The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
ODDITIES OF THE BIRD WORLD.
MYSTERY OF THE I'LL OMENED
DEVIL BIRD OF CEYLON.
vcntriloqulst I'm q Volcano -ParsOn
Bird's Reply to an Orstor-A Crane
That Herds shcep-Bik Nests Built In
Australia-Frisat ate Bird "a q Lure.

Australia-Frisate bird rs q Lure.
IN the bird world" said a naturalist
Who has travelled all over the globe, "one
y continually running across remarkable
1boking birds or birds with curious habits.
One OF the most mysterious of birds is
30 devil bird Of Ceylon. The natives
mIl IL the ulama and regard il with SUI err
n1itious horror; they believe that its scream
card at night presages misfortune, and
rhey offer sacrifices to avert approaching
disaster.
"while many people have heard its cry.
30 one has had the good, or bad, fortune
70 kill or capture one. Those who nave
hard it say that its ordinary note Is a
magnificent, clear shout like that Of a
hernan being, which can be heard at a great
Instance and has a fine effect in the silence
1f the closing night.
But the M which ave earned for
Il los bad name are indescribable and ever
20 be heard without shuddering. II has
been compared to a boy in torture, whose
ecreams were being stopped by being
etrsngled. Scientists have never secured
) specimen OF this bird only fieeting glimpses
q IL being had, and these lead to the belief
lat Il 10 q species OF owl.
w For many years naturalists heard re-
'ports of a mysterious bird which mad
NJ home In the solitudes surrounding the
volcano OF Soufriere on st. Vincent, in
kbe West Indies. The natives had many
ouperstitions connected will It., one being
That any one seeing the bird would surely
40, and as a result they avoided its haunts,
md IL long remained the invisible. mys-
tcrious bird with the heavenly song
the mystery was finally d~issipated in
l1B7e, when Frederick A. Ober made an
expedition TO the volcano and after con
eaderable difficulty and danger from big
makes managed to secure several specimens.
10 developed that the bird was a ventrilo-
'4uist, which explains why it's song would
often be heard and still the bird not be
zen in the spot whence the sound seemed
10 proceed.
-One Of the most curious birds Of the
south Seas is the pos honeyeater. Its
pe~culiarities Of plumage and Of gesture nave
xained for It the popular name Of parson
bird. II IL an excellent mimic, and can be
tAuKht to repeat short sent enoes with ex-
1fnordinary clearness and also 70 whistle
Rhort songs quite a. well az a parrot.
THE late Sir Walter Butler was once adj
dressing a large meeting Of natives in New
Nealand on q matter Of considerable politi-
cal Importance. when, Immediately on the
ecnolusion Of the speech and before the old
1nisf 20 whom his arguments were chiefly
4&dressed had time TO reply, a honeyeater.
whose Melted cage hung TO a rafter over
&sad, responded in a clear, emphatic way:
tTitop Qalse).
The circumstance naturally caused much
o~srussment among his hearers and quite
npset the gravity OF the venerable old
ohief.
Friend said he. laughing, your argu-
naents are very good. but my mokai is a
wise bird, and he is not yet convinced
in the West Indies is found a curious
bird, known locally A. the tremblour. It
.ieeds on the coffee berries, and as it hops