Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-12-09
'WSCOUNT GREY TELLS
NEW STORY Of ROOSEVELT
ON ENGLISH BIRD STUDY

Cambridge, Mass, Dec. "a nlth-
erto unrelated story of an incident
in Theodore Roosevelt's visit to Eng
land after his return from the Afri-
can jungle was told by Viscount
Grey, British ambassador. in the
course Of an address at the Harvard
Union tonight. It was an account
Of a 20 hour tryst with the birds in an
English forest.
Viscount Grey, who spoke on Re
creation" prefaced his address BY
saying:
ity l have had to say publicly how
very greatly We who belong to other
countries have felt the illness of the
President, and with what sympathy
and relief we have learned of his bet
ter condition and prospects Of con-
tinued improvement"
The AMBASSADORS designation Of
books and birds as his fayorite
recreations led up to his mention of
Roosevelt He said that when he
was foreign secretary, Ambassador
Bryce had written to the foreign
Office that President Roosevelt in
tended to visit England after his ad-
ministration was ended and wished
TO have arrangements made for
some one who knew the English birds
to accompany him on a long walk.
When Roosevelt had emerged from
the African wilds and elaborate ar
rangements for his entertainment in
England were being made, he re-
minded the foreign Office Of this long
previously expressed request. Wis.,
count Grey. himself a bird lover
thereupon planned to take the walk
with the former President. No one
else was permitted to accompany
them.
For 90 hours" he said. I'VE were
lost to the world. We left the train
at Titchmond and plunged into the
forest to hear the same songs Of the
birds that were heard by the ancient
Britons before the Romans came.
was amazed to find that Mr.. Roose-
Welt not only had an extraordinary
interest in the birds, but also an ex-
traordinary knowledge of them. He
not only knew all about American
birds. but all about English birds, ex-
cept that he had not heard them sing
When he had heard them sing
he knew all there was to be known
about them. Their songs gave him
the greatest pleasure. 1t is almost
impossible to imagine what a per-
fectly trained ear Mr. Roosevelt
had. From the various groups he
would pick out each bird and iden-
tify the singer, and having heard
one song he would recognize it in
stantly when he heard it again.
He picked out the English black
bird s the best songster and was al
most indignant at not having heard
more about it. I have heard much
of the thrush he said. but NOT
much OF the blackbird. Its singing
is much better He called attention
to the singing Of the golden crested
wren and said: I thing that is exA
actly the same song that we hear
in America Later I talked with a
great expert and he said this bird
was about the only one in England
whose song the two countries had
in common.
AT one place our path, was flood.
ed with water for twenty wards
ahead. We were not prepared for
fordins. said that we must 90
around or else go through the
water. Mr.. Roosevelt did NOT hest
tate. He said. we will 60 tbrouvh /.
and we dill.
Mr.. Roosevelt will be known for
an time as one of the great men of
America, but he is not known 30
much as he ought to be as a man Of
great knowledge. And throuehout
his great range Of discussion alwav.
ran a most distinct vein of public
s0irit."