Seo. 11.] BIRDS. 1S3 



ant May morning, to waken you to see the beauty of sunrise, or lull you 

 into dreams of the old farm-house, orchards, and singing birds. 



A paper from Prof. Xash says he has domesticated tiie common wren in 

 this city, by building them a suitable house, very much to the amusement 

 and pleasure of the family. One pair hatched and reared ten young ones in 

 one season, and they acted as perfect scavengers of bugs and worms in the 

 neighborhood. Mi\ Nash says two hundred wren-houses were built last year 

 about Union Square, which were not only occupied by wrens, but several 

 other kinds of birds, and these served to keep tlie park and neighborhood 

 almost free of insects. 



A writer in Hove-ys Magazine recommended the use of wrens to drive 

 other birds away from the cherry-trees. He says : 



" I have seen the experiment of phicing a wren-box on a cherry-tree, tried 

 in several instances with aj^parent success. The best thing for this purpose 

 is an olive jar. A hole should i)revi(nisly be drilled into tlic side of tlie jar, 

 which should be fixed upon the tree, by thrusting the stump of an amputated 

 branch, the more upright the better, into the mouth of the inverted jar, of 

 just sufficient size to admit a wren, but too small to allow a bluebird to en- 

 ter ; since, if it were otlierwise, tlie latter would be sure to get possession of 

 it. The wren being a very jealous and pugnacious bird, is diligent in dris'- 

 iiig all birds from the tree in whicli his nest is built, and does not hesitate 

 to attack birds as large as the robin. It is doubtful, however, whether the 

 wren would persevere in his attacks, when the robins had become very numer- 

 ous, but tlie expedient might bo used with some advantage in all cases.'' 



232. Protecting Trees from Birds.— Some persons advise throwing a net 

 over the trees, during the few days while the fruit is becoming mature. This 

 may be done in some cases, if there are but few trees to be protected, and 

 the owner can aftbrd to undertake a job that must be both troublesome and 

 expensive. Such an expedient would be hardly advisable except in extra- 

 ordinary eases. Some fix a little windmill in the tree ; but as the wheel is 

 constantly turning, the birds soon become accustomed to it, and cease to 

 regard it with suspicion. If anytiiing of this kind is to be used, it should be 

 kept motionless, until the birds'fiy into the tree, and then put suddenly into 

 action by some person who is watching it. Something like a watchman's 

 rattle elevated on a pole, and fastened firndy to each of the trees, with a cord 

 to be pulled when the machine is to be set in motion, might answer a good 

 purpose. A boy might be hired in this case to watch the trees, and to jiull 

 upon the cords as the birds arrived. Clierries require so short a time to 

 rijien, that no tree would need to be watciied more than one week. 



As birds always give the greatest offense, by their depredations upon fruit, 

 to those who own but few trees, our argument is, that the best i)rotec(ion is 

 to plant trees enough to serve you and the birds too, with all that all of you 

 can eat. You would then not only have the satisfaction of having what 

 cherries you wanted, but the jdeasure of seeing the birds. From expenonce 

 every season, wc arc satisfied that the robins save us more cherries than 



