Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-04-30

able extent the wonderful sagacity aud
memory of black birds, says the Indian
apolis Sentinel.
AT my home over in Charlottesville,
said the general, 1--WE have large num-
Der of tall trees on the lawn and in
course of time those trees became the
roostng place at certain times of the
year for hundreds OF thousands OF
black birds. They came in great black
clouds, and in spite Of all l could do,
they refused to leave OF course, they
we're great nuisance and was in de-
spair as to some means OF getting clear
Of them I stood for days with my gun
firing into them of an evening and kill
ing hundreds Of them but tho rest did
not seem to be sufficiently struck by
fear or grief to want to part company
with me and my hospitality. ] then
devising a new scheme. Procuring
number of Roman candies one evening,
! lighted them one by one after dark
when the boughs of the trees were bent
low with the weight of the croaking
birds and poured the candles into the
tops Of the trees at great rate. The
sudden innovation startled the birds as
nothing had ever done before and they
became paniC-stricken. That night !
was free of them. The next evening,
however, tho habit Of returning there
% roOst was stronger than fear, and
they began coming in by thousands as
the evening approached. After dark l
began with another volley Of candles.
and the birds began to realize that
there was a determined bombardment
in progress. They fed precipitately
and the third evening only few re-
turned A few last shots put them 70
flight and was troubled no more. But
what do you think those birds did? My
dividing fence runs between the trees
on my property and the trees on the
property of my neighbor. which are
equally high and equally suitable for
home for the blackbirds. When the
, birds were driven from my lot they flew
over across the dividing fence to the
trees Of my neighbor and settled. There
was no bombardment over there and
they have stayed there ever since. This
was a long time ago. but never since
the last Roman candle was fired into
them has one of those birds settled on
one of my trees. They are tabooed
rs cffectnally as though they were on
fire. The great clouds Of birds each
morning and evening fly directly over
my trees going and coming. but not
bird settles upon a tree that is on my
side Of the dividing fence. Another
strange thing is that II any one of an
evening stands in my lawn and makes
a slight noise as clapping his hands.
there will be the widest commotion
among the birds in the neighborins
trees. They become restless and al
most panic-stricken. IF. however. the
same person crosses the fence and
stands directly under them and makes
twice as much noise. they pay no at
tentior whatever to him. He can even
shoot up into them without driving
them from their perches. have won
dercd several times just what impress.
sion those birds have Of me and my
property that they have so decidedly
given me the cold shoulder. They know
every tree that is on my lawn and
will settle by thousands on the Other
side of the fence within a few feet Of
, the dividing line. or course have not
bothered them over there. as they were
not my guests"