Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



of the nativ^e forester, the fury with which he 

 hacks down any tree that looks decayed, and 

 thus deprives Mr. and Mrs. Woodpecker of a 

 spot in which to feed, to chisel a cave for their 

 nest, to make famous music ! 



As I watched him and he watched me, a 

 reminiscence of the puzzle and maze of old 

 Italian myths connected 