BLUE-HEADED VIREO
(Vireo solitarius.)
⅗ Life-size.
FROM COL. CHI. ACAD. SCIENCES.
BOOK AND MRS. OYSTER
At the death of his dear mother little Willis went from his western farm home to stay for a few years with his Aunt Jennie in an eastern seaport town.
One day she had oysters in the shell for dinner. As his parents had wisely tried to keep his eyes and ears keen in regard to common things, he was full of questions.
His aunt told him that the next time she bought live oysters she would give him some to watch and study. Only a few weeks later she was expecting company to dinner and had a chance to keep her word.
“Fill this with water,” said she, giving him a plain glass fruit dish, “and put your oyster in it.”
“But,” said Willis, “oysters live in sea water, which is salty.”
“Yes; they do live in sea water. In order to grow and thrive they must have vegetable and mineral substances found in sea water. But they can live in fresh water. Oystermen make a practice of moving them from their banks to spots near the mouth of a river where the water is not nearly so salty or even quite fresh. Here they get washed out and freshened. They look plumper and some of the strong, salty taste being taken away, they have a more delicate flavor. All the largest oysters in the market are fattened in that way.”
Willis did as directed.