Evening star., 1901-08-31
THE FALL ELITTING
Written for The Evening Star by Olive Thorne
Miller
Already the ericke
Already the cricket is busy
With hints ofssoberer days.
And the goldenrod lights slowly
Its torch for the autpmn blaze.
GEIIA THAXTER.

lights UP every dull corner The fields are
gay with 1t, and the world is gorgeous to
look upon. But, alas, the birds are lit
ting, for this month begins the great he
glra, the strange, mysterious movement
which we call migration.
If we could see the whole bird world by
night as well as by day, what a wonderful
procession would appear. Robins anc
other fearless wingsters boldly setting out
on their travels by day; shy thrushes
stealing away under cover of darkness
small birds combining in great focks,
sometimes of many species, and one and
all departing with no note of farewell, and
in silence except for the calls that keep
them together. Migration is the most Won
derful and the least understood fact of
bird life, with it's two probems-why they
change their residence and how they nnd
their way. 1t is easy to see why they
leave us in the fall, but why do they come
back? There are many theories, but there
is little real knowledge Herr Gatke
studied the subject for fifty years on the
small island of Heligoland, and added 10
the general information little more than
some doubtful theories. 1t is easy enough
to form theories of bird life, but l notice
that the more one really knows about the
lives of birds, by observation and patient
investigation, the more modest one is
about making oracular statements or set
ting up any theory. 1t is the newcomer to
the study who knows it all and can settle
off-hand the problems that have puzzled
ornithologists for ages. Something is
known of the wonderful height at which
migrating birds fly, and of the 1ncredlple
speed they attain. Much has been learned
of the marvellous distances, the thousands
of miles some of the smallest birds travel
but how the delicate creatures are able
to endure all this, why they do not content
know their way back to the spot they left
in the fall-of these we know nothing. In
these and other difficulties we have one
resource. We can take refuge In the
word instinct" which explains nothing,
to be sure, but it is a convenient term TN
der which to classify the things we do not
know.
Year by year as the study goes on one
after another of the acts or pros mere
tofore classed as 'instinctive is found
by experiment to be due to reason or
training. Singing the song of his father,
for example, is no longer considered IN
stinctive-it is known to be matter OF
training or imitation; the same is true OF
the fear of man, the selection of food, and
other things But migration, the incl1nd-
tion to go, the knowledge of the way, the
place to stop, and, still more remarkable,
the return to the same nesting spot, all
are still set down to instinct. We may
yet get the clue to the mystery, ana 1t is
certainly most interesting subject or
study. Herr Gatke's theory that the young
birds of the season, birds a few months
old, lead in the fail fitting, finds some
supporters, but more opposers among
American ornithologists. Unless every bird
in a flock is killed it is difficult to see how
one can know there are no old birds as
leaders, especially in species where the
plumage of the young is like that of one
or both parents
In this month, from the latitude of New
York, though the weather is still warm
nd inc fa r,la fIl pn
of the resident warblers, orioles, fiycatch-
ers, and some of the thrushes. The places
of some of these are filled for time by
migrants from the north, but bird life is
plainly on the wane. The world is not
entirely without bird notes. To be sure,
swallows and flycatchers, even song spar
rows and robins, Though they are not
gone, are heard no more in song though
now and then one utterS a low note, but
fiickers continue occasionally to call and
laugh" nuthatches "quank' their way up
the tree trunks, humming birds hover be-
fore the late flowers, while the blurred
little chickadee makes hlmseI neard ar,
on all sides; indeed, he seems to try fill
ing the unusual silence with his own
CHEEKY voice. This bird and one other
the bewitching goldtinch-Sive as much
pleasure by their sweet call ana conVersa-
tional notes as some birds by their songs,
and at this time of general bird silence they
are more than commonly welcome.
There is also fresh interest in making
acquaintance with the strangers as they
pass through and linger for days, some
times for weeks. 1t is true that the
knowledge gained is little more than of the
looks and manners of the birds, for they
are most frequently silent, except for their
calls But it is pleasing to hear the tin
trumpet of the red-breasted nuthatch, the
brief utterances of the various thrushes,
the incisive notes of the fox-colored and
white-throated sparrows, the staccato
chirp of the winter wren, and be inspired
tl,ny,, hpi
to hear their song.
Last September mysterious proceeding
of those birds of mystery, crows, came
under my observation. All the season l had
been interested in listening to the peculiar
call of one bird 1t sounded so exactly like
.hur-rah' that l was startled, and thought
at first it must be an escaped pet who had
been taught. On the occasion spoken of
there was an assembly of crows, who
seemed to be in great excitement, flying
around and calling. There were a dozen or
more in a group of trees within plain sight
of my window. On the top, twig Of the
talIest tree sat the "hurrah" crow. Every
few minutes he uttered that strange cry,
with great apparent effort, humping his
shoulders, depressing head and tail and
lifting his wings. AS soon as he gave the
cry the others responded with a long
"c-a-w," and at once flew around in a small
circle returning to the same trees while
the leader never moved from his perch or
joined in their cry This performance was
cisng the seasons young folk? Was it
some sort Of initiatory drill?
The crows of that vicinity-an island off
the coast of Maine-lived, largely. If not
exclusively. on sea food. They did not eat
it where found however, but carried it to
a small grove of very tall spruce trees
which appeared to be their common dining
room The ground below was scattered
with the remains of their repasts. shells of
clans. sea urchins and crabs and other
edible things found on the shore This
too, seemed to be their dressing loom, for
here their mouted plumage vas found.
In this month there are ttten opportuni-
ties to render aid to young birds who wan
der away or are driven by storm from
their flock and are lost. One may some
times rescue such unfortunatcs from cats
or bad boys, and keeping them a day or
their way One such stray = hermit
thrush-was kept a pet, and was never
afraid of people He was exquisite
singer. and uttered great many low notes
more rapturous and thrilling Than his loud
song or than one ever succeeds in hearing
from a wild thrush and all within three
feet of strangers, without thought of
fear. %
Now is the time. toward the end of the
month, to lie awake at night. with wide
open windows and listen for the little calls
Of the travellers which at that hour sound
so pathetic falling dreamily thro' the
sky'' At this time, If one happens to be
in the underlined but evidently well-known
route Of migration, he may with LongfeI.