New-York tribune., 1895-07-14
WAR OF BA rs AND SWALLOWS


Nontrose Penn. July ll.-"For several years."
ssd the resident Of Silver Lake Township "a colony
n, hats lived in an unused chimney on my place
Tho little creatures had multiplied until there were
scores OF them. and as they did no harm we let
them alone. Last spring a flock OF chimney swai-
lows sailed into the chimney one morning and un-
dertook 10 settle there for the summer They hadn't
been IN many seconds when they came huttering
out In great commo,ion. with lot OF bats In hot
nursuit The bats fitted back as soon as the swa-
lows had got few yards from the chimney top
and the swallows cIrcled and twttered overhead
AZ though they were engaged In a rosy debate as
to what It would be best for them to do next
"In a short time the birds got all their forces to-
gether and darted down the chimney. seemingly
with determination to dlslodge the peaceabe bats
Immediately Tho rlghtful little occupants OF the
chimney. however. were all at home and ready TOT
action; for sooner had the last swallow gone
down the chimney than the whole flock new out as
though they had been fired from trap The bats
were after them but this time they didn't halt al
IN. mouth OF the chimney as before. They made
n fierce attack on the twitterng intruders, their
mode OF warfare being for two or three OF tneir
forces to pitch upon one swallow Inc swallows
darted and dyed and separated 10 get away from
their spunky pursuers, but the bats outnumoered
them to such an extent that they were completely
overpowered.
I'm the battle three OF the swallows dropped help
less TO the ground. and pretty soon the victorious
bats fitted into the chimney, giving vent 10 rant
squeaks, apparently OF triumph, on the way Inc
badly whipped birds scattered In CONFUSION ana
found that the three swallows on the ground had
received deadly bites In the throat from the plucky
little home defenders. During the rest OF the day
the swallows frequently sailed around the chimney.
but didn't try to II. and the bats stayed IN
side.
THE next morning / noticed that the hock OK
swallows on the premises was four or nve times
larger than the day before. The oirds new ABOUT
and twittered good deal I'LL the MIDDLE OF tne
,orenoon when they all poured down the chimney
IN n stream The bats drove them out In hurry'
but the swailows rallied quickly and new INTO the
chimney again. once more tho bats iorced the
swallows to retreat but they did so In good ORDER
and then saw that the number OK eomoa'a"'S "AS
about equal each side
"when the swallows entered the chimney for the
third time tho bats sent them out with rush.
the entire colony chasing the birds and giving patte
to them In the air. Three swallows and Two Da's
tumbled 10 tho ground: then the birds sailed away
with n great racket, and the bats fitted down the
chimney In the afternoon the swallows again aiVeu
down the chimney and the bats. after another Wig
orous battle whipped them and continued to hoii
the fort. The next morning the swallows saiied
lr.o the abiding place OF the bats win larger
f,r,e than before. and about once an hour through
the day the two sides nad a nght the result each
tine being In favor OF the bats But the swallows
we're hound to oust the and get possession OF
the chimney and they were 80 persistent and de-
termined In their attacks that within u week they
drove every one OF tho bats out OF the chimney ana
began to build their nests In It,"
"Fine story" said the man who sat on the nail
keg.
.'When was n boy down In Lycomng County In
the nftes" said the Scrantonian. with grin. my
folks had the smarest parrot ever saw. Kate.
as We called her. was never confined In cage.
She had all the freedom she wanted. and the con-
sequence was that she could ny like swallow
Ka,e was an excellent taker as we'll as good
nyer Besides being bright. she was saucy and
eventually her sauciness and loquacity gave the
folks some trouble
THE parrot very fond OF hearing people sing.
but sho didn't like 10 hear the minister preach'
The church was next to our house. and on summer
Sundays Kate was In the habit Of flying into It and
perchlng herself in the rear OF the gallery I'll the
choir had sung twice and the minister had begun
10 read the text when she would sail out or tne
window one sunday Just as the parson haa sap5 an5
nyinS down to the front Of the gallery, she tool took
tho chorsters tuning fork IN her claw bit It spite
FULLY held II to her and sang out DO, mi. sol.
'' do so distinctly that the minissr got red IN the the
9ns Of the the bu she soon few
back aiighted on the pulpit. looked up az the par par
.Sn nnd mst iss n Ka mh
and she not allowed to 80 to chnreh agsn' .,a
grace, and as ne always used the same form OF
One day the minister took tea at our house, and OF
course father asked him TO say grace. Kate was
ON the mantle as usual and before the preacher mad
nnished his first sentence sho shouted: That Amt
righti' The parson went but Kate kept shouting
That aln't right! at him Till he finished, when she
dew to fathers shoulder and said coaxingly: Pa,
YOU say II! Father asked the blessing to please the
self Oh the preachers chair and muttered That's
the way TO say It. The parson was very serious
man but the parrots capers tickled him greatly.
"a pack pedler who came through our region
periodically gave Kate cum one day because she
was treading on the goods he had spread out for
mother TO look at. He had long halr, and while
he was strapping his pack Kate flew In with her
claws full OF mud and plastered his head with Il.
Then she called him 4 thief and lar ana broke
him of calling at our house. .
I'm those days millions Of pgeons new north
notion OF sailing into q hock several times day.
aeising q pigeon by the neck and Tying back to tho
house with It. She seemed to take great delight
in choking the pigeons to death. Ono morning Kate
niunged into an enormous flock some distance below
the house giving screoch as she mot i. The great
mass OF birds completely surrounded the parrot
in an instant, and when the hlg aock cam came along
Hma ,nS 'sop crowding Behave therel Give me room
and other exciamations OF distress. but we couldn't
ace her The parrot was swept away by the thou
sands OF moving birds, and we watched u vain TOR
Kate til the flock went out OF sight The pigeons
must have carried the parrot many miles away be-
Torc fhey released her, for the poor bird never
found her way back and we children had many
crvInr spell over her sad fate
"ist somebody tell some lie: 70 even uo thnss."