Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-18
Bird Si4OS.
Bird signs.
SOME OF THE FEATHERBD CREATURES BRING GOO
LUCK AND OTHERS BRING RAD LuCK

SOME OF THE FEATHRRBD CREATURES BRING GOOD
LUCK AND OTHERS BRING BAD LUCK.
Bird divination, says the London Standard,
Is one OF the Oldest things In the world, and its
survival in the present day may be seen In the
little green paroQuets frequently Gagged at street
corners In charge OF swarthy foreigners, who pro-
fess that their birds will "choose q planet" as
well as In many rural districts at home and
abroad. Not 10 go further back than Roman
days, whether OF the republic or empire, every
from the way in which the sacred chicken ted or
from the appearance OF crow or raven before
battle. Through succeeding centuries the idea
feathered creatures around US is firmly ex-
istent In many parts OF the world, though the
omens diner In significance with the locality.
Swallows, which are perhaps the commonest OF all
birds, as far as the bulk OF observers 60 have al
ways had q certain mysterious appanage in ira
ditiona oene1IperhaPs on account q the un;
to during the winter. In some parts OF the En-.
glish western counties the note OF the swallow is
that the swallow II destroyed brings evil on The de-
stroyer-as does the destruction Of its nest while
10 shelter and welcome Is TO insure good fortune
Russia especially holds the swallow as q most
valuable visitor in all ways In the beautiful
Swedish and Morse legends the swallow hung over
ins eonsoles e Gervp ssn'iy IT'S
name. AS for the raven, little need be said. A
consensus OF opinion has long held that gruesOme
blrd-whlch few people have seen w1ld-at any
rate In England, as most evilly ominous fowl, so
that Poe. in his immortal poem, only crystalized
The white owl In France is uniyerssiy held as
fOreteler Of death, and It's screetch' is not much
liked by English peasants But In America,
utterng It's hooi on the right foretelis good luck.
but the opposite II on the left In France and
Belgium the cry OF the white owl Is supposed to
foretell all sorts OF msfortuneS However the
counteracting remedy is not far TO seek-it simply
consists In throwing pinch Of salt into the lire
when the sound Is heard.
and It's system Is rather complex. II, on the con.
tinent tue magpe flies on your left L betokens Ill
luck but II on your tight. good luck. There, also,
and ut home, one maybe flying before or toward
the behOder Is presage OF III fortune or sorrow
but two betOken good fortune or merriment; while
three are Omens of q forthcoming wedding: and
four are the representation OF birth. The crow,
again. unlike his congener the raven varies In his
vaticinatlon according 10 the country In which he
rate, according 10 the old idea. In France, If be
be seen in the morning, which is an important
proviso. he shows III luck. In Germany, ON the
other hand-at least so far as South Germany, the
home OF legends, Is c0ncerned-he Is harbin-
ger Of good fortune whenever seen. But in
the southern states Of America the negroes hold
Top, most forDoding visitor and a presage OF
death and disaster. Two crows, In some Of our
northern counues1as also IN some parts OF Scot.
many people In our own country take the same
view OF the growing OF cock after dusk, II 1t be
contrary, Is everywhere held as q sign OF duplex
meaning, the explanation whereof Hes not with
the birds note, but with the auditors pocket. II
the cuckoo be heard when the pockets are empty a
very impecuni0us year and Speciality the need OF
borrowing from friends Tor trying to dU) Is Inn
piled. But II, on the other hand the cuckOos note
be heard for the flrst time when the pocket con-
tains cash, prosperous and mOneyed year Is FORE
told. Another sign Of good fortune is found in the
robin perching on the roof and singing. Curiously
enough the smallest OF popular birds, the golden-
crested wren, was, TILL the end OF the last century,
and In some parts during the nrst quarter OF the
present one despite the nursery rhyme assOciating
It with the robin, held foe, and cruelty stoned
the Shrovetide cock was tortured TO death.
VI the c0mmoner birds, the blackblrd, as q prog.
nosrcator, has good reputau0n-Iba il II he
nles across your path. On which 1t may be re-
marked. as any one taking walk, with or without
q gun, Dy the hedgerows In which the bird 80
mocn delights, that blackbtrts flight Is usually
IN front. re-entering further up.