The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-02-23
WAR Prevents
BIRD SLAUGHTER
No Time for Killing and
Trapping.
Songsters Are Lured to Towers
To be Eaten Or
Gagged.

suit, at any rate, there has been from the
war between italy and Turkey, and that
is great saving of bird life this autumn
October. November and early December
North to South. The birds fly from
Germany and France and the northern
lands generally across the high Alps AID
the st. Gothard Pass to SUMMER and
more southern countries. On their way
they must go over Northern Italy. but
by the time they reach this stage of
their journey they are tired and need
rest and food. In the extreme south of
Switzerland, in Canton Ticino. around
pecally in the Italian lakes district are
many spots where these migratory birls
habitualy stop to repose their weary
wings when going from North to South.
Many persons have commented on the
decrease in the numbers of small birds
in the Alps and in other parts of Europe
and have wondered what can be the
reason of it. If they visited Northern |
Italy just how they Nigh; find an eXpla
nation of the decrease, and might, per- |
haps, even wonder not that there are so
few small birds, but that there are aEy
left at all.
SLAUGHTER OF BIRD WANTON.
The slaughter of birds Which is going
on at the present time, and has gone ON
every autumn for ages past, is, indeed
so wanton and cruel that it is strange
that no protest should have been made
against it by any power except Switzer-
land. the one most nearly concerned in
the matter.
The question will at once be asked.
Why does this slaughter take place?
Primarily for greediness' sake, for these
small birds are good to eat,some of theI
notably the figpeckers and thrushes--
being considered veritable delicacies.
Perhaps few of the best singing birds
if not killed in course of being captured.
may be taken to the towns to be sold
and put in cages but the majority of the
thousands and tens of thousands of birds
caught are butchered to make an Italian
holiday-killed for feasting's sake.
! feathers certainly are used for cushions.
but the fact remains that the main pur-
pose of all this bird slaughter is always
the same-that the victims may be roast
ed and eaten with polenta (maize por-
RIDGE. The Itallians,of course,are noto-
riously fond of birds for food. There is
nothing for instance, which they like
better than chicken, and they can not
get chicken they take small birds.
VICTIMS ARE TRAPPED.
The way in which these small birds are
trapped is deviish in its ingenuity. and
| is based on accurate observation of their
habits. "Roccolo'' is a word to be found
translated as a bird slaughter-house
These roccoos are little stone or brick
towers, frequently to be seen on low
wooded hilltops in the North of Italy
and all around the Italian lakes. An or
binary person seeing one for the first
time would take 1t to be either a watch
tower or more probably shrine. there
being innumerable shrines to the Virgin
and saints all. about the locality. One
purpose for which the roccolo was built.
A roccolo is always situated among
woods, and usually much overgrown
with ivy, honeysuckle and other creep
ers, so that it may be as inconspicious
as possible. Around it are planted
holly, Siberian cherry trees and other
trees and shrubs bearing abundance of
is always an open space, somewhat on a
slope, with semicircle of trees planted
colse together partially encirclng it.
Round these trees net is hung. es-
pecially made with a fine mesh and Of a
grayish-blue color, which makes it al
most invisible. Inside the tower a num-
Der of decoy birds are kept prisoners.
THE DECOY BIRDS.
Very early in the morning. well before
dawn.the observation-disclosures go up TO the
roccolo. They first carefully examine
the net to see that no leaves from the
trees have fallen and are sticking to it to
betray its existence
When it is over the decoy birds are put
back into the tower till next morn
ing. and the slaughter goes ON day
after day during the whole time of the
autumn bird migrations. This year now
however, there has been less bird slaught-
er then usual. for simple reason that
so many birds saughterers have been
called away to the war.
There are hundreds,if not thousands,
of these roccolos from the Swiss frontier
as far as Venice. and the slaughter of
birds thus goes on over a large area. so
that a. is fmnnsSihla IN ASTHMA Ia tho ,,,,,,,-