Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-23
TOLD BY BIRDS
Denizens of the Air ForeteII the Ap-
proach of Hard Winters.
PROPHETS oil snow and Frost Hardy Birds
Como South because Food is Scarce
When the Berries md Seeds arc Gov
cred They Must Migrate.

Birds have been favorite subjects for
the amateur weather prophet since pre-
historic times. but some of the predlc-
tons based upon them are as foolish as
we're the oracles derived from tho on
trails or feeding of the sacred chickens
IN the Roman College of Augurs. For
example, 1t was held that the white
ness Oh a goose's breastbone indicated
the amount of snow to be expected.
mat II goose walked east but flow
WEST OF STOOD on one leg, cold weather
Wouiu follow; or that partridges did
not drum in the fall preceding n bad
WINTER says writer in the New York
foSt. In the South. old farmers used
10 nave saying that when the ivory-
piiled woodpecker beginning at the
pase OF n tree and working graduate
10 the TOP. removed all the bark. one
must be prepared for a hard winter
WIN deep snow. The logic of this has
planned, and fear it never will ba Co.
me splendid ivory bill is now almost
extinct az" a'iiioSt
We can we'll afford to smile ar theso
QUAINT conccits, but there are savings
popuiar among sportsmen and farmers
Hlien are based upon more reasonable
conservation of the migratory habits NJ
pros. They will tell you that when ~
water iowl arrive from the North Mt an
unusually early date and with n rnsh
ana When the wild geese and othar
hotlceaoie migrants pass u.s. southwo rd
ooumo' IN nigh, straight flight, MS if
eager TO get on, cold weather. may he
expected 10 follow. and probahlv ti,e
WI wlnter VIII be exceptionally "hard :"
rms IDEA is based upon the theory tho
they have been forced by ,In,,suaII,
enruy ana severe weather to leave their
summer nome in the far North ahead
or the proper time and migra - ~,
haste. and. as it is known that n,,,. ,,.,i ~
ters proceed from the North. tho do
AUCTION is fair that by and by WI. shan
rigor. e excessive
was message of this nature that
ieo me 10 think last winter was tn he
nH man usually snowy. for 1 learn
su' as early as the middle of Novem-
Der, 1898, that snowbuntings (weii-
named Snowflakes in common sneach>
ana Lapiand longspurs had been oh,
served on the south shore of Long lei
ana and elsewhere near New Yor,,
Where several winters may nass In
succession without their being seen at
az az. ms meant. TO my mind. that al
thouEh UP TO that time we wer, ho,-
ing one of the most beautiful autumns
the Arctlc regions were already In the
grasp OF extraordinary cold. and tha
great plains about Hudson bay ond In
the northwestern interior of British
America were deeply buried I'm early
SHOWS. 1t was especially interestjnr
therefore. to hear soon afterward. thai
the bad season on the Yukon had begun
surprisingly early.
FORCED SOUTH FOR FOOD
The effect of this condition of thing,
meteorological in the North would
naturally be to hasten the departure
of the migra tory birds who resort in
summer 10 those coasts TO breed. and
IN addition to this it would force far
Their south than usual those other birds
which do not seem to fear cold greatly,
but are Obliged to retreat south of tha
area of deep snow in order to find food
Certain hardy land birds are able TO
maintain themselves all winter in an
Arctic climate. One such is the crow
which (although by no means confined
to that Indictment region) is to be found
in winter in most OF the northerly parts
of the continent. where it haunts the
coast to secure anything that may be
cast up by the sea, and fingers about
the settlements of the Eskimos and
the posts Of the fur traders to seize