00 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1872. 



will sulVer the deslructiou of JJirds, injurious to Fruit or Vegetable, by 

 citizens, upon their own premises. Pursuant to that vote, a Petition was 

 once more prepared and presented to the General Court, at its last session. 

 Thanks to your steady i)ersistence, a " Hearing," if nothing more, was 

 obtained from the Committee on Agriculture to whom the subject-matter 

 had been referred. Your Secretary attended at that " Hearing," to his 

 personal inconvenience, to support, with that might of truth which sup- 

 plements even the feeblest ability, the prayer of the Trustees. There 

 being* no opposition, and no facts being alleged in rebuttal, the Com- 

 mittee, after a decorous period of inattention, succeeded in evolving from 

 the depths of their intense misconception yet another '• Leave to With- 

 draw." Having been informed, immediately upon the conclusion of his 

 testimony, by a member of the Committee, that such would be their de- 

 cision, your Secretarj- asks leave to pay his humble tribute of admiration 

 to that tminent gravity which patiently awaited Ihe lapse of three months, 

 before announcing a foregone CMiclusiou. 



The chief and incorrigible offender — of whose d(!vastation there is most 

 aiul the best-founded complaint, is the Tunlus Migratorius of the ornith- 

 ologist — the pscudo Robin of the sentimentalist and school-girl. Should 

 the following little gem serve to enlighten any who are ignorant of the 

 difference between that flying thief, with a beak like a pickaxe, and the 

 gentle redbreast, its space will be well occupied: 



THE RED BREAST OF THE ROBIN. 



AX IRISH LEGEND, 



Of all tlie mcny little l)inls that live uji in the tree, 



Ami carol from the syoamore and chestnut, 

 The prettiest little gentleman that dearest is to me, 

 Is the one in coat of brown and scarlet waistcoat. 



It's cockit little Robin ! 



And his head he keeps a bobbin'. 

 Of all the other pretty fowls I'd choose him : 



For he sings so sweetly still, 



Through his tiny slender bill. 

 AVith a little patch of red upon his boson). 



When the frost is in the air, and the snow upon the proun( 



To other little birdies so bewilderin', 

 Picking up the crumbs near the window he is found, 

 Singing Christinas stories to the children: 



Of how two tender babes 



Were lell in woodland glades, 

 Ry a cruel man who took 'em there to lose 'em : 



But liol)by saw the crime; 



(He was watching all the time!) 

 And he blushed a perfect crimson on his liosom. 



