The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-18
BIRDS AMUSE THEMSELVES.
They Have Their Games, Sports and
Diversions.

OAh6 Miller IN RnlldQelQnld
Ledger.
Some modern writer's would have us
believe that the life of a bird is the
life of constant fear; that not only is
it all work and no play, but that it is
passed in deadly terror. To a bird
lover this idea is intolerable, and, if
accepted, would take away all pleas
ure in making their acquaintance. But
happily this view is not confirmed by
facts. One who has time, patience and
ability to watch birds sees enough to
convince him that, although always
alert, quick to perceive danger and
instantly to avoid it, birds do not pass
their lives in dread and fear. On the
contrary there is plenty of evidence
10 SHOW that our feathered brethren
nave sports into which they enter
with the enthusiasm of youth.
There can be no doubt that the bird
plays because he feels well. or is in a
healthy and cheerful condition; but
mere is another way to consider it .
Inc various exercises of play have
important educational value. in the
same way that athletic sports have for
lhe human youth. They train the body
lor the serious duties of adult life
Mr. Gross, who has made study of
thls subject, goes so far as to suggest
that the reason animals and men are
porn helpless, with everything to learn
IS Tor the purpose of giving this train
ing; or in other words. a period of
youth and playfulness is a necessary
preparation for life. This gives a bio
ioglcal Importance to play, and makes
the study of it most interesting.
we ma, on closer acquaintance with
tnelr ways, that birds are extremely
Iroilcsome. Not only when young and
naturally risky, as are all treasures
fresh TO this world of ours but after
they have reached their full Develop
ment. Like us, they have their social
festivities, their concerts and dances,
sometimes on thu ground and some
times In the air. for they have the ad-
vantage of us in the commend of two
elements.
Like cur youth. with Their various
pail games, golf, tennis, baseball etc
pirds enjoy sporting with some object.
Like some of our kind their fun &C.
casionaliy takes the form OF 'teasing;"
ana again their amusements appear to
consist of posing, or a sort of tableau
performance.
Some of the social festivities of birds
nave been seen by wary or fortunate
observers. notably by Mr. Hudson, who
has graphically described many quaint
ana ilite, esting customs Of South
American birds. But, without doubt,
many more take place that have as yet
been concealed from us
I &c OF the whimsical ways in which
plrds enjoy themselves is by the swing
which seems very droll in the possessors
OF wings There is whole family the
t'tmicc- common in Europe ana Amer
lea. who s.mply revel III thus amusc.
ment. Sometimes singly and some
times in parties these little birds seize
the tip ends of long swaying branches,
and hanging head up or head down,
swing back and forth in the wind, the
more violent apparently the more fun,
calling to one another in the merriest
way. The same trick is played by
others who perch on a weather vane,
swaying in a veritable wind, and show
ing their enjoyment by singing with
glee as they bend this way and that to
preserve their balance.
prank similar to those was the
daily entertainment of a bird | once
had at liberty in my house. A hang
ing cardboard map had become so
warped that the upper corners stood
out from the wall On this the bird
delighted to pounce with a violence
which made it swing back and forth
several times, then fly around the room
and alight again with the same re-
suit. This play he frequently kept up
an hour at a time.
Birds are often quick to avail them
selves of new conditions, and the pleas
ure of being carried swiftly through the
air, which we understand and appre-
ciate ourselves, evidently actuated a
party of auks in the far North, who
improvised a coasting ground on the
roof of tent put up by explorers
The birds spent a great deal of time
and became somewhat troublesome by
laboriously and noisily scrambling UP
one side of the tent to the ridgepole
and coasting down the other. Doubt
less. the fun of the slide paid for the
labor of the climb, as is the case with
boy in the same sport
great deal of the enjoyment of play
comes undoubtedly from the delight in
movement, but much is also due to the
fact of accomplishing something, like
catching some object. This bears the
same relation to the simpler plays that
the various games of ball do in human
life. Birds in captivity show this
plainly. Parrots and cockatoos are
fond of varying the monotony of their
lives with playthings; bits of chain
glittering objects. feather, a key, al
most anything, indeed. they will amuse
strong sense of ownership by resent
ing any other use of the objects they
consider their own.
A tame hooking bird, who had the
freedom of the house, was particularly
fond of a paper of needles for play
thing. Finding this treasure in his
mistress's work masket. he would work
at it till he loosened the fold, then
seize one corner of the paper in his
beak. and with one fiirt send the nee
dies in shower over the floor, to his
great delight.
Lorles, favorite cage birds of the
parrot family. will play with one an
other in comical ways, hopping side
ways in a circle, with droll gestures,
nodding their heads expressively roll
ling over and over. shaking hands and
many other gambols noble macaw,
says Or. Karl Russ, and an Amazon
ian parrot played together like two
puppies. wrestling and tumbling each
other about.
Wild birds are not less frolicsome.
A party of crows were seen by Mr.
Long to play a long time with a bit
of china, one snatching it and flying
away with it, while all the rest tried
to make him drop it. Tapping their
wings in his eyes. flying in his face
and in every way teasing him. When
at last they succeeded. there was a
rush and a scramble. and the one who
secured it became in his turn the butt
Of the party. Hawks. probably mates
play together with their prey, espe-
cially snakes. One will fly to a great
hight and drop it, when his playfel-
low will catch it before it reaches the