Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-22
THEY FLY BY NIGHT.
The Nocturnal Flight of Migra-
tory Birds CuriOusly Proved.

Readers of Frank Leslie s Illustrated
Newspaper will remember the illus
tration given in recent issue of the
destruction of birds by the electric
lights of Bartholdi's statue. In con-
nection with this subject there is an
interesting scientific fact of recent
discovery. The question as to why
the birds are found there at night nat
urally occurs to every reader. The
poets tell of the feathered warblers
retiring at nightfall to bush and
brake, and, excepting the owl or bat
they are not supposed 10 be
circulating about the sky at night
like moths around candle. Does
the vivid light fascinate and draw
them from the bushes where they are
resting? This might perhaps be true
OF a lighthouse, where fertile country
bordered d the sea. But the statute of
Liberty is more than a mile from the
land. Bedloe's Island is not suited
for resting-place for migrating birds
in large numbers, and the roofs and
tenements of New York and New
Jersey, which surround the statute,
have never been known as their
resorts.
The answer to this interesting
enigma was given recently by Pro-
fessor Allen, the ornithologist of the
American Museum of Natural His
tory in New York. Quite "a number
of the birds which had dashed on
the lights of the statue and perished
were given Mr.. Allen for the Museum.
Birds, when migrating, ne said, it is
now accepted, fly by night, and fre-
quently at a height of several miles
above the earth's surface. This had
been conjectured for some time, but |
it is only within two or three years
that the fact was established. The
circumstance was noted a short dis
tance from New York, at Prince
ton University, and by accident. Pro-
fessor Young, the astronomer, was
making series of observations late
in the night with a friend, who is an
ornithologist, when the latter saw OBJ
jects passing between the telescope
and the disk OF the moon. He recog-
nized them as birds and became SO
interested that the astronomical Oh
servations were for the time suspend
ed. Although the birds were flying
at distance of several miles, he was
able to distinguish several varieties.
During the past month Frank NJ
Chapman, of the American Museum,
has conducted for MIR. Allen series
of observations from Tenafy, N. j.,
to verify this fact. The result has
been successful and has contributed |
further Information on the subject. A |
six and one-half inch telescope was
directed over the Hudson, following
the moon as she rose from the hori-
zon. Through the small area COW
cred by the instrument 262 birds
were counted between in the even
ing and daylight the next morn
ing. The varieties were easily distin-
guished. Most of them were sparrows.
but there were numbers of Carolina
rails and one duck. At first they
were seen rising at an angle from the
ground, but as the moon rose higher
they could be observed flying in a
line parallel to the earth. The height
which many attained enabled them
to avoid local storms, and it is be-
lieved that they flv at great height
partly for this reason, as well as to
keep in view better the landmarks by
which it is known birds are
guided in their migrations
They follow the course of val
leys, especially those running north
and south, and the range of the hills
would be quite distinct by starlight
above strata of local clouds. Dur
ing severe and widespread storms, it |
is not thought that they continue
their course. Just before daybreak
the birds appear to descend and feed.
During the day they rest, taking up
their flight again in the evening, un-
til their destination is reached. Fly
ing at the height they do along the
Hudson valley, it can be readily seen
how the intense light thrown upward
from Liberty's statue would daze and
blind the birds as they came within
its rays, whose brightness makes all
dark beyond them.-[Frank Leslie's
Newspaper.