Mr. Holmes, in his "Account of the United States of America," relates
that some of the birds of North America are remarkable for poisoning
their young; but this is only done if they are encaged or confined.
The _robin_ is one of the birds thus noticed. If the young be taken,
and placed in a cage where the parent birds can discover them, they
will attend upon and feed them for a season; but after the lapse of a
few days, or when the young are fledged, the old ones appear very
uneasy, and endeavour to discover some way by which they may escape.
If, however, they perceive that there is no hope of accomplishing
their purpose, they procure for them a sort of berry, which is an
infallible poison; _apparently disdaining the thought that their
offspring should be slaves_!

* * * * *


A CONNOISSEUR.


Vernet relates, that he was once employed to paint a landscape, with a
cave, and St. Jerome in it; he accordingly painted the landscape, with
St. Jerome at the entrance of the cave. When he delivered the picture,
the purchaser, who understood nothing of perspective, said, "the
landscape and the cave are well made, but St. Jerome is not _in_ the
cave."--"I understand you, sir," replied Vernet, "I will alter it." He
therefore took the painting, and made the shade darker, so that the
saint seemed to sit farther in. The gentleman took the painting; but
it again appeared to him that the saint was not in the cave. Vernet
then wiped out the figure, and gave it to the gentleman, who seemed
perfectly satisfied. Whenever he saw strangers to whom he showed the