The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-02
BIRDS IN HIGH GALES.
, EVen the Strong-WinRed Petrol Cannot
Always Withstand the Winds Fury.

Even the Strong-WinRed Petrol Cannot
Always Withstand the Winds Fury.
From the New York Sun.
The sea and shore birds along the Al
lantc coast from Florida to Maine had a
hard time of it in the recent heavy wind
and rain storms, and many curious sights
were witnessed by sojourners at the sea
side resorts. When the gale was at it's
night birds with the most powerful wings
were swept along by the heavy wind, and
either cast upon strange shores or forced
TO seek safety in protected places along
the wooded coast. Nearly all birds seem to
nave instructive knowledge that if they
once surrender to the force of the wind
and allow themselves to drift along with
II the dangers are untold and imminent.
consequently, it is a fine sight to see a
powerful-winged shore and sea birds fight
ing strong gale, rising at one time high
in the air, facing the wind, and then
sweeping down in a slanting direction with
the velocity of lightning, checking them
serves again Just before reaching the
ground TO renew the battle. In this way
the birds slowly make progress in the d.
rection they desire, lighting the wind at
every inch, as yacht does when trying 10
work up to the windward against a heavy
tide and gale. If the birds yield to the
force of the wind and lose control of their
flight 1t is very difficult to recover their
balance again, and In very short time they
might be swept far out of their course
and perhaps into dangerous fields
This applies more especially to the shore
birds and the land birds that may be liv-
ing along the coast The Latter inhabit a
very limited region as rule during their
summer sojourn north, and if carried
mile away from this. district they are Of
ten unable to find their home again II
caught in a high gale far up in the air it
would be easy for them to be carried far
beyond the confines of their home district
Partridges and quail will generally, when
accidentally caught up by the wind close
their wings and drop to the ground in a
slanting direction, only using their wings
to check the flight when near the earth
They frequently fail to check themselves
in time or the force of the wind is greater
than they calculated. and they are dashed
with tremendous force to the earth and
are wounded or killed. After the Septem-
Der gale of this year many such dead and
wounded birds of the land were found
at different points along the Atlantic
shore
Occasionally the land birds are swept
out to sea by the heavy gales, and there
they float until exhausted or picked up by
boat men, The splashing of the waves
usually strangles them in a short time.
Partridges trying to fly across a bay when
startled by hunters in a gale have been
exhausted before they reached the other
side and have been picked up by boat men.
The effect on birds of the heavy gales
can be imagined when the petrels of the
middle Atlantic are overcome by the wind
and drift a thousand miles out of their
course to strange and inhospitable shores
These birds are first cousins to the alba
tross, and so powerful of flight that they
make the central ocean their home. They
follow vessels for miles and miles at sea-
and never seem to weary. But heavy
gales often overcome them and drive them
like helpless banks upon the sea. After
the heavy autumn storms they have been
found at various points along the Atlantic
indicating how fierce has been the battle
of the elements at sea.
The wild geese of the shore, when
startled by gunners, will attempt to face
heavy winds, but at no other times. The
herring gull, as If glorying in its power
of wing, will braVely attempt to face the
bowling blasts, and in some instances with
considerable success. They rise up against
the wind, gaining a little in the upward
flight and then swoop down partly with
the wind and partly against it, with ire
mendous force. Advantage is taken of
every lull in the storm, and as If stealing
a march around the enemys TANKS oc-
casionally the creature will fold its wings
and sweep down in a graceful circle close
up against the wind. The bird will re-
treat and advance, but in the end will
gain a little until the point is reached
The sight of such birds in high gale is a
most curious and interesting study of
aerial navigation, and their evOlutions
suggest the terrors of travelling by flying
machine, if science ever solves the prob
lem of sailing through the air.