•J4 



yard. In- ran dovvu and mauled a kitten helon^^nnj; to a 

 sljort-haii-ed, meddlesonu' old maid. 



This kitten, to repair its damaged anatomy, had to 

 retire the bahince of the week to rest in swaddlinj^ 

 bands and arnica fumes. 



Expressions of regret were also uttered on account 

 of the prematura and violent demise of the Thomas 

 feline group planted at the foot of a grape vine. This 

 shaggy-coated and crooked old vine had for years 

 served as a shelter and breeding place for several 

 generations of the sparrow kind, and when these cats 

 were buried at its base to invigorate the growth, there 

 was hidden in a thick cluster of large leaves and fad 

 ing, whitish blossoms, the tenantless nest of a pair of 

 sweet-voiced Chipping Sparrows, that these same cat* 

 had destroyed the day previous to the commencemem 

 of their unexpected contract to "grow grapes." 



FISHES THAT CATCH DUCKS AND BIRDS. 



The taste which birds, such as the herons, cranes, 

 kingfishers, certain hawks, owls and eagles, the mer- 

 gansers and several kinds of sea ducks, gulls, terns and 

 other oceanic birds have for fishes is well known. It 

 does not, however, appear to be generally understood 

 that we have numerous members of the finny inhabi 

 tants of our rivers, lakes and ponds which seldom 

 allow a toothsome young duck or other small-sized 

 birds, which they can capture, to escape. 



Small mammals, slich as mice, shrews and moles are 

 also sometimes eaten by these scaled animal-catchers. 

 On the ocean, in salt water bays and large rivers, and 

 about the Great Lakes, numerous ducks, gulls, tern? 

 and other swimming birds are gobbled up by hungry 

 fishes. Sandpipers, the smaller herons and other birds 

 whieh Wilde about in shallow waters, are likewise often 



