The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-03
Our 0liu.


OAAA2 ~ " AAbSAs
"IIOw do the birds manage at night and
in tempestuous weather p is a question
often asked me- Time was when it was
believed that many of them liberated
especially the swallows-burrying them
selves in the mud like frogs, or curling up
in holes in rocks like the bats; aud the
common phenomenon Of the appearance of
few summer birds during "warm spells"
in winter was assumed to prove that they
had been torpid, but had been walked up
by the genial warmth, as bats, often are
1t was not three months ago that | saw
in an English newspaper u letter from a
man who claimed to have found a hedge
sparrow q think) torpid somewhere in the
mud, But the search for proofs of this
theory discovered that the birds supposed
to hibernate migrated, while Of the birds
which remained in this latitude through
the cold months We saw more in warm,
fine weather for the natural reason that they
then forsook the sheltered hollows aud
cosey recesses of woods where they had
retreated during the stormy days, and came
out into the sunlight. The dense cedars
and close bran hes of small spruces and
other evergreens afford them close shel.
ter, and thickets Of brambles are made
use of when these are not to be found;
hollow trees are natural houses in which
large numbers huddle, and the cave-like
holes under the roots Of trees growing ON
steep banks are favorite hospices The
grouse plunges through the snow down to
the ground, where it scrapes bare "iorm,
or crawls under the hemloek and spruce
boughs which drOop to the earth with the
weight of snow, and allows the white man
tie to drift over it, suBsisting the while on
the spruce buds when the storm ceases it
can easily dig its way out, but sometimes
rain and hard frost follow which makes
such a crust on the snow that it can not
break its way up through, and so starves
to death. The more domestic sparrows,
robins and hickers borrow into the hay
NOV, find warm roost in the barn near
the cattle, or attracted by the warmth of
the furnace, creep under the caves or into
chink next the chimney of the green
house or country dwelling. The meadow
lark and quail seek out sunny hooks in
the fields and crouch down out Of the blast;
while the woodcock hides among the moss
and ferns of the damp woods where only
the severest cold chains the springs.
Along the coast many birds 90 to the
seashore for milder climate.
1t nevertheless happens, in spite of their
high degree of warmth aud vitality-prob-
ably not exceeded by any other animal
in spite of the fact that they can draw
themselves up into a perfect ball of feath-
ers, which are the best of clothing, and
that they can shelter themselves from the
driving storm-that birds often perish
from cold in large numbers, Ordinarily
birds seem able to foretell change Of
weather, aud prepare. The reports of the
United States Weather Bureau certainly
show that, during the fall and winter, the
ducks, geese, cranes, crows, and other no.
table specics-and apparently generally
abandon their former haunts upon the ap-
proach of cold wave or severe winter
storm for more southern localities, often
passing beyond the reach of the severity
of such storms, taking their departure often
only few hours before these unfavorable
changes. The resident species, not caring
or able to run away to warmer attitudes,
ought to know enough to hide away from
the fury of the gale; and they do, But
sometimes there come sudden, unprcsaged
changes-cold, icy, gales, which charge
down upon US after thawing days, convert
ing the air which was almost persuading
the grass to revive, into an atmosphere
which cuts the skin like the impinging of
innumerable particles of frost, and shrivels
every object with cold, or buries it under
dry and drifting snow. Then it is that
the small birds, caught unprepared, suffer.
At first, such as are overcome seem unu-
sually active, running about apparently in
search of food, but taking little notice of
ones approach. "Should it attempt to
fly" writes recent observer, "it immedi-
ately falls on its back as if shot. The
legs and toes are stretched out to their
farlhest extent, and are quite rigid the
eyes protrude, are insensible to the touch,
and the whole body quivers slightly. 1t
remains in this state from one to two min
utes, when it recovers suddenly, and seems
as active as before. If taken in the hand
it will Immediately go into commissions,
even if it has been in warm room for
several hours, and has been supplied plen-
tifully with food. Death usually puts an
end to its suffering in a day or two. -
Ernest IngersoH IN APpIetons.