Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-28
I Tern's-P2. on per pear
I Single tofics. 5 Cents


hiding as best thc7 may. among the
Shcltering thickcts in January and
February ry-maintaining a precafioGs
and doubtless a suffer NJ existence by
eating the celar-herries. tt ese uus
happy strA=glers left behind to endure
the rig0rs of northern winter, dio
not heed the tradition ~ warning
which is preserved hy the older birds,
AMI handed down FROM generation ts
geneTltiou.
Such is our observe theory and
we fud snmeth m that doe -, ! OK
like support Of it, IN the coaIuct Of the
swallows We have often watched IN
the country. tlicse similar and most
grace nj birds, when. about the first
He1h IN Septe.n6er. taey are gathered
II crowds Of hundreds on hundreds;
completely covering the fenee-tops for
/ m distances. Hulllad close topetEI-
or, they pres ant curious sight aud
the en;lr' or W Of sitting and station
&ry birds are plainly enough the young
swallows Along the entire line the
older birds are flying eagerly. closely
approaching the younger crowd and
twittering vociterously. This specta-
Gle is best exhibited at the sea ahofe.
Alang the o"t rmost fences of the
firms bord N Long Islanl Sound
these clos, II packed congregations Cf
young swallows are often astonishing
in their numhers. The time is COM
'aonly about the first Of September.
The Iesson-if il is a lesson--is re-
p3ated dly after day, the old birds
seeming TO De very earnest and shxious
about l.
! However this part Of our friends
theory may be regarded, proofs Of the
! :Aet that migration Of birI is perform
ed in the night chiefly, is sufficiently
abnn liant, we shink, to settle that
point.
The wild gocsa-whose advanced
! jsInldrons are already passing north
ward cvet onnecticat--maintain their
iolg flight alike in the darkness and
the daylight. So. possibly, the other,
smaller birds. AMI these may escape
observation because of their smallness
That Jhey do, however, fly in the
night is abuniently proved by the rev.
elations Of the astronomers telescopes,
aS we'll as the slaughter occasioned by
the birds dsshing heeIlessly against
the lanterns Of the l,glt houses on the
coast.
Astronomer Mitchell (now d6caased)
speaks Of seeihg birds cross the field
Of his glass. when this was directed to
me moon, i'll the dead hour of the
night. We nave con .ersel with other
Astronom rs who affirm that in Septems
/ ber aud October, Judging from the
unn3er which cross the field Of their
! telescopes, the whole air scents TO be
literslIy filed with birTs flying SOUTH
ward at night and again in A April the
same phenomena feappelrS, the only
! diT-r1nce being that the direction of
! night is reversed. The lighthouses
bear the same testimony. Mrs Thax-
ter, IN h-r Cd ming book Of life Oh
the Isles O. SlotIs. says:
/ 'Jo.l 1CitbS5 III du"uilH. always III
spring, Wen birds are migrating, they
are Destroyed in sacl Quantities by
this means that it is painfIl to reflect
upon. TIE keeper at the island three
years ago t1ll me that he picked up
t"ree hundred an | seventy-fge in one
Il oruin- at tie f.Ut Of the ii ght house.
all d. l. They fly with such force
rainst the glass that their beaks are
often sp!imterel, The keeper said he
fJund the destruction .reater in hazY
weather; All he thought they struck
ray a a great ,i,tarce and followed it
~ Many Nav NOR ,ing I have
wandsrGi about the rock at the foot Of
the to3sT, mourni6c over little apron
/ br.mfull Of sparrow,. swallows, thrush
e, robins; fire nsed bilckbirds.
nllnv colorel warblers, ana fy-catch.
ers, beautifully clothed yellow birds,
h'C aaVCaer7' cat D'r1S' even Che pur-
PIE hlcH am scarlet IAha9ef ana gold
en- OrlOIe, an / mahy more besides
e1oioh to break the heart Of a small