The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-01-10
rFrOm the New York Observer. ]
The Migration of Birds

subject Of wonder and speculation in all
ages and all countries. Hear what
Jeremiah said Of it twenty-five centuries
ago: "Yea, the stork in the heavens
knoweth her appointed timesi and the
turtle, and the crane, and the swallow
observe the time of their comingi but
my people know not the judgment of
the Lord" (Jer. 8: ~
Yet after all that has been said and
written about it, how little do we really
know concerning it. On some bright
morning in the latter part of February,
we may go into the fields, and see on
every side, the first harbingers of fspring,
the blue bird and the robin The next
day there is storm, and every bird
disappears; not one is to be seen.
Where did they come from and
whittier did they goi
We sec focks Of pigeons fitting
across the sky, and know that they are
bound on their usual journey north
wardi every spring we notice the geese,
ducks and other waterfowl, flying over
head in their cnriously shaped hocks
but the smaller birds, the robins, the
blue birds, the sparrows, and all the
numerous train that yearly visit us, who
sees them come, who sees them depart3
To be sure we know they advance
northward with the opening spring, and
retreat souihward with the close Of
summer, but who will point to the
parallels that mark the limits of their
wanderings, or tell us the laws that
govern their eccentric Fight
The regularity which some birds of
passage observe in their coming is
worthy Of remark. For the last six
years, the black birds have made their
appearance in this vicinity precisely on
the 22d of February--Was ashington's
birthday. On that day, whether it be-
rain or shine, am always sure of see.
ing them for the first time in the year.
The pewee is also noticeable for the
promptness with which, year after year.
he makes his appearance on the same
day in the same localities. The cat
bird, the bobolink and the orioles are
other instances of this popularity, al
though they do not exhibit it in 80
marked degree.
Other birds again are very variable in
their movements Of these one of the
most remarkable is the snipe. This
bird is very uncertain in his migrations,
as every sportsman we'll knows some
years arriving 10 the early part of
March, and again tarrying until April
in some seasons scarcely staying with
us ct all, and again remaining from six
to eight weeks on the marshes. The
robin Is sometimes common during the
whole winter, and whenever there is a
warm spell, they are heard singing in
every field and orchards in other years,
without any apparent cause, they arc
not seen until the middle of March.
There are many others which have the
same eunaccountable peculiarities In their
migrations.
Another circumstance connected with
the migration of birds, which is in a
degree wrapped in mystery, is, how the
small birds, with their feeble wings,
manage TO traverse, twice year, the
hundreds o. miles which intervene be.
tween their northern and southern
limits. We may easily imagine how the
larger species, such as crows, hawks
and geese can take long and perilous
journeys, aided as they are by their
broad and powerful wings, but IL IL
difficult TO conceive how the smaller
classes manage to perform their long
and arduous highta Take for instance
the wren, whose huttering wings seem
scarcely able to support the weight Of
her tiny body, little though II be, how
can she endure the fatigue Of travelling
all the way to Georgia, where she will
pass the winteri Does she travel by
easy stages, from bush 10 bush, and
from woods to woods, or is there energy
and courage enough in that compact
Itde uVny W HOuub w tiio upper otlluh-
phere, and 80 achieve leagues at a pull I
Or, take the case Of the rail who mi-
CRATES still further south, and whose
fight is still ieebler than that Of the
wren and who, until the present cen.
tury, was supposed to bo incapable OF
migrating, but was thought to buuow
10 the mud at the approach Of winter,
and pass the cold season with mud.tur-
ties and bullfrogsi and our wonder is
increased.
The causes of the migration Of birds
are also 10 greater extent unknown TO
nB We say that they leave Us In the
autumn TO escape The winter, and that
they come 10 as In the spring for the
purpose of Fearing their young or else
that they aFe compelled TO migrate 10
search of food. No doubt these are
some Of the causes, but yet there are
others of which We know nothing
WHY does the purple martin leave MS In
the middle of August when other swal-
n 4 II ! ~