The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-12-17
BIRD SUPERSTITION.

Z
IN the religious life of man from the
earliest times. They seem to be con.
nected in one way or another with the
saperstI'ions and the folklore of every
nation, civilized or savage.
Among the oldest supcrstitions are
those relating to the common cock and
h'n. These fowls were carefully watch
Ell and studied by the ancient augurs,
particular notice being taken of the
time and place of their growing, which
was interpreted for good or evil. In
the Bible the cock is conspicuous at
the time when Peter denied his master.
1t IS said its figure on church spires
was placed there to remind men ofthis
circumstance. In the early hours OF
the morning the cock crows a warning
to the dead as well as to the living, and
all ghosts that are wandering about the
earth must return to the land of spirits.
Mohammed declared that in a reve-
latlon he saw in the first heaven cock
so large that his crest touched the floor
of the second heaven. The growing of
this celestial bird arouses from sleep
every living creature except man.
When this cock ceases to crow, the
judgment day will be at hand.
With the ancient Romans the goose
was sacred bird. Daring the inva-
sion of Rome by the Gauls a detach-
ment of soldiers in single file proceeded
up the hill Of the capital so silently
that the leader reached the top with
out being challenged, but when he was
climbing over the wall the noise dis
turbel some sacred geese in the temple
of Juno. The geese began to cackle
and awakened the garrison, when Mar
Gus Manlius rushed to the wall and
threw the luckless Gaul back. In COM
memoration of this event the Romans
carried sacred goose in procession to
the capitol each year.
According to Greek mythology Ar
gus was set to watch 10, who had been
changed into COW. Hermes, ordered
to release 10, lulled Argus to sleep with
the music of a shepherds pipe and then
killed him. Hcra (Juno) set Argus
hundred eyes in the tail of her Eavorite
bird, the peacock.
This bird, among the early Chris
tlans. was emblematic of Il glorified
body. Its feathers have adorned many
4 throne, and were at one time among
the ornaments of the kings of England
The sacred ibis ofthe Egyptians was
supposed from the color of it's feathers
to symbolic the light and the shade
OF the moon. 1t was the incarnation
of the god Thoth, who in the guise of
this bird escaped the wrath of Typhon.
1t is said that it's feathers would scare
and even kill the crocodile. The bird
was believed to deliver f gypt from
winged and other serpents that came
from Arabia. 1t was celebrated for it's
purity and drank only the purest wa
ter. Its love for Egypt was thought
to be so great that the | I'd would die
of self starvation if transported else
where.
The stork was probably considered
more acred''than any other bird except
the ibis. 1t was the type of filial at
tachment among the Greeks, the Ro-
mans and the Hebrews, who believed
that the young repaid the care their
parents by remaining with them
through life and attending them in old
age. In Holland boxes are built for
the storks, and it is fortunate thing
for household to have the box occu-
pied.
The dove has been largely employed
in Christian art, representing peace and
pnrity. 1t was the dove, you know,
that Noah sent forth from the ark to
find dry land. 1t has been represented
with seven rays proceeding from it,
terminating in seven stars, signifying
the seven gifts Of the Holy Spirit.
Holding an olive branch, the dove is
cmblematic of peace, and when seen
issuing from the lips of dying saints
and martyrs it represents the human
soul purified by suffering.
Mohammed had a pigeon that was
taught to pick grains of wheat from his
ear that it might he thought that the
bird brought him messages from hcav-
Ell. There is superstition that any
one sprinkled with the blood of a pigeon
will never die a natural death. A
sculptor carrying home a bust of
Charles |. stopped to rest by the way.
At that moment pigeon was struck
by hawk overhead, and the blood of
the bird fell upon the neck Of the bust.
The incident led to the superstition-
when the unfortunate monarch was be
headed shortly afterward.
In England and America the robiE
rcdbreat is welcomed as the harbinger
Of spring. The joyful melodies that
he pours forth toretell bountiful har-
vest. There is tradition that when
the Saviour was on his way to Calvary
Il robin plucked thorn from his crown
and the blood that issued from the
wound fell upon the breast of the bird
and dyed it red 1t was once pre-