Bellefonte, Pa., June 2, 1916. SN A \ : DZ [ZINN TUS Ale RIE Nn INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THEM YY SUPPLIED BY THE BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL (SURVEY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPART- | MENT OF AGRICULTURE = Length, ten inches. Range: Breeds in the United States (except the gulf states), Canada, Alaska and Mexico; winters in most of the United States and south to Guatemala. Habits and economic status: In the North and some parts of the West the robin is among the most cherished of our native birds. Should it ever be- come rare where now common, its joyous summer song and familiar presence will be sadly missed in many a homestead. The robin is an omnivor- ous feeder, and its food includes many orders of insects, with no very pro- nounced preference for any. It is very fond of earthworms, but its real eco- nomic status is determined by the vegetable food, which amounts to about 58 per cent of all. The prin- cipal item is fruit, which forms more than 51 per cent of the total food. The fact that in the examination of over 1,200 stomachs the percentage of wild fruit was found to be five times that of the cultivated varieties suggests that berry-bearing shrubs, if planted near the orchard, will serve to protect more valuable fruits. In California in certain years it has been possible to save the olive crop from hungry robins only by the most strenu- ous exertions and considerable ex- pense. The bird’s general usefulness is such, however, that all reasonable means of protecting orchard fruit should be tried before killing the birds. RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo borealis) Length, about two feet. targest hawks; adults with tail red dish brown. Range: Breeds in the United States, One of our Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada and Alaska; winters generally in the Unit ed States and south to Guatemala. Habits and economic status: The red-tailed hawk, or “hen-hawk,” as it is commonly called, is one of the best known of all our birds of prey, and is a widely distributed species of great economic importance. Its habit of sit- ting on some prominent limb or pole in the open, or flying with measured wing beat over prairies and sparsely wooded areas on the lookout for its favorite prey, causes it to be noticed by the most indifferent observer. Al- though not as omnivorous as the red: shouldered hawk, it feeds on a variety of food, as small mammals, snakes, frogs, insects, birds, crawfish, centi pedes, and ewen carrion. In regions ‘where rattlesnakes abound it destroys considerable numbers of the reptiles. Although it feeds to a certain extent on poultry and birds, it is neverthelesa entitled to general protection on ac. count of the insistent warfare it wages against field mice and other small ro dents and insects that are so destruc- tive to young orchards, nursery stock, and farm produce. Out of 530 stom- achs examined, 457, or 85 per cent, contained the remains of mammals, pests such as field mice, pine mice, rabbits, several species of ground squirrels, pocket gophers, and cotton rats, and only 62 contained the re. mains of poultry or game birds. BROWN THRASHER (Toxostoma rufum) Length, about eleven inches. Brown: ish red above, heavily streaked with black below. Range: Breeds from the gulf states to southern Canada and west to Col- orado, Wyoming and Montana; win- ters in the southern half of the east: ern United States. Habits and economic status: The brown thrasher is more retiring than either the mocking bird or catbird, but like them is a splendid singer. Not infrequently, inc-ed, its song is taken for that of its more famed cou- sin, the mocking bird. It is partial to thickets and gets much of its food from the ground. Its search for this is usually accompani»d by much scratching and scattering of leaves; whence its common name. Its call note is a sharp sound like the smac'c ing of lips, which is useful in identify ing this long-tailed, thicket-haunting bird, which does not much relish close scrutiny. The brown thrasher is not so fond of fruit as the catbird and mocker, but devours a much larger percentage of animal food. Beetles form one-half of the animal food, grasshoppers and crickets one-fifth, caterpillars, including cutworms, some: what less than one-fifth, and bugs. spiders, and millipeds comprise most of the remainder. The brown thrash- er feeds on such coleopterous pests a8 wireworms, May beetles, rice weevils, rose beetles, and figeaters. By its destruction of these and