Our Common Birds

Tlio following is from a reoent report of the Committee on Ornithology of the Western New York Horticultural Society, written by Mr. Charles A. Green, the chairman: The iiioneer, the farmer, the fruit grower, engrossed in his pursuit has oi'tên been unconscious of the music of the warblers, and of their good I work. Ask him how many species there are about his farm, and he may recall only three or four, whereas the ornithologist might ünd as many hundreds. Ask Mm the uames of the birds surrounding him in his toil, and he cannot instruct you or inform you whether thev are residents or ing, helpful or deatructive, but more often cousideis them enemies, not thinking they have other food than the grain of fruit they chance to accept for a change of diet, Excepting the English sparrow and the hawk, I am tempted to classify all birds as helpful. Mischievous some of them are at times, and we are vexed with their pranks. Sa are our children, and ar9 we not at times vexed with them? I have a red squirrel which viaits my house every few noura in searcu or aome fresh plunder, coming nearly to the door to carry off nuts the children have gathered. He is neither polite nor modest, and it costs aomething to maintain him and nis frienda, but I could not be tempted to part with him. He has become part of the homestead, and bis merry chipping drives away the dyspepsia and the blues. IIow much more a part of our homes, lields, gardena and woods are the happy songsters aud their industrious f riends, who do so much to enchant the lover of rural Ufe! Some of you pride your&elvea on your travels ; you have stepped f rom car to steamship, folded your arais, dined, smoked, slumbered, and were dropped ou a foreign shore with as little ceremony as a package of pippins. Well.yonder humming bird, no larger than a peanut, sipping your flowers unnoticed, with bram tne size of a grape seed. makes the journey annually from the Amazon, in South America, to as far north as Hudson's Bay. No compass diseets his course, no engine propels him, no pilot guides the way; following rivera and mountaiD ranges, guided by vast forests or broad lakes, he drives ahead with the freedom and speed of a railway locomotive. The hurnining bird is not endowed with greater faculties than many of those that frequent our orchards. ïhey are as aclass cheerfu!, keen, wide-awake, full of business, ready for war when impo&ed upon, living in peace and plenty when let alone; up early, to bed early, and unanimous in opinions of politics and matriinonv. The birds most helpful to man are those that delight to abide near him. I was surprised on going into the woods of the Adirondack niountaius to find only a few species of birds. The farther I went the fewer they became, until, when in the midst of the ness the bluejay, grouse and loon were comparatively alone in their glory. Even the crows were honiesiek there, and hied away to delude the boy hunter and to luxuriate in the worms, reptiles and decayed norse llesh of ciyiliaatlon. Thus it would seem that birds are designed for our companions- and let us believe for our welfare and happiness. As an indication of the intelligence of birds I will mention the ruffed grouse (partridge) that shrieks and iiutters to lead you from her little ones. I almost stepped on a mother partridge last season, and knowing that she had a brood about her I dared not step, but looked caref ully around. Nothing could be seen but leaves. Af ter some moments I saw a young partridge lying six inches from my toes. 1 picked it up; it screeched, and the mother flew in my face with the abandon of a domestic f owl ; wheu she becanie quiet I found others nestling on th" leaves. I was tempted to take them home to the children, but thoughts of the bravery of the mother, and her sorrowing, made me relent. Reclining ou my hand limp and motionless, I placed them on the earth. 'As soon as they found themselves tree, tbey sped away like a flash, to be seen no more, until the hunter, with corduroy suit, breech-loader and pointer, comes fiom the city with his annual complaint, of the destruction of game birds by farmers' boys. To IUise thb Pile oí} Vlveï.- When the pile ia pressed down, cover a hot smoothiüg-iron with a wet cloth, and hold the velvet firmly over it; the vapor arising will raise the pile of vel vet with the assistance of a light whisk or clothes-brush. Tomato Catsup. - The Journal f Commerce gives the following directions as having been in use in tbe editor's familj for üfty years- which is going back to quite an early peiiod in the general introduction of the tomato for culinary purposes: