Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-11-28
BIRDS LuREO TO DESTRUCTION.
A Recent Scientific Discovery Made
I'm nm nhservatnrv

A Recent Scientific Discovery Made
in nm Observatory.
An ordinary looking market basket, filed
with likeness birds, was taken into the Amer.
lean Museum Of Natural History IN Central
park few days ago, says The New York Sun.
The birds were some OF those which lost their
lives while beating blIndIy in the glarIng light
Of Liberty's electric torch on Bedlow's island.
Most Of the birds were small; among them
were half dozen species OF the swallow, In
nocent little wrens, the raven blackbird, with
spots OF crimson under its wings, and, largest
Of all, specimen Of the Carolina rail- which
southern sportsmen love TO hunt NoEe of the
birds appeared to be bruised, and Prof j. A.
Allen, the ornithologlst Of the Museum, as lie
examined Them remarked that birds were
killed around lighthouses generally died from
fright aud exhaustion quite as much as from
any concussion.
1T is quite easy to kill most BIRDS" be
added; grasp them around the body under
the wings, making the fingers meet, and In q
few moments they will cease to breathe. ]
have even killed hawk In this manner
though I would not advise anyone no. an ex.
pert to try the experiment with such bird"
slow Is 1t that thes; birds are killed at
night, Do not birds rest at nsht."
That is perhaps the most interesting
feature In connection with this destruction OF
bids at Bcdlow's island. 1t is question that
is interesting ornlthologlsts great deal just
now. For a long time they have believed that
birds travel by night during the migrating
periods but there was no actual proof Of this
fact, and no apparent way OF ascertaining 1t
until recently. Now 1t is pretty well establish.
cd that many birds fly by night during migra.
ton, resting aud feeding during the day. The
knowledge was confirmed only a few years
ago. aud by accident Prof Young, the
astronomer, was making observations ono
night from the Princeton observatory with
friend who 10 an ornithologlst The latter
observed when the telescope was directed
toward the moon, which was nearly full, that
dark objects frequently dartcd past the In,
strument Prof. Young said that they were
birds, aud by closer observation his friend
was able not only to confirm this, but BY the
power OF the instrument to name the family
to which the birds belonged, though they
were flying at distance Of several miles. For
the time the astronomical observations wer,
abandoned, and the instrument was devoted
TO smother branch Of natural science"
1t added another interest to these little
creatures to think of them flying steadily along
their course at night, guided by instinct and
making their flight as the naturalist explain
ed, frequently several miles above the earth's
surface. They follow the lines Of the river
valleys, especially those running north and
south. In The vicinity of New York the birds
coming down from the wide area of the TIud-
son river valley minglc with the other aoclis
from the Connecticut river valley. III past
ages, biologists say the Hudson river ran fos
a hundred miles below New York bay through
q low country backed by the Highlands. The
East river was the channel through which an
other large stream emptied into the Hudson
after coming far through the New England
states The line of this induntat!on Is still
distinctly marked, The valley continues 10 be
one OF the great highways OF The feathcred
millions, over which for hundreds of centuries
they have been passing semi annually. The
Statue Of Liberty stands almost In the line
where these two streams OF migration unite
and her flaming torch will always be II beacon
to thousands. Ia the spring the slaughter
muy he less as the locks OF birds are les like.
ly to converge until they have passed this
point.
How far this custom Of travelling By night
extends among the many species of birds re-
mains TO be shown BY further observation
The general fact, Mr.. 4 len remarked, is nav
accepted, and 1t may apply to all species, from
nLsory,tions Las haan nd 60. H. tn
bv Eraup S,an,,a, %ur,nn ,, ,'' n'Ion
month I, was cnnR"c,.d frnm , nry, oSo 'm
servatory In Tcnany, n. j., with a 81 inch
tSe HnGsor rivcr Yallav folowin" thn r, W.e,
as she rose. BY this means the birds were
49, 1920 Nv ths tssno ;'m tnHse
Hard 81 an anois .nd n Sst oniv " i bS ut
LEY W. -, 80 n. " va J,,J ~ t,u
ths, az hIrda oo,,S ha $50 n,sinc a. i,,
naas,,aI .1.h tho oa,,h IN r. IN i.ne
narared NV Tho t.ascon. nn e1 stai area fs
49, Ia u. 60 Ill gu pIrht rev
ua,io, Grnu, 9 IN ~, avam,or I'll a.r;si,,
~ -, unrO,m,, SeS Iii" ~ u rorIcg S
sas.iaad ThnsS 49, nI .r~oir ana
.msiTnTT. ona ,Sr.ns b,t tSera 49, "I W
aungs' ~ s"''"~ f@"'' N"H 'hs "h'N "H'
oT Ti, s,. =, ,,.,, ~. c,.. $3.50
I. ~. niknt "a NV p.iNH EnaPtisn say,
~ VI n,rc ,liIies aoonG snc
oI,,,,,,, ano Tt. Inns o esSn ~ hiSne,
s,orus h,nh no. ~. a.. rro.,raS az" IT,, ,or ga
,aI, ~ hn.nat "y VS a. az, 'nes .e-
lam IAN '.e .I I VI 'ne sS"Rn' Vi the moon
nsnt ou Tue uioau snuhcapo sPreau ueiow
Afeh,hf ~ hten ~ wy tAlic aIYe lne NUS
s aluhH tne saiiess s1n the general course Oh
tVe rn'et ~ ane , W,nains pou,e oentatt .AeH
mnem 'Ie meaInc n s.p h,L3 ~ nisht ~ tns
.oS'ty uo an Meu tuo oiI 10 W ny, =. .,
not Jake lts nlghL ag tne bearings cannot theh
oe 9Dtanso JUST before aaSilght tne 6lras
oeEih 10 ueseena ,roih thelt IN aitiuae 10
nnSnt wnere lhey muu SATISFACTORY helgnDor-
hoou. eeVerai hours are passeh ~ leeHing,
anq we pIHs tnSh seek resi- IN inc more re.
lired undefDrush. TOWARD evening they feed
again, aud about sunset y the weather Is
!afofanle anu Up sN eteaEi ihef Dfsih 70