90 



KIDD'S OWN JOUENAL. 



This would seem to be cause sufficient to 

 drive out the inmates ; but no — 



The mercury must rise still higher; 

 And not till London seems on fire 



will some of its worshippers ever seek to 

 occupy " a spare bed room " at a friend's 

 country-house, — although it might be had for 

 the asking ! 



Our Correspondence is now becoming 

 so very extensive, that we must entreat our 

 kind readers, — new subscribers in particular, 

 carefully to peruse the contents of our First 

 Volume, and not to keep on repeating the 

 same kind of inquiries as have before been 

 sent us, and which have been already an- 

 swered. We have prepared a copious 

 Index, which will be found a very great as- 

 sistance in this matter. Our space is so 

 valuable, that we sorely grudge the slightest 

 unnecessary repetition. Indeed, it is unfair 

 to those of our correspondents whose favors 

 are standing over from week to week. Our 

 patience is not tired ; neither are we uncour- 

 teous. We simply speak ex necessitate 

 rerum — from the exigency of circumstances. 

 Do what we will, we shall always be, to a 

 certain extent, in arrears. We show no favor, 

 but attend to all in turn ; and when of im- 

 portance, we reply (on receiving a postage 

 stamp) by post. This last consideration is 

 very often omitted ; but we must enforce its 

 observance. We never ourselves write on 

 our OWN business without such an act of 

 common honesty. Verbum sat. 



With respect to contributions, — herein we 

 are called upon to exercise sound judgment 

 and a nice discretion. To Jill a Paper, is a 

 matter of no difficulty ; but to fill it properly, 

 requires good taste. Every eye is upon us ; 

 and friendly feelings must never be allowed 

 to interfere with the public good. Many 

 favors sent us possess considerable merit ; — 

 still they are not suited to the nature and 

 objects of our Journal, and for that reason 

 alone is it that they are not inserted. This 

 avowal made, we look for a ready " abso- 

 lution " from a multitude of quarters. 



OEIGINAL COHEESPONDENCE. 



Grey Parrots, and their Eggs, $*c. — A friend of 

 mine, Mr. Editor, is in possession of a fine grey 

 parrot. She has been kept in confinement for 

 twelve years. Within the last fortnight, she has 

 laid two eggs. Never having laid any before, 

 since her twelve years' imprisonment in England, 

 I wish to know if you can tell me her probable 

 age? also, at what age they commence laying? 

 The bird is in perfect health, and talks well. 

 Let me here thank you most sincerely, on my 

 own account, and on account of the public 

 generally, for the very interesting and valuable 



Journal you have provided for our use. By 

 following your advice, I have one of the finest 

 wood larks that was ever bred. He is wild in- 

 deed, but his song is unceasing, and surpassingly 

 beautiful. — Samuel A. 



[We imagine your parrot's age to be about 

 thirty. You may expect yet other two eggs. 

 This is the age when first they begin to lay. We 

 have had the egg of a grey parrot sent us this 

 week. It was laid by a most beautiful creature, 

 in her forty-fifth year. The eggs, of course, are 

 unfruitful; but they indicate that the birds are 

 well and happy. Never mind your wood lark 

 being wild. These birds sing the best.] 



On the " Policy " involved in the Destruction of 

 Blackbirds, Thrushes, and other Birds. — Dear 

 Mr. Editor, — I have long and earnestly wished to 

 join my feeble voice to those of your more elo- 

 quent, logical contributors, in favor of these inno- 

 cent and joyous creatures. But in your own 

 Journal, I think everything should be stated 

 with undeniable exactitude — either original, or 

 from authorities not generally accessible. I can 

 now speak from my own observation. Last year 

 we had some strong plants of Funchia Japonica 

 in the open ground. Although they rarely bloom 

 early enough to arrive at perfection, ere the frost, 

 their handsome foliage is always interesting. 

 They were utterly spoiled as to beauty, nothing 

 being ultimately left but the ribs of the leaves. 

 Locusts could scarcely have been more destruc- 

 tive, — but, the destruction was limited to the 

 Funchias. There has always been shooting going 

 on in the neighborhood ; but last autumn, win- 

 ter, spring especially, up to the present time, 

 (there they are at this moment!) — guns have been 

 in constant activity. Traps also are resorted to 

 for their capture. The Funchias are attacked as 

 last year, and everything else with them ! Some 

 plants are utterly destroyed ; all are more or less 

 disfigured, and the bloom retarded. Snails, with 

 shells and without, may be collected by haudsfull 

 in all parts of the garden. Knowing how many 

 my bird will eat in a day, I can judge how many 

 the wild ones, if unmolested, would have de- 

 stroyed ; and I only hope the gunners have gar- 

 dens, in which I heartily wish them a never-fail- 

 ing and abundant crop of snails, caterpillars, 

 earwigs, &c. [We join in this wish.] I am no 

 entomologist, but I ask your patience, while 

 faithfully describing the insects about which I 

 want you to tell me something. Digging last 

 autumn, to prepare the border for spring bulbs, 

 the spade turned out a very beautiful caterpillar 

 (I have an aversion for insects generally, butT 

 never deny the presence of beauty where it exists). 

 This caterpillar was smooth, not quite the length, 

 and of about the thickness of my little finger 

 (which is long and effHi.) It was of the loveliest 

 shade of apple-green, and marked with oblique 

 lines, each composed of two, differing in colors. 

 One was a clear, delicate lilac; the other was 

 white. On the hinder extremity was a horn-like 

 appendage. I think a. line of small black dots 

 was perceptible along the sides. Could there be 

 a more exquisite harmony of color ? To this 

 creature, from its size, and my ignorance of its 

 nature, I immediately (a necessary conse- 

 quence of ignorance) assigned the damage done, 



