The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13
FEATHERED STOWAWAYS.
Birds That Take Passage Aboard
Atlantic Liners.
From the London Express.


From the London Express.
A few days ago the Geological Socie-
tvs officials were appraised of the fact
that a box containing a bird was
awaiting delivery to them, and the
mysterious stranger turned out, on re-
ceipt and inspection, to be a speci-
men of the American bittern (Botau-
rus lentiginosus), which had been cap
tured on board a ship in the Atlantic,
500 miles from Philadelphia.
This is not the first time that birds
captured very far from land have
found a home in Regents Park. But
the present instance is peculiarly in
teresting in that it amply justifieS a
surmise of one of our most judicious
ornthologists.
The American bittern, paradoxical
as the fact may appear, was first
known as an English bird. AS long
ago as 1904 there was killed in Dorset
shire a bittern which was recognized
by the great ornithologist, Col Mon
tagu, as of a different species from our
European bird (BotauruS StellariS). 1t
was smaller and more slender, more
finely mottled over most of it's plum
age, but had the quilts plain drab in
stead of the usual cinnamon with
black bands. OF course, it was duly
IdulGu, Dul IOl So very lOIlS dllGI w dIu
it was found that this kind of bittern
was the ordinary bittern in America,
where the comomn bittern does not oc-
cur
Ever since then American bitterns
have been in the habit of casually
looking in upon us from time to time,
and in a most f1attering way they
have refused to visit any other part
of Europe but the British dominions.
Al eff es@ a1
always to take place between October
and February.
Now, as this period agrees with the
time of the American bitterns migra-
tions, and our islands are the first
land the birds are likely to reach in
an Atlantic passage, it has occurred
to our great authority on British birds,
Howard Saunders, to suggest the the
DRY of assisted passages across the
Atlantic for these immigrants. There
is so much trade between the states
and ourselves that a weary bird would
have little difficulty in finding a ship,
and once aboard it would merely have
to possess it's soul in patience till the
time came to go ashore.
Adrift at Sea.
The number of birds adrift at sea,
however, impresses every one who has
gone on many voyages in waters more
favorable than the Atlantic, in sea-
sons when the migrations are in full
swing. The voyage to India and back
is one which is certain to produce
some episode in the way of bird pas
sengers, often of least interest.
During several experiences of this
passage l have met with birds which
one certainly would not have expected
to see over salt water, and have OBJ
served one or two most interesting
stowaways. OF the out of the way birds
I may particularly mention the night
jar. OF course. every one knows this
bird goes south in autumn, but as it
is creature of the night, one natural
ly expects it to travel at that time,
especially as so large a proportion of
the birds of day are addicted to
moonlight fitting" when on trek.
So that a night Jar at sea is a very
surprising sight, and at no time does
one get better view of this beautifully
mottled moth hunter than when he
flies round a ship in broad daylight,
almost brushing it with his wings His
visit, however, is usually literally a
flying one, and l have never known a
night jar stay any time on board or
let itself be caught there, though show
ing at the time remarkably little fear
of man.
other Bird Passengers.
But one or two cases of bird passen-
gers with which a closer acquaintance
has been possible have occurred to me
at different times, accompanied by cir
cumstances OF unusual interest.
In my first voyage abroad-more than
ten years ago-I was surprised and
pleased by the appearance on board of
a gray shrike. very similar to our win
ter visitor at home, though not quite
identical.
This bird Joined us in the Red Sea
two days after we had left Suez. and
so tanned by exhaution was he that,
having at the time no suitable cage. l
let him roost all night on one of the
brass fittings of my cabin portfolio.
Next day he took cockroach from my
fingers. and did not draw the line at
one only OF this high-havored delica-
cy, so that / had no difficulty about
his food. and was able on the following
day 10 exhibit him TO our sympathetic
skipper seated on my finger, and de-
Nouring his orthOpterous repast as hap
PLY as n on his native bush.
lie still at this time seemed weak on