Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-04

Instances Of Great Excitement
Causing Strange Behavior.

DlruS SAID. l. nave OnItc OF lOuf
birds that are cranks, and one that is
as mad as a March hare"
as that one?" the reporter asked,
as a hen ran by with her tongue hang
ing out.
mo" the owner replied. IAN
signs fail in dry weather. Her tongue
certainly has a slew to the left, but
there's no coAgenital malformation of
the brain, and, conhdentially, she's
got the pip. But if you want to see a
bird that is a moral m~onstrOsity, and
always has a morbid project on hand,
just walk through this coop." iudicat-
ing n that contained a nuiAsar Of
fine game bantams.
The reporter opeled the gate and
stepped in, the chickens ~retreatiDg,
with one exception, to the inner
house. This exception was a rooster
hardly as large as a good-Sized pigeon,
with high %colors, a very red, old
fashioned face, and most formidable
spurs.
Look out for him. the owner said,
as the diminutiye grower came near
in a most friendly manner. The warn
ing wac not too soon, as when within
a foot Of the reporter the bird made a
rush, caught the leg OF his trousers in
his mouth and hammered away with
its spurs so that the blood came before
it could be pulled of. Its little red
eyes blaze1 with fire, aud as the re-
porter pulled it off by main force aud
tossed it away, it rushed again to the
attack, until a retreat to the outer
yard was ordered.
There's moral obliquity for you"
the owner said laughing,
The reporter suggested that it might
come under the head of pure cussed-
ness"
mo" said he, 'the birds not re
sponsible. One would think that the
bird is a good fighter, but he won't
stand up before a bird ofhis own size.
He turns tail and runs. | bought
him from a man down town who
raises game birds. He wanted to get
rid of this one as he wouldn't fight,
but sometimes he'd get cranky and
chase him all round the room, so that
he'd have to take a broom and beat
him of. Sometimes the little crank
would get up on the boxes, and the
first thing he knew the bird would be
on his head picking and hammeriGg
away like a mailman. Therefore, |
had no trouble in getting it. He seems
to be down on sill mankind, and will
attack You 10 tho meanest and most
underhand way. In fact the birds a
good deal of" on one subject.
Now, here's a hen he continued,
pointing to a fine speckled Polish.
For the last two weeks she has been
trying to crow, and has succeeded quite
well, and | have no doubt labors under
the delusion that sic is a rooster. In
fact. among chickens you can find all
grades of mental trouble. Ny Brown
Polish birds are the most nervous, and
very peculiar in their habits. They
always run alone, and when caught
seem perfectly crazed with fear. Leg
horns are nervous, while these Ply
mouth Rocks are plegmatic, never
disturbed by anything, and arc very
cheerful, singing all day lOng--in the
sumner. But here's a bird" moving
toward a glass faced cage, that is
hopelessly insane. 1t was a beautiful
creature ola gorgeous blue and red
color, with long yellow legs
and a beautiful mild, brown eye,
the Purple Gallinule, | caught
it in Florida, and it actually went in.
sane from fear. 1t had been blowing
a heavy norther for several days, and
/, many birds were blown ashore. They
took refuge in a mote that surrounds
the fort on Garden Key. | got out
my boat and caught several, the wind
blowing too hard Tor them to rise, but
] this one gave mea long chase, diving,
/ trying to climb up the high wall, and
turning its head and body into every
possible position, as if demented, and
finally it rushed at a tin drain pipe
and got into it, and there | caught il.
5 But when | hauled it out, it acted as
I ii it was half dead, curious spasms
9 passing over its body, but it eamo to
after | put it in a box. For a long
) time it seemed to go crazy every time
= IL was alarmed, and in fact, has never
gotten over it. Just watch it now"
e Taking a small paper bag he blew it
up and exploded it in front of the
bird. 1t dropped as if dead, but soon
came too, and ran round in a most
: aimless way, twisting his neck and
jumping into the cir. That this was
e not done from fright altogether was
r evident, from the fact that it was taken
With the same fits at any and all times
c without the least p%royocation. Mr..
t George Ord, Of Philadelphia, tells OF
3 a similar case in a common rail. The
f., bird had concealed itself in a drain
near his house during a heavy rain
, storm, and was discovered By him the
next morning. The bird was placed in
a small room on a case, and he wss
amusing himself with it, when, in the
] act OF pointing his finger at
it, It suddenly sprang forward
apparently much irritated, fell
to the floor, and stretching Out
its feet and bending its neck until the
head nearly touched its back. becam,
to all appearances Hfeless. Thinkins
{ that the tall had killed the bird, he
took it up, out in a few minutes il
1 began to breathe; but it was some
5 time before it had perfectly recovered
He placed the bird in a room where
there were canaries, resolving to fnd
out ii it wal not a passion of anger
$ that had produced the fit. On enter.
ing again the bird retired to the corner
in sullen humor, and as soon as hC
pointed dis finger at it its feathers
became Immediately rufled, and il
sprang forward as ifin a fit, as in tn,
I first instance. Mr.. Ord adds: "Som,
time after, as | was shooting amoni
the reeds, | saw a -ail rise a few fee.
from the batteau. The bird had riser
about a yard Whcni it became entanglet
In the tops Of a small bunch Of weeds
and immediately fell. Its feet an,
a neck we're extended and before it ha,
re time to recover | killed it," A few
lie days aiterward a friend and himsel
were shooting in the same place, and
y rail was killed, aud near it was seel
1t another in a ft. lie took it up AM
n placed it in his hat, where il sool
- HHm