Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-06-14
LA PLATA. MARYLAND, JUNE "A, 1901.



We talk a great deal about the speed
Of our railway trains and OF our ocean
greyhounds, but we are apt to over
look tho fact that there are some swift
travellers where no rails have ever
been laid and no steamship has
steered her course. The carrier pigeon
will fly at least thirty miles an hour.
and some havc been known to travel
at the rate Of sixty or even ninety
miles an hour. Wild pigeons often fy
hundreds OF miles day to feed, re-
turning to their roosts at night.
Audubon says they travel mile a
minute.
Water-fowls, gulls, terms and petrels
literally fly on the wings Of the wind.
If surprised in a storm. They will rise
high in the air. facing a gale, and
making a little progress forward as
well as upward. Then they will sud-
denly descend with rapid flight to-
ward one side Of the storm-sweptp path,
but falling on at the same time in the
direction Of the blowing wind. Once
more they will sweep around and face
the storm, ascending heavenward, and
striking desperately out toward the
direction Of the storm. until finally
they work themselves to one side OF
the storm center.
During tremendous wind storms
birds may sometimes be seen flying
overhead at a great height When
this is noted 1t may be taken for
granted that the upper air is COM
paratively quiet. and that the storm is
confined chiefly to the lower regions.
1t is when the storm extends too high
up that they drift away with the wind,
or fly away on the edge of the hurrl-
cane. Migrating birds fly over dis
tanees so great that they must needs
have great strength as well as great
speed in flight. Bobolinks often rear
their young on the shores of Lake
Winnipeg, and like true aristoerats go
to Cuba and Porto Rico to spend the
winter. To do this, their fight must
twice cover a distance Of more than
$500 miles, or more than fifth OF the
circumference Of our earth each year.
The little redstart travels 5000 miles
twice a year. What wonderful mech
anism 1t is that, in stomach no larg-
er than a pea. will manufacture its
own fuel from two or three slim cater
pillars, a fly. moth, or a spider, and
use Il with such economy as to be able
- ..,,.cI f4~otf tbra,,of, thc af, d,,-i~-
the whole night at a rate of about fifty
mile2 an hour and at the same time
keep its own temperature at about 104
degrees. Not all the swift travellers,
however. make their journeys through
the air Some fish attain great speed
in the water. The salmon and the
swordfish are the fastest swimmers Of
all the fcrked-tall fishes. Only fast
running horse could outstrip salmon.
for II swims mile in less than two
minutes, and any horse could be left
behind in long race, for the fish
can cover thirty miles In an hour.
When leisurely ascending rivers, with
frequent rests In attractive pools, 1t
averages from fifteen to twenty-five
miles a day. In leaping, the salmon
can easily beat the horse. for salmon
have leaped up waterfalls twelve feet
high, and he prepares for a leap just
as boy does, with short. sharp run.
If the water at the foot of the dam or
fall is not deep enough to allow this
preparatory run, he cannot jump
The Little Chronicle.