24 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



1871 



Frogs Spitted on to Thorns. 



Last Spring, in a portion of our nursery grounds 

 where the grafted trees had been taken up and quite 

 a number of seedlings left standing for the time be- 

 ing, numerous little frogs about two inches in 

 length were discovered one day spitted upon the 

 thorns of the seedling trees, and also lodged in the 



sharp forks of small limbs. From the position in 

 which these frogs were found, as herewith illustrat- 

 ed, our solution of this most singular phenomenon 

 was, that they must have been showered down from 

 above. When first noticed they were in a most 

 perfect state of preservation, and are still. Curiosity 

 not long since prompted us to send a few specimens 

 to Mr. C. V. Riley, Missouri State Entomologist. 

 "We append Mr. R.'s explanation, but with all due 

 deference for his opinion, we beg leave to differ. 

 How could these creatures be taken up, and be so 

 nicely and thoroughly impaled upon the thorns of 

 the trees by the beak of any bird, with no other 

 signs of mutilation than shown by the perforation 

 of the thorns upon which they were lodged ? 



Mark Miller, Dear Sir : — Tlie young frogs 

 which you send and which you found impaled on 

 the thorns of an apple tree, did not attain this curi- ; 

 ous position by falling in a shower, as 3'ou suppose. ' 



They were undoubtedly placed there either by the 



White-rumped,aZ/as Great American Shrike {Lanius 

 excubitor,) or by the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius 

 Oar-oUrienms) and in all probability by the former of 

 the two species. 



These bold, rapacious birds are commonly called 

 Butcher Birds, and have long been known to have 

 the singular habit of impaling their prey not only 

 upon thorns, but upon sharp-pointed splinters of 

 wood and even upon iron spikes. They use either 

 bird, beast, reptile or insect for this purpose, and 

 not unfrequently manage to kill birds as large as 

 themselves. The enclosed hasty sketch which I 

 have made of the frogs sent, will give your readers a 

 good idea of the manner in which their victims are 

 impaled right through the body; but it is related of 

 the Lesser Butcher Bird of England (hmius eol- 

 Itirio,) that when it catches large beetles, such as the 

 "Cockchafers" or "Tumlile-dnngs," it impales them 

 through one or other of the hard slielly wing-covers, 

 so that the beetles may afterwards be found buzzing 

 round and round for hours, and not unfrequently 

 espape and are captured at large with a large hole 

 through one clyjron. It has been supposed that 

 this impaling process was carried on by the Butcher 

 Birds because their digestive organs were incapable 

 of dissolving fresh meat. But this supposition can 

 scarcely be the correct one, from the fact that they 

 frequently eat newly-killed animals ; and we must 

 conclude that it is because, like some other bipeds, 

 they prefer venison to fresh flesh. C. V. Rlj/EY. 



Study of Botany. 



Of the sciences that bear directly upon Agricul- 

 ture arid Horticulture, botany may be reckoned 

 among the first. The farmer is brought into closer 

 contact with nature than any other man, except the 

 professional student of nature. He dwells and 

 works in the midst of the great laboratory. 



A knowledge of botany, even if it does not go 

 beyond the names and properties of the plants, the 

 trees, tlie grasses and the flowers, which every- 

 where surround us in the country, adds an unspeak- 

 able charm to country life. Just as a traveler, who 

 is familiar by loug years of study witli the antiqui- 

 ties, the history, the literature of ancient, medieval 

 and modern Europe views any scene in any way 

 connected with the history of the past with infinite- 

 ly greater zest, becau.se he" is eapatjle of a fuller ap- 

 preciation than another who has no such advantage 

 — so a farmer, or auj' dweller in the country, who 

 has a Icuowledge of botany, has within "himself 

 greater capacities for a full appreciation of nature 

 than one who has not this advantage. 



But especially should the farmer study and make 

 himself familiar with the common plants of the 

 farm. This is not so formidable a ta.sk as many 

 seem to .suppose. The hardest part of it, for one 

 who has everything to learn, is to begin. A good 

 Ijeginning once made, the interest increases, intens- 

 ifies, becomes almost a passion, and the subsequent 

 iicquisitions bring with them their own reward. — 

 Sckcted. 



