1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



SHORT HORN, OR DURHAM HEIFZ3RS 



The Short Horned Cattle, under which denomi- 

 tion are included the HoMerness and Teeswater 

 breeds, have been supposed to have derived their 

 origin from a cross with some large bulls that were 

 imported a century ago, from Holland into York- 

 shire, and in the east and north parts of which 

 country the two latter breeds had been long es- 

 tablished and deservedly esteemed. 



The cattle are of a good size, and are beautiful- 

 ly mottled with red spots upon a white ground ; 

 their backs are level ; the throat clean ; the neck 

 fine, but not too thin, especially towards the shoul 

 der; the carcass full and round ; the quarters long ; 

 and the hips and rump even and wide. They 

 stand rather high on their legs, but this must be 

 carried to a very little extent ; they handle very 

 kindly, are light in their bone, in proportion to 

 their size, and have a very fine coat and mellow 

 hide. They paesess the valuable properties of fat- 

 tening kindly at an early age, and of yielding large 

 quantities of milk. 



There is considerable diversity of opinion as to 

 what breed of cattle is best for the yoke, the 

 shambles and for milk ; but we bs-lieve that who- 

 ever rears and feeds well the Short Horns, will 

 have no cause to complain of them for either of 

 the objects mentioned above. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND. 



THEIR PAST AND PREf>ENT HISTORY No. 8. 



BY S. P. FOWLER. 



The American Robin is found throughout the 

 whole of the North American continent. Itshab 

 its are so well known to every one, that no des- 

 cription is here necessary. The claim, which this 

 bird is supposed to have upon our protection, in 

 consequence of its feeding on insects, is, we fear, 

 not well founded. We have noticed some contro- 

 versy in our horticultural journals upon this point, 

 and are sorry to be compelled to take the unpopu- 

 lar side of this question, against the claims of the 

 robin, as a bird, iieeful to the farmer and horticul- 

 turist. The Redbreast is a thrush, feeding for the 

 es ; sometimes, and 

 perhaps from necessity, upon insects. We had 

 proceeded thus far in our communication, when a 

 female friend lookingover our shoulder, exclaimed, 

 you certainly do not intend to give the robin a 

 bad name, and publish it to the world, by send- 

 ing it to the editor of the Neiv England Farmer. 

 I replied, you would not have me exhibit the 

 character of the robin, to our fi^rmers and horti- 

 culturists, in a more favorable light than the truth 

 would warrant. You wrong me in supposing any 

 such thing. Wrong you, quoth our fair friend, 

 her sympathy for the good name of her favorite 

 bird, being now fully enlisted ; who has wronged 

 youl certainly, T have nt»t, it is you, that has 

 wronged the dear llobin-red-breast, that covered 

 with leaves t'le babes in the wood, and whose in- 

 nocence and social habits, have so long been sung 

 in pastoral poetry, and nursery rhymes. I had 



reason to expect, sir, something better of you, 

 than this, after all your assertions of love for our 

 birds. And as to robins not eating insects, you 

 certainly are mistaken, for I have noticed them 

 several times, the past summer, feeding theh" 

 young with worms. Ah ! my dear,~but the earth 

 worms, which you saw in the robins' mouths are 

 not insects, and I am sorry here to notice your 

 ignorance. And I am unwilling that your robins 

 should destroy them, as they are entirely harm- 

 less, and useful in pulverizing and preparing the 

 soil fur plants. And I am constrained to say, 

 that after many years' observation, I do not hesi- 

 tate to pronounce tlie robin as the greatest of all 

 pests to the cultivators of fruit, not even excepting 

 that personification of mischief to the horticul- 

 turist, the Cherry Bird. It begins by committing 

 its depredations on the first fruit ripe in the gar- 

 den, and continues to do so, until the last is gath- 

 ered. There are also many trees, shrubs and 

 plants, whose fine appearance in Autumn, depend- 

 ing principally upon their scarlet fruit, that are de- 

 prived of all their beauty ])y robins, in their eager 

 desire to obtain the berries as soon as ripe. There 

 is hardly anything in the shape of small fruits 

 or berries they refuse. We have seen them feed 

 upon the berries of the Buckthorn and Arum,noi>- 

 withstanding they were made to feel their drastic 

 powers. They also devour Poke-berries, until theii 

 very flesh is stained with their crimson juices. 

 The claim which the robin may be supposed feo 

 have on our sympathies, in consequence of its re- 

 lation to its English namesake, is, in our opinion, 

 rather slight. The English robin is smaller than 

 ours, and resembles it in nothing but its red breast. 

 It cannot, I think, be any nearer related to your 

 favorite bird, than fifth cousin. And now, al- 

 though truth has compelled us thus to speak of 

 the robin's Iiabits, we do not wish to be understood 

 as entertaining any murderous feelings towards 

 him, such for instance, as would, under any cir- 

 cumstances, however provoking, tempt us to shoot 

 him. No, nothing shall move us to harm "the 

 little bird wi^Ji bosom red," for notwithstanding 

 " all their faults, we love them still." We will 

 continue to cherish and protect them, for the 

 honest confidence they manifest toward us, for 

 their pleasant and vigorous note, on a bright and 

 beautiful spring morning, and for the interest and 

 beauty they impart, in common with other birds, 

 to the landscape and garden. We will protect 

 them, in fine, for the love we entertain for all birds; 

 the love of an ornithologist, so ardent and strong, 

 like that which prompted in view of death, the 

 author of the American Ornithology, Alexander 

 Wilson, to exclaim, " bury me where the birds 

 will sing over ray grave." The next bird, which 

 will claim our attention is the King-bird, who 

 stands at the head of the Fly-catcher tribe. His 

 habits are well known to every farmer, and he is 

 distinguished for his love for the honey bee, hnd 

 his fondness for seeking every opportunity to tease 

 a hawk or crow. This constant liabit of the king- 

 bird, in attacking birds of prey, and driving them 

 from the precints of the fiirm-yard, together with 

 his feeding upon insects, renders him of service to 

 the farmer, and more than counterbalances the 

 mischief he sometimes occasions, by his fondness 

 for honey bees. We cannot do better, in vindica- 

 tion of the character of the king-bird, than to 

 quote the language of Mr. Wilson, who says "the 



