HENRY HALES. 169 
Of all animated nature no animals show such lovable char- 
acters as birds, to say nothing of their beautiful plumages, 
delicate forms, and exquisite songs. Their affection and 
trustfulness to man is to any lover of nature simply mar- 
velous. Whoever has travelled through places where the 
gun does not shock the ear, or the savage cat does not stalk 
stealthily about, may see the astonishing confidence birds 
have in man. It is not uncommon on our Western plains to 
see a flock of Red-shouldered Blackbirds (Ageleus pheniceus) 
come boldly into the outbuildings and even into the houses, 
and make themselves quite at home; or in the South, to 
have the sprightly Catbird (Gadeoscoptes carolinensis) come 
into every corner of the kitchen. Many of our northern 
birds yearn to be noticed and loved, and are only repelled 
by our indifference and coldness. 
This is not the place for many illustrations that have fallen 
under my notice, but the world is full of incidents of the af- 
fection of birds for man. Alas! to be so little realized. To 
creatures that show so much affection, what a cruel thing it 
is to repel or betray that confidence! Of all heart-rending 
proceedings that have disgraced a civilized people the worst 
is.the wearing of the bodies or plumages of birds, whether 
song-birds or other harmless ones, as ornaments to gar- 
ments. The destruction of the colony of Terns on Gull 
Island, off Guilford, Connecticut, described by an eye-wit- 
ness a few years ago, is a specimen of the cruelty of those 
engaged in that business. Some men went on the island 
while the birds were breeding there, and commenced firing at 
them; all those that were not hurt came circling around in 
sympathy at the cries of the wounded ones; these in turn 
were killed, their bleeding forms were carried to the shore in 
wheelbarrows, and the young left to perish in their desolated 
nests. 
It is so well known how thousands upon thousands of our 
sweet songsters are sacrificed to the Moloch of fashion, 
that I need not here detail it. The Audubon Society 
