The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
OUR MIGRATORY BIRDS.

The increasing interest in birds and bird
life and in their protection against wan
ton cruelty and destruction is an indication
of higher civilization. Savage races have
no sympathy for dumb brutes except as the
latter may be useful to them. They have
no regard for animals as such. The In
dian loves his dog because he is useful
in the chase or in the boiling pot AS
rule, savages have no use for animals ex-
cept to kill them. The same is generally
true of children until they learn better
by precept or example. The untaught child
is for the most part little savage. Recog-
milton of the rights Of animals-their right
to life. liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
lis a characteristic of civilized peoples
but unfortunately of comparatively few
people who call themselves civilized. I'm
doubtedly animals exist for the service
and pleasure of man, but that implies only
legitimate service and pleasure. 1t does
not involve the right Of torture or wanton
destruction. The growing tendency to re-
spect the rights of animals and to accord
them kind of sympathetic treatment is
due partly to the growth Of a more civil
lied feeling on the subject and partly to the
persistent work of the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals and other
organizations of a kindred nature, such
as the Audubon Society for the protection
of birds, etc.
From an pathological point Of view II
speaks well for the birds of Indiana that
after several generations of persistent
warfare upon them by man they still con-
tinue to return to our forests with unfail-
ing regularity, and many of them to re-
main the year round. 1t has been but
few weeks since the first robin or bluebird
of the season was seen in this vicinity
These and other migratory birds return
from their winter haunts as unfailingly
as regularly and as cheerily as they did
in primeval times before birds nest had
ever been robbed or a bird killed in In
diana. Men may break contracts, forget
engagements or go back on promises, but
birds never do. How do they know when
to leave the north for q warmer climate?
How do they find their way there? How
do they know when to start north again,
and how do they find their way back, some
of them year after year. to their old haunts
and nesting places? No bird has ever told,
and probably none ever will. In an article
on Our Common Birds and Their Rela-
ton to U.s. Professor Dennis, of Earlham
College. says:
We have in Indiana birds that remain
with us winter and summer, resident birds
we call them. The woodpecker and The
redbird are among them. Others are here
bluebird and robin are examples Others.
like the JuncO and snowflake, are here in
| winter only-winter residents; while vast
army Visits us Tor few days in the spring,
| brief time again as the fall approaches
migrants We call them. The blackburnian
warbler, on account of its color, is a con-
spicuous example. We should answer, if
we can, why they do this. We are teach
/ ing In our nature work that the robins
leave US because in the winter their food
why they must go, but it is no reason why
they came in the first place. I believe that
the one big reason why these millions of
| birds make the long journey to the north
is TO raise their young in safety. Other
things must, of course, permit the jour-
ney-food, water. climate, material for
| they set out for their homes in the south
| again, just as the Columbia salmon would
return again to the sea, his home. if he
| could survive the hardships of the journey
and just as the salmon that spawns 500
| miles UP the Rhine does return. 1t is moi
| strange that We have had every kind OF
| sentimental and imaginative reason as
| signed for bird migrations. The wild geese
! with their sentries. every one has seen and
heard. We all know that the meadow
| larks and orioles come and go. 1 can re.
| member when uncounted and uncountable
| wild pigeons darkened the sky from morn
| ing until morning again; all day we saw
| them, and all night the sound of their
| wings when they could not be seen added
| TO the lmpressiveness of an event il was
| impossible not to note and try to explain
Time immemoria1 men have observed this
| great and strange phenomenon and have
speculated on IL. The author of Job re-
| garded 1t as mystery calling for Gods
wisdom and power. Doth the hawk fly
by thy wisdom and stretch her wings to-
| ward the south?"
A reason for the migration Of ducks ant
all water birds to the north during the
nesting season. many of them going thou
sands OF miles overland, is found in thu
fact that they must nest near the water.
edge, and If they remained in the far soutf
they and their young would be exposed {,
much greater danger from reptiles thar
they are in the north. The same Il meas
urably true Of all ground and bush-nsstinl