about 

 as commanding and graceful a speci^es 

 as you will find. He has a discordant 

 series of notes and his voice is always 

 harsh. But for all this I like to see 

 these dignified fellows around the yard. 

 They are extremely beneficial, and it is 

 evident to all investigators that they 

 should be protected. But they have 

 cot protection given to them, and are 

 detested by nearly everyone. 



Morris Gibbs, 

 Kelamazoo, Mich. 



* strangely enough this cat had but one eye. 

 and we called him Polyphemus. 



The Story of a Find. 



To begin where I left oft' in the Oct- 

 Nov. number, I would like to say there 

 was one mistake made, which, if not 

 corrected, might be hard on my repu- 

 tation for veracit}', shouid anyone dis- 

 cover it, for I think I have previously 

 written of finding Wrens' nests in 

 houses The article reads (p).lf)6, mid- 

 dle of first column), "and I have not as 

 yet found a single nest exc pc that it be 

 in the timber." It should read, "and 1 

 have not found a single nest except 

 Wrens, but that it be in the timber." 



It might not be amiss to say, that, so 

 far as we know, Mrs. P. and mysslf are 

 the only ones in this or adjoining coun- 

 ties who take any Natural History pa- 

 pers or are in any way interested in the 

 study of Nature, further than the rais- 

 ing of crops and the killing of anything 

 supposed to be injurious to man or his 

 estate. And while we are alone in this 

 respect, we do not lack for good neigh- 

 bors, friends and sympathizers. Of 

 course we have by this time gained 

 some kind of a reputation, and if you 

 can trust me I will try and tell what 

 it amounts to. 



Socially and politically ."peaking, we 

 w^ere never treated with more respect 

 in the North, and throughout the whole 

 country the stranger is a welcome guest. 



With some, our work is regarded as a 

 waste of time and I've no dniiljt I ut 

 that they think "cranks," l<ut it' tliey du 

 they are never impolite enough to think 

 aloud so we can hear it. 



Mounted birds always attrat-t atten- 

 tion, especially among the county folk, 

 and the power to render such, seems 

 beyond comprehension with many. It 

 is quite amusing to set a large Owl on a 

 show case in some store and watch the 

 results. Did you ever try to "shoo" an 

 Owl, or to attract its attention? Well, 

 that is exactly what nearly every one 

 tries to do,and one man actually thought 

 the bird bit his straw hat when he was 



