| Show dutch care of birds the worthy dutchmen who settled on the banks of the hudson were more hospitable to birds than their descendants have shown themselves to be they not only let the birds alone but e encouraged them to build their nests about the houses these wise settlers knew that the birds would pay for their protection by feeding on the insects that swarm in in a new country each large dutch house had a portico floored like a room open at the sides with seats all around above a slight roof painted like an awning or a covering of lattice work over which a transplanted wild grapo vine spread its luxuriant leaves here hundreds of little birds domesticated occupying a small shelf built round the portico where they were as sacred as the household gods of the romans children and slaves were taught to regard them as the good genii of the family who were to be cherished but not disturbed in clearing the ground for a house a tree was always left in the middle midd lof of the backyard tor for the use of the birds the negro cs quick to imitate their masters used old hats to form asylums for their little feathered friends the tha deal fences were also utilized by tho the negroes to furnish homes for the birds on the stakes to which the deals were nailed were stuck the skeleton heads of horses and cattle the jaws being fixed in the poles so that tho the skulls should be uppermost in those days there were no pot hunters the small birds were so tame that when the family were breakfasting or drinking tea in the air portico a summer custom they constantly glided over the table with some insect to feed their young chirping above youth s companion |
