Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1915-03-06
MANS MADNESSHAS
UPSET THE BIRDS
Even They Have Como Wrong In Eu.
ropo Because Of tho
War


LONDON,F eb. 13. by mail to
New lork.)--lIven tho birds have
gone wrong in Europe. Mans mad.
ncas has upset tnelr uvcs and habits
and lne very lew OrmlthOlOSiBtS in
England ana France who can stick
TO their study OF birds. in spite OF
the war, are scratching their heads
about 1t.
The pathways Of the birds, as they
tly to lne south In winter aud back
again, in the spring. have besn map
ped out tor years, in Europe. But
the birds have rorsaken their old
routes and the brdsmen say 1t IL
because or the war.
Shore lights, and even the lights
or the town, 1t seems, are guides for
the birds IN their long south ward jour
neys and, this year, the lights are
gone. The same lights that would d.
rect a little feathered fellow toward
sunny Italy would also direct q hugo
zeppelin toward On English coast
town. SO all the folks OF the air.
whether covered with feathers or can
vas. are travelling In the dark this
year. The canvas birds can carry
their own lights, IN q pinch, but tho
other kind must get along as best
they can. without lamps. There Is
no doubt that the birds found their
way TO tho south. Us usual, but they
BrOped their way. and It was prob
ably slow travelling. Their return to
the north, when spring comes, will be
al difficult.
The bird men have proved, beyond
a doubt. that the birds are distribut-
cd by the sounds of firing.
The Rev. Charles Kent, OF Thet-
ford, one Saturday night recently.
heard terrific chattering OF the
pheasants and small birds around his
in the birds In their neighborhoods.
birddom. The cries were shriu and
wild. The birds left their beds In
the trees and few about in terror.
Their ears were catching sounds In
the air that rector and his family
were missing.
But. when the rector picked up
the Sunday morning paper. he saw
that the German Zeppelins had bonn
barded the coast, some miles away.
during the very hours of the birds
excitement. He was so impressed that
he wrote letter to the Times about
1t, Whereupon many other residents
OF that part OF England said that all
In the birds in their ghbohroods.
extraordinary manner during the
raids, even though the writer's, them.
selves, had not been able to hear the
sounds of shooting
At distance or 81 miles the pheas-
ants shrieked themselves hoarse over
sounds OF firing.
Whether the birds will become tir-
ed OF the incessant firing on the con-
tinent and impatiently leave the war
districts remains to be seen.
Speaking OF wild things whose
lives have been upset by the war.
there is also the leech, known among
American kids as "bLood suckers"
folks In England who continue to be-
Heve that illness comes from having
too much blood In ones person and
that the thing to do is TO be bled, eth
er by lance or a leech, and they
prefer the leech, who does his work
without leaving scars. But the leech
market went dry. A physician OF ono
or one OF the great hospitals wrote
q public statement complaining that
the armies OF Europe are fighting
over some of the best 1eech fields In
the world. They are probably tramp
ling to death leecbes that are great
ly needed In England. Leech patrons,
however, rested easily when two
days later another statement ap-
peared to the effect that fair sup
ply OF leeches was being obtained
from Australia They didn't have the
same Latin name as their European
brothers, but they had just as good
suckers and just as deep thirst for
blood.