other in- sects, which constitute more than 60 per cent of its food, the thrasher much more than compensates for that por tion (about one-tenth) of its diet de rived from cultivated crops. SCREECH OWL (Otus asio) Length, about eight inches. Our smallest owl with ear tufts. There are two distinct phases of plumage, one grayish and the other bright rufous. Range: Resident throughout the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Habits and economic status: The little screech owl inhabits orchards, groves, and thickets, and hunts for its prey in such places as well as along hedgerows and in the open. During warm spells in winter it forages quite extensively and stores up in some hol- low tree considerable quantities of food for use during inclement weather, Such larders frequently contain enough mice or other prey to bridge over a period of a week or more. With the excepticn of the burrowing owl it is probably the most insectivor- ous of the nocturnal birds of prey. It feeds also upon small mammals, birds, reptiles, batrachians, fish, spid- ers, crawfish, scorpions, and earth- worms. Grasshoppers, crickets, ground- dwelling beetles, and caterpillars are its favorites among insects, as are field mice among mammals and spar- rows among birds. Out of 324 stom: achs examined, 169 were found to con- tain insects; 142, small mammals; 56, birds, and 15, crawfish. The screech owl should be encouraged to stay near barns and outhouses, as it will keep in check house mice and wood mice, ¢ which frequent such places. At Close Quarters With a Rhinoceros. | It is years since I first shot one of these survivals from prehistoric times, says a writer in the “Field,” but even now, when I gaze at his horn as it boldly protrudes from the wall of my den, the thrill comes back al- most as vividly as when I first caught sight of his slate gray bulk against a pale background of short grass. It was our third day on the plains when my gunbearer pointed out a rhinoceros about 105 yards distant. He was apparently fast asleep. I studied the surroundings carefully, and selecting a small bush for my fi- nal cover, began to stalk him from behind. Moving slowly and cautiously, I reached the bush, which was fifty yards from the sleeping animal, quite easily. Then I moved out a few yards to get a clear shot, sat down, aimed where the neck joined the shoulder, and fired. I pulled down, and only hit him in the leg. Off he went—away from me, I am glad to say—at astonishing speed. 1 fired again; but my shot only made him run the faster, and he disappear- ed over a gentle undulation. I follow- ed him up, and was able to give him another bullet. He lay in some rath- er long grass, and was so quiet that| I concluded he was dying. I came nearer, down the wind, and and after looking through the glasses, rade up my mind that he was stone cead. Then I saw an ear twitch. 2/evertheless, I believed that he was as good as done for; but it was well to be cautious, and I crawled on my stomach to within thirty yards of him. T could distinctly see his wicked little eyes. He was lying with his nose down, knees bent under him, and every vulnerable part protected by his horn. There we lay, each waiting for the other to make the first move. He could not smell or see me; but he knew there was something wrong, and only wanted a sign to get the direc- tion for his charge. After five nervous minutes of this suspense, there came an accidental cough from my gunbearer. With sur- prising quickness, the huge pachy- durm rose and charged like a streak of lightning. As I had a single-barrel gun, I knew that if I did not stop him with the first bullet, he would have me; but I held my gun straight, and as he came, I shot him through the chest right into the heart. I leaped up as I fired, and the enormous beast crumpled at my feet, and squealed like a shot hare. He was a very old brute; his horn was much worn, and his flanks were badly scarred from fighting. I have been in more than one tight corner, but I shall never forget the five minutes I lay and watched that wounded rhino. Where Your Penknife Came From. Hundreds of thousands of pen- knives come across the ocean to us ecery year from the Sheffield factor- ies in England. For three hundred years Sheffieid has been making tools and knives of the best possible sort, and the materials from which the knives are made are gathered togeth- ship disappear. Where there’s a Perfection there's no Housework NEED NOT be hard work These days there is no need of a woman ruining her health and her temper standing over a range