Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1899-08-22
ANIMAL COMMUNITIES.
Causes Which Govern Their Movements
AN Elaborate Study.

X AN Elaborate Study.
Y be schooling, swarming, herding
or hooking of animals presents fas-
cinatihg subject, and the causes
which govern the various movements
constitute an elaborate study. Re-
Gently the writer while duck shooting
in 9 California tule swamp become SO
intNested in the focking of birds that
he forgot the ducks. Before the blind
extended hundreds of acres of tule
swamp which resounded with the
notes of the blackbirds. AS the sun
rose, there was concerted movement
among the birds, and as near as could
be judged from 500 to 1000 birds
would rise, as though signal had
been sounded, and sweep on, filing
the air with their sounds, then as sud-
denly drop into the tules on the edge
of the swamp. This appeared to be
the rendezvous, as though some gen.
eral officer was appointing the birds
to certain farms and ranches for the
day, as from this spot other divisions,
each composed of hundreds, rose as
one bird, flying offin different direc-
tlons-a proceeding which was kept
up for several hours until every ranch
within five miles must have received
its flock Of red-winged blackbirds.
Many of the birds appear to form
in focks at the time of migration.
The Pacific brown pelican is prone TO
fly in hocks of from ten to fifty, while
its cousin of the Gulf of Mexico is to
some extent solitary bird.
Among the fishes the swarming or
sct3Gng is practically noticeable.
chickering's, sardines and their allies
are always banded together, in all
probability for mutual support, and
the study of school is an interest
ing pastime. The fishes seem gov
erned by some one impulse, and the
greatest order is preserved; the school
r,hurrying up, down, or to the side as a
single fish. Yet this schooling is
qSB their undoing, The writer has
seen small seal so intinidate large
school that they were concentrated
Unto ball of living fish not ten feet
Sacross. The seal swan around them
with great velocity, preventing their
escape, occasionally dashing into
them with wide-open mouth,
The California barracuda is always
found in schools, filling the water for
acres. The Gulf of Mexico species is
ia solitary fish. In the Pacific the yell
low-tail schools often cover the water
foy acres, then breaking up into pairs
or trios. So with the horse mackereI;
thousands frequently being found
schooling.
Among the mammals the collection
Of vast numbers is best illustrated by
the American bison, which was, and
Which now, owing to the most out
.rageous vandalism every perpetrated
III civilized land, is almost extinct.
The bison fairly covered miles of
country, presenting a marvellous
sight.
The most extraordinary collection
of animals to be seen in America are
the fur seals which gather at the
Pribylov islands in spring, at the
breeding season, later going to sea,
and south in February and March, as
far as the Santa Barbara islands, sew
eral having been observed at Santa
Catalina during the present year,
sea migration of many hundred miles
being taken each year.
A very similar movement is seen
among the penguins of the South Pa
'cific islands. At times what is sup
tgxfd to be millions of birds are found
on the island; later they disappear
completely, making an ocean trip to
some unknown land or sea for un-
known purposes and reasons.-Scien-
.tific American.