Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1832-08-23
From Tho CiHcinndti Cir0aitts
COMBAT WITH A BIRD

Il From tho Cincinnati Cn0ni6ie
I NOVEL COMBAT WITH A BIRD
! BY friend residing IN Tennessee, We hly
bseu politely favored with the following account 0
fierce and extraordinary contest, between a ma
and . bird, winch Occurred the banks Of th'
Hatchee, no. tar distant from Bohgar-rhe gsn
tleman 10 whom we are ndebled for dis narrative
Is one Of uninpeuehablc yeraclty 1t IS. perhaps
considering The character Of the cogbltant d.
unique AID bloody battle, can be i9und Ga -
| cord
About three months since a farmer lvng tbuf
81 fise taiie5 up the lialehcc Was searching on tin
lotion land Of thai rivsr ior sfayed cattle, when h,
observed something Of unusual appearance paas
I through tho tbicee;, which he pursued, I'D soon
discovered to be large bird The bird attempted
10 rise, but lis WINS becoming impeded by tte
bushes cane IL hal chance 10 got Oh that way
and finding Itself gained upon, BY Is iufsuer Il
tuned upon HIM Somewhat surprised ny this un=
expected attack, he started 10 run from t--iap and
tell tle bird dashed al Inn. Wi1h Wings heak and
claws and the found II necessary 10 .irn ini-
| fnedately on his face but finding himself .orciy
anHoyedby hls antagonist and Als @uit, b!le con-
rg out Of The haii "a shoe knife, he ssrliabled mp
and ran. Tho brd pursued but y'Dn distance.
stopping al his hat, (Which had fallen o. IN the
1lsht,) on winch he commenced furious attach .
aitef whieh Ia returned toward lha water a man
of more than SIX feet higlr anI weighing about Io0
lbs, 10 ba beaten b. a bird i-ihi, would NOT do
10 tell The blade Of tie laule vas searched for,
found aud fitted to the handle aud twp stick tgf,
orc with a { *, To YOKE the eneuys neck 10 Ais
, advance tho othel tostfike him with Ibc bird
was soon found, and nothing 10th, returned T. the
combat The onset Of lbc loothorod bjpgd va 50
severe and sudden that the iorted stick missed his
hecl, and only a sudden ysoFenent oftha heddpso
bably saved an eye Of the uau from the bill Vi he
bird
The struggle now became most violent, for the
man had seized the bird by the neck, while he lord
dealt him such blows with h5 wlngs aHd 50 tore
him With his claws, that very coarse shirt Wis
Torn oil his back. Al last tho bro vas sraaged,
and lay apparently llPiess at th1 feel Of the CON
qaeror While however. he was taking breath and
resting after his iod, his lttthefod eneiny fell uncK
peetody again upon Ism hastng now revived :
another struggle ensoed-tke cup de rel WIS re
sorted 10 IA second limr with success and the bird
benz again stfanglcd hi5 ADVERSARY gadged MS
ertqdP5pc lutwo, having lost his slf- and being
completely tired ofhs Contest.
" This Is IN Interesting fact 10 orntholo.Iss
and The curious generally The bird was purely
"a baneh Of feathers ps,r the ronp bill 9 ~ 10
inches long-esht feet hish-wI0ss9 feet from
tip 10 tp--Iee5 aud Get resembling turkey $, bat
stoat-larse knees and tbiehs-lts cry very harsh
resembling as my informant says that OF a lach-
ass he declares, lis bragthg wa right irigl4tl."
i have coayersed v ia soseral persons VINO saW
the bird after twas dead ono Of whom has thought
me several feather (Which are wnl'c ana beuu,i-
iul,) and promised ne d wing both cf which have
been preserved bat the body unfortunately, wus
left for the hogs to destroy. The body aud face Of
the man were examined two months after the b2tiic
by respectable physician otths place, and be as-
oerts TINT the wounds strongly corroa )rated the Sta
ry have doubt OF the facts The bird was
undoubtedly the Whooping Crane.
Bolivar, Ten July sth, 1882
Upon turning 10 the article Crane (Grus.) IN the
Encyclopedia Americana, We find the following
notice Of the Whoopng Crane (Gros America
na) -
" The G. Americana derives their trivial appel.
latlon from their loud, piercing cry, which may be
heard at the distance ottwo miles. II wounded
they attack the sporsmen or his dog with great spl
rit, ond are sad 10 have occasionally driven Their
long pointed bill through the hand ola man. Wi
son states that during winter they frequently
seen IN the low grounds and rice plantations Of Tie
Southern States, seeking or Grain and insects. lie
met with them on the lgth If February near Va
canaan river, in South Carolina and saw another
flock near Louisville, Ky, about the Goth OF March
They sometimes rise spirtlly In the air, TO a vasl
height their mingled screams resembling IA full
pack Of hounds even when they arc almost out of
slehf. Ihey are distinguished from other cranes
By tho comparative. badness Of their heads and by
tho broa3 0as l.ama@e projecting over the tail
Ihe.t general ro!our is pufe while