in a kitchen that’s little short of an inferno. No, indeed, when for a very few dol- lars, her dealer can sell her a New Perfection Qil Cook Stove. a Perfection cooking becomes inter- esting —a pleasure. notony, the drudgery and the hard- For with All the mo- tiresome waiting for the oven to get right For just before the batter 1s mixed, light the burner that heats the oven; in almost a jiffy the oven will be ready —ready to bake a cake that will do anyone for cake-baking. proud. In place of paper, wood and coal, a THE ATLANTIC REFINING CO. Perfection burns the cheapest of fuels — kerosene, Because of a Perfection with its fire- less cooker, its separate oven, its im- proved long-lasting wick, your work will be lighter, your cooking better. Be careful of your kerosene. Atlantic Rayolight Oil. anc very little of that. Get For there is as much difference between kero- senes as there is between milks. Just as one milk is rich in cream and another is watery, so some kero- “New PERFECTION Oil Stove senes will sputter, spurt and smoke, but Rayolight burns down to the last drop without smoke or smell, but with an in- tense and a cheap heat. So ask for Atlantic Rayolight Oil by name. At all dealers who display this sign: Philadelphia Pittsburgh er from many widely different parts of the world. Handles are made of ivory from elephants of Africa, or it may be from the rough horn of a tropical oyster or possibly the bony covering of an unwieldy tortoise from some of the almost unknown wilds of South America. Some of the bone handles ‘may have come from our own domes- tic cattle, and vegetable ivory from the tropical South American palm tree may have formed others. Where- ever they have grown, these knife handles have come from a far-distant place, and each could tell a strange and wonderful story. The other parts of the knife have also traveled a great many miles to get here. The iron from mines of Sweden; the nickle trimmings were shipped across the ocean from Cana- da. The silver that may adorn the handle is perhaps a product of the rich mines high up among the Peru- vian Andes, in South America, and has been brought down in sacks on the backs of those strange creatures called llamas, and sent on a long sea voyage around the coast and across the ocean. A pocket knife is really a wonderful thing, when one comes to consider all that has gone into its making.—Apples of Gold. ——1It is not by a man’s purse, but by his character, that he is rich or poor. FINE GROCERIES Fancy Wisconsin Cheese, with mild flavor. 1 of Cheese it should retail at 28c to 30c per pound but we still hold our price It’s a fine bargain at this price. down to 25 cents. We have made no advance on Canned Corn, Peas and Stringless Beans. At our present prices they are as good value as any food product on the market. Turnips, Sweet Potatoes and Cabbage. sold by the quart and gallon. California Naval Oranges—seedless. We have the Genuine New Orleans Bush House Block, - - Our White potatoes are good size and fine quality Also Parsnips, Onions, If you are not pleased with Syrup in tin cans and pails try our fine goods We have a pure Sugar and a fine grade of Compound goods at 50c and 60c per gallon. Sure to please you. this season, but we have fancy fruit at 30c, 40c, 50c and extra large at 60c. Have just received some very fancy New Mackerel. heavy body to sell by the quart or gallon. It will please you. Evaporated Peaches, Pears, Apricots, prices. Come to the store that has the goods you want. If you are not using our Vinegar, just try it and see the difference. SECHLER & COMPANY, 871». At the present market value The smaller sizes are all gone for Try them. Molasses—new crop, light colored, Prunes and Raisins, all at reasonable Bellefonte, Pa. | Don’t Carry About a Great Roll of Money! If you have made a few hundred dollars in a business deal or a lucky speculation DEPOSIT THEM IN A BANK AT ONCE. The possession of a large amount of currency is a temptation to spend, You Will Not Be So Ready to Draw a Check as You Will to Spend the Ready Cash THE CENTRE COUNTY BANK, BELLEFONTE PA. Shoes. Men's Fist Shoes. {ually Boots = $4.75 Fishing Season is at Hand and we are selling the U. 8. brand of RED GUM BOOTS at $4.50 per pair. These boots are worth $6.00. You had better pur- chase a pair at this price. PLEASE REMEMBER we are the only store in Bellefonte selling Shoes, that gives the Sperry & Hutchinson Co. Green Trading Stamps. H. C. YEAGER, THE SHOE MAN, Bush Arcade Bldg, 58-27 BELLEFONTE, PA.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers