70 THE ooLocst 27(7/  \A/0 
er being fully as assiduous in supply- 
ing their demands as was his mate. 
On the fifth day their eyes opened and 
they began to grow and feather rapid- | 
ly, and when ten days old they left 
the nest. 
After the brood had flown I removed 
the nest. So firmly were the mater- 
ials matted together that it was with 
some difficulty that I separated. the 
two nests without damage to either. 
On some way the old birds or the 
young in the nest, had managed to 
break the Cowbird’s egg, but its size 
and shape and the position it occupied 
in the nest were all plainly indicated 
by the deep mould left in the under- 
side of the second nest. 
F. SEYMOUR HERSEY. 
bet eee 
Tennessee’s Shame! 
The following we clipped from a 
daily last winter. It tells a sickening 
tale. Do you wonder the birds are 
decreasing? 
SLAUGHTER OF ROBINS 
Thousands of Little Songsters Killed 
in Tennessée and Sold at Ten 
Cents Dozen. 
Louisville, Ky.—Robins are numer- 
ous at Lofton, Tenn., and are “selling 
readily on the local market at ten 
cents a dozen,’ according to a Mur- 
freesboro special. It should be ex- 
plained that the robins are not so 
numerous as they used to be for the 
fact that they sell for ten cents a 
dozen has induced many men and boys 
to engage in the wholesale slaughter 
of the birds. 
Thousands of robims, the special 
says, gather in the cedars to roost, and 
hunting parties go in the night and 
capture and kill them in large num- 
bers. One party caught 2,600 birds in 
one night. One hunter caught 3877 
birds in one tree. It is estimated that 
150,000 have been killed within the 
last three weeks. It is great sport— 
and the robins sell for ten cents a 
dozen. That is the way in which wild 
bird life is being protected in some 
parts of this great country. 
The robin is a beautiful and harm- 
less bird. He is an indefatigable de- 
stroyer of insect pests. Any one who 
has ever watched him an a lawn can 
testify to his industry in searching 
out bugs and worms and his capacity 
for putting them where they can do 
no harm. If there is a cherry tree 
handy he will visit it occasionally, but 
he much nrefers to forage after living 
things. He is a cheerful, happy bird 
and rather likes to make himself 
handy around the premises, rearing a 
family the while in the boughs of the 
old apple tree. He is not much of a 
singer so far as the quality of his 
music goes, but he is always willing 
to give you a sample of the best he 
ean do in that line, and the effect is 
not unpleasant to the human ear. In 
fact, the robin is an all round good 
fellow and is always ready to be 
friendly and serviceable if given half 
a chance. 
It is to be regretted that our neigh- 
bors in Tennessee are not giving the 
robin even half a chance, but are mur- 
dering him in cold blood. There real- 
ly seems to be no reason for it ex- 
cept that robins are worth ten cents 
a dozen. That also would seem to be 
about the proper market quotation for 
men who engage in such slaughter, 
either for pleasure or profit. 
<—+—__—___ 
The D. V. O. C. 
It is somewhat different to write 
fully of an organization such as the 
Delaware Valley Ornithological Club 
of Philadelphia. Therefore, I shall 
confine myself to a short article, con- 
taining the essentials of its concep- 
tion and life, for which I am indebted 
to Mr. Witmer Stone, who is perhaps 
in closer touch with the personal of 
our beloved clan than any other mem- 
ber. 
Organized February 3, 1890, by Wil- 
liam L, Bailey, George S. Morris, J. 
H. Reed, Samuel M. Rhoads, Charles 
A. Voelker, Dr. Spencer Trotter and 
Witmer Stone, the first meeting was 
held at the home of Mr. Bailey at 1624 
Arch St. Later they were held at 16 
N. 7th St., and finally through the 
efforts of Mr. Stone the club was 
granted the use of a room at the 
Academy of Natural Sciences; and 
March 3, 1891 is memorable as the 
first meeting held in the Academy” 
