KIDD'S JOURNAL. 



313 



shrubberies on the following morning. We 

 were indeed " up" with the lark. 



What a spell had been cast upon e very- 

 living, every drooping, — aye, and every 

 dying plant, in a single night ! What an 

 aroma of sweet odors floated upon the moist 

 air ! And how fondly did we gaze upon the 

 magical effects which we saw produced, almost 

 momentarily, by gently- distilling showers, as 

 each modest up-turned head received the 

 grateful, long-expected supply of renewed 

 life from the skies ! 



Then — what a change from the (apparently- 

 everlasting) keen, biting, killing blasts of the 

 north-east, to the warm, genial, refreshing 

 breezes from the south-west ! And how 

 eloquent the song of the nightingales, black- 

 caps, robins, and others of the feathered 

 tribe, b}^ comparison with their past efforts 

 to be joyous ! All Nature indeed, partici- 

 pated in the timely relief. Let us hence- 

 forward make up for what has been lacking 

 in our enjoyments abroad, by rising at peep 

 of day. The delay we have suffered will 

 only serve as a stimulus to our future ener- 

 gies and elasticity. 



No more rheumatic pains ; no more scia- 

 tica; no more attacks from bronchitis ; indeed 

 no bodily ailments whatever, must now be 

 even hinted at. The "cause" is removed: 

 it rests with ourselves to perfect a "cure." 

 To all who would be well and happy, we 

 repeat our universal remedy, — Give your 

 jj lungs free play in the sweet, open air ; dis- 

 card the town, and fly bodily to the country. 

 Oh, — 



It is delightful, 'midst the early dew 

 To be a wanderer! When the morning hours 

 Bear on their wings the perfume of all flowers ; 

 When from the green earth to the heavens blue 

 Ascends the song of birds. 



And no less pleasant is it in our daily 

 stroll, to watch the progress of each passing 

 day in new-created loveliness ; rejoicing, on 

 our return at eve, to hear- - 



The bills 

 Of the glad thrush and blackbird, far and free, 

 Shout forth the day's decline from tree to tree. 



May is just the very month for a pleasant, 

 meditative walk ; and no doubt many of our 

 readers understand what we mean by that 

 expression. We love to wander to some 

 lonely spot, where undisturbed we can 

 enjoy— 



A deep repose, a silent harmony 

 Of nature and of man — Where circling woods 

 Shut out all human eyes; and the gay orchard 

 Spreads its sweet world of blossoms, all unseen, 

 Save by the smiling sky. 



How often have we enjoyed such a treat 

 as this ! And how often have we thought, — 



This is the spot to live and die in ! 



The summer will not have passed ere this 



same thought will have oft recurred, but 



the harsh voice of the printer commands us 

 here to halt. 



W"e must not however part company, be- 

 fore promising our readers another interest- 

 ing Paper in our next, about 



CANARIES BREEDING IN THE OPEN AIR. 



We are about to pay our second promised 

 visit to Henry Wollaston, Esq., Welling, 

 Kent, where we well know a grand treat 

 awaits us. 



ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 



Nests of the Wild Duck. — I have just seen the 

 nest of a wild duck built in a pollard willow, 

 about eight feet above the water, on the bank 

 of the river Wiley. The nest contained ten 

 eggs. I am told these birds also build in 

 Grovely Wood, which is more than half a mile 

 distant from the river. Is this not a curious 

 fact ? — W. T. B., Fisherton Delamere, Wilts. 



Avadevats and Blackcaps. — Some weeks since, 

 you spoke of some avadevats building in an 

 aviary at Rugby. Will your Correspondent 

 kindly tell me, through your columns, what is the 

 material they use for their nest, and also what is 

 the proper food for the young, when hatched ? 

 Will you tell me too, please, when the blackcaps 

 go to nest? [They are beginning to build their 

 nests now; and if we ever have any warm 

 weather — then we may speedily look for young 

 birds of all kinds.] Of course you will soon be 

 writing about the blackcap.— M. R., Watford. 



German Paste. — I send you a receipt for 

 German paste, which I think a very good one. 

 [Singular enough, this receipt is worded so nearly 

 like the one we have already given (see p. 249), 

 that we have no hesitation in saying the former 

 and this are identical — both parties having gained 

 their information from one and the same source. 

 The only difference is, that in our former receipt, 

 we recommended blanched and bruised almonds 

 as a novelty, in addition. Our Correspondent 

 thus finishes his receipt, which, being an extra 

 element in the mixture, we here subjoin.] If 

 hempseed be thought essential, let it be the small 

 Russia hempseed. Give this whole, not bruised. 

 The birds will then escape those nasty, trouble- 

 some complaints, such as '' the husk," &c, 

 which invariably arise from eating the hull of 

 bruised hempseed; and which utterly destroy 

 the voices of many fine songsters. — W. C, 

 Chatham. 



[Our Correspondent's remarks about the hemp- 

 seed, arc deserving of marked attention. As he 

 says, many fine birds are ruined by having 

 bruised hempseed mixed with their food. We 

 have before said, those who do not make their 

 own paste, should use none but "Clifford's," 

 24, Great St. Andrew St., Holborn. Then will 

 their birds be always stout, hearty, and in 

 full song.] 



