The Raymer enterprise., 1912-08-15
Man and
the Bird

Mans conquest OF space BY heavier
than-air machines and his difficulties
In controlling his mechanisms in vary
ing currents and eddies have natural.
ly aroused interest in the doings Of
his most easily.studied prototypes
the birds. Although bird is far bet
ter equipped than man, even In the
most perfect and powerful flying ma
chine yet invented. to cope with swirl.
ing gusts and sudden blasts, few feath-
cred creatures care to fly during
storm.
Drexel says: "The aeroplane has its
limitations. and they are so far very
narrow ones" II this be true Of the
mechanical power. what Of the guid,
Ing intelligence behind It? writes
Richard Kearton In The Sphere Man
has to conceive a situation and COM
municate his will through his limbs
to his mechanism. whereas a bird in
stinctively throws its will into its
wings and tail. which is a much short
or path to results.
|
the relative speeds Of mental percep-
ton in man and bird. For long
series Of years have undergone
severe training In quick mental per-
ception and at the crucial moment
setting rapidly-answering mechanical
contrivances In motion, and have no
hesitation in stating that the powers
Of the most alert human being when
compared with those Of o bird are as
the speed Of a snail to that of Derby
winner. Some idea Of a birds mar
velous rapidity Of perception and re.
: sultant action may be gained when
state that have exposed dozens Of
Photographic plates with my focal
plane index showing that was work.
ing at speed Of the 200th part Of q
second before I secured a picture of a
crested tit on a branch near Its nest
Ing hole. Even In such short space
Of time the bird was able to conceive
the sound and set Its wings in motion
before the shutter Of the camera
closed.
No Flights In Rough Weather.
Now II such wonderfully-equippe
creature as bird finds difficulty In
flying In strong currents and eddies.
how much greater must these same
difficulties be for the airman. Every.
body has seen large flocks of starlings
going through their astonishing aerial
evolutions before retiring to rest for
the night and marveled at the skill
with which they avoided colliding
with each other whilst wheeling,
twisting and swooping. This illus
trates the extreme rapldity OF their
mental perception and It's translation
into action. but In spite of these very
useful qualifications the birds do not
risk such exhibition displays OF flight
during very stormy weather. Mem.
bers Of a pack Of grouse flushed dur.
ing gale Of wind have been known
to collide and kill each other In mid.
air.
remember on one occasion putting
a grouse up near to a stone wall dur
ing very gusty weather. The bird
had not proceeded far before It was
caught by terrific side blast and
hurled against the wall. Falling to
the ground 1t rose again, but instead Of
attempting to continue Its flight par.
allel with the fence. took course at
right angles to It, and by series Of
vigorous wing beats forced Its way
straight up into the eye OF the wind,
and then, turning right around, sailed
away over the wall on outstretched
wings. Grouse. like seagulls, appear
to be able to read the signs OF COM
Ing storm, and frequently seek shell
ter before the breaking of the blast.
l have known them to leave the ex.
posed hilltops and descend even to
the meadows right at the bottom of
Yorkshire dale before the oncoming
Of an exceptionally heavy gale accom-.
panied by hall and rain.
Island Birds In a Hurricane.
Some years ago whilst In the outer
Hebrides noticed thousands OF sea.
gulls Of different species sitting quite
still In a pasture close to the Atlantic.
Every head was turned toward the sea,
from which moderate breeze was
blowing. BY the middle OF the after.
noon the wind had increased to such
hurricane force that pieces Of foam
rs large as a mans head were being
carried from the beach quarter of
mile inland. and not a bird Of any
kind was to be seen on the wing. Anx.
ious to SEQ how my feathered friends
were farlng during such exceptional
weather l struggled forth. sometimes
progressing on my feet, and at others,
In exposed places. on my hands and
knees. found common terms shel.
tering behind boulders at consider.
able distance from the shore. Arrlv.
p Ing at vertical hole some 10 feet In
: diameter and 80 feet in depth in the
y roof OF a long sen cave, I was astonish.
: cd to discover a peregrine falcon sit.
ting In the company of about 40 rock
doves. The storm had actually made
the lion lie down. with the lambs
+ There was a great clatter OF wings as
J. tho terrified birds roaa from ,hoIr