The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-10-17
Man and
the Bird

-.
Mans eoaaves, * spa -.
than-Air raaehirss a.! 4,
In controlling as nicola
sng currents and sse!ss a.. -
~ aroused intsrss; y =.
his most easily -stzs,~s 80
The e!rds- Although 4 -. ... "a
Ter equipped thar = naa st..
most perfect and po~e-.-, -.
chine yet invea;e.. 20 roe =,
Ing gusts and studded h.a,, -.
cred creatures care - ~ "a
storm
D-exel says: The ac-s.sa..
limitations. AnG they are a. =.
narrow ones" II hi. = s..
nechaacAl power. Via, g =. =,
Ing Intelligence e~Alne =,
Richard KeartOn IN TIE s,ss.. g
has 10 conceive q siru.t.c- A.
municate his will throurA -, -
10 his mechanism. whs-~a. . 49,
stincuvely throws i;s wnI -.
wings and tail. which hAra-A -
er path 10 results,
Now let US glance for q ~. -.
the relative speeds Of nea;M So
ton in a man and 4 bird To-,
series OF years have u-t~-r-..
severe training in quick -s-ul =.
ception and AZ the crucial 80.
setting rapidly-answerinE useA.,,~,s
contrivancss in motion. and law, ;.
hesitation In stating that TIE srv.-
Of the most alert human being A.,
compared with those o. bird A.. :,
the speed OF a snail 10 that o. r-.>.
winner. Some idea Of birds n.
velous rapidly Of perception az :.
| sultant action may be gained vA..
state that / have exposed doss-, >
Photographic plates with nv 'a-,.
plane index showing that VS. vst
ing at a speed OF the 20oth 3a-t a,
| second before | secured picture q,
| crested tit on a branch near s. -
ing hole. Even in such : sho-t sra,
! OF time the bird was able 10 coae.st,
the sound and set It's wings II zo'.
before the shutter Of the ca-s1
| closed
No Flights In Rough W.a;h..
| Now II such a wonderfully%qa.-.st
creature as n bird finds dl-cu..y !
flying In strong currents and etts
how much greater must these m-s
difficulties be for the airman EVER
body has seen large fiocks o. s.ar'.n
-f.AI.
evolutions before retiring 70 res =
the night and marveled at TIE SO
with which they avoided sa'Ni-t
with each other willis, vtaEsE
twisting and swooping Tbs -
| trates the extreme rapidly q ,.f'
mental perception and its '-aHsE'ss
into action. but in spite ~ '.-se 5sT
useful qualifications the l'.-s ts -F
risk such exhibition disr'rv 49, -Fi
| during very stormy w.a,as, 'g
bers Of a pack Of rouse rrs ~
| ing a gale Of wind have ha-. s
| to collide and kill each other e -F
air.
l remember on one occa sion T-'.-g
, a grouse up near to a stone wa. Car
ing very gusty weather TIE -
had not proceeded lar he,o-a i -
caught by a terrific side S..' az
hurled against the wall Falling :
the ground it rose again, hut ins.el1 6
! attempting to continue is a,-a' ~
allei with the fence took a course
right angles to it, and by a SEXES
vigorous wing beats forced lis W
| straight up into the eye Of the W.
and then, turning right around. s2As'
away over the wall on ouisTe'e2e'
wings. Grouse, like seagG!ls. a3pVeI
to be able TO read the signs OF coz
ing storm, and frequently seek 8"
| ter before the breaking OF the D14i~
I have known them to leave tie "a
| posed hilltops and descend even
the meadows right at the bottom :
a Yorkshire dale before the ohcon'"
OF an exceptionally heavy gale a0o"~
panied by hail and rain
island Birds in a HurrIeans.
Some years ago whilst In the O''a
Hebrides I noticed thousands o.
gulls of different species sitting GU
still in a pasture close to the AtAl~-
Every head was turned toward me -
from which a moderate breeze ".
blowing. By the middle OF the
noon the wind had increased 70 So
hurricane force that pieces OF -
as large az q mans head were
carried from the beach q quar'e.
mile inland, and not q bird Oh -
kind was 10 be seen on the wing.
ious to see how my feathersd IT,. t.,
were farfng during such e1csD
weather struggled forth. son
progressing on my feet, and |" go q
In exposed places, on my hano'
knees. I found common tsfns -.
tering behind boulders at eoo.'
able distance from the shore. !,
ing at q vertical hole some " 80 -.
diameter and 80 feet In depis =
roof Of long sea cave, / was :.
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