The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-25
FEATHERED JURISPRUDENCE.
BIRDS HOLD COURT. TRY CASES AND
IMPOSE SENTENCES.
How Offenders are Tried and Justice
Done Among the Crows, sparrows
and StOrLs

Done Among the Crows, sparrows
and stOrks.
From the Springfield Republican.
Those of our readers who have read
Mark Twain's Tramp Abroad" will
doubtless remember Jim Bakers yarn
anent the blue jay. who, wishing 10 lay up
a store of food. endeavored. first by him
self and subsequently with the aid Of
companions. 10 ill a hut with acorns. Ac-
cording TO the story. on the jays finding
that the hole which their companion was
so anxious TO fill up was chimney COM
municating with the hut in question. they
began chatting him numerically: while
we are told that for many years after
ward this hut was visited by blue Jaws.
who came long distance in order to have
this joke properly explained to them by
the jays who reside in this particular To-
cality.
Without going so far as to vouch for
the truth of Jim Bakers story, from
what one can gather from natural histo-
rians and other keen ornithological OBJ
servers, birds certainly appear to have
some means of communicating with each
other, and of acting in concert, says the
London Standard, especially for the pur-
pose of Furnishing a member of their fea-
thered community which they consider TO
have offended against their laws. DR..
Edmondson assures us that in the Shet-
land islands the holding of crow courts
is of very common occurrence. AS a
rule, a hill or field is selected to act as
a court house, and the session commences.
As may be coniectured, the proceedings
are conducted in any way but silently.
though, as to the exact mode of pro-
cedure, whether counsel are employed
or jury impaneled. no ornithologist has
been able to inform us. All DR.. Edmond
son tells us is that after a great deal Of
cawing the whole court falls upon the
unhappy prisoners, and they are prompt
ly exterminated. after which the court
rises and the crows dispense each to his
own district
Not only do crows hold courts of over
and terminer, but, according to Rev Or.
Edmund Cox, rocks likewise meet together
Tor this purpose One day when he was
riding along a quiet road in the vicinity OF
Norwich, he was startled by great cav
ing which proceeded from an adjoining
rookery. The reverend gentleman alight-
cd from his horse, tied it to a gate, and,
concealing himself behind the trunk of
large tree. managed to obtain a view of
the proceedings. Surrounded by some 40
or % clamorous and Indignant rocks, he
who had been put upon his trial. Although
at the first perky and jaunty, the prisoner
after some minutes Of cawing, lost his
gayety, and appeared much as did the IA
nal had cursed him with bell, book and
candle. That the jury found him guilty
may he gathered nom the TACT mat the
circle of rocks suddenly closed in upon
him and speedily peeked him to death,
after which they all cawed VociferOusly
for some minutes and then departed.
hft1f rfafe nv of hat
rocks are addicted to pilfering, and that
when the robbery IS detected the thieves
are invariably punished for their felonious
conduct. II has been noticed that during
the early spring young rocks will steal
twigs, etc. from the nests of their elders,
with which to build their own domiciles.
The rock is too cunning TO be caught in
iagrante delicto, but will wait until the
old rocks are away, and then commence his
depredations. The theft is, as a rule, al
ways found out and. on the thief being
convicted or 10 rocks proceed at once to
the nest OF the ,rCbber, and byl way or
punishment scatter his newly made house
TO the four winds That the sparrow should
be up TO date, and likewise have his sys-
tenn of police, is but natural. George Gar
rot, in his Novelties of Instinct de-
clares that a sparrow which has commit
ted a wrong particularly If il be of that
class which comes under the head of mala
prohibita, is dealt with summarily. Four
or five sparrows are deputed by the court
to punish the offender, which consists in
their fying after the culprit and pecking
him soundly after which he obtains par
don and is received back into the COM
munity.
More tragic is the following story. for
which certain Father Bougraut is re-
spousible concerning theft committed
by a sparrow and the dire. punishment
which overlook the, thief. a sparrow. find
ing a nest which a martin had Just built
annexed It for his own use. The martin,
as is only natural, objected to this mode
of acquiring property, and requested
the sparrow to give him possession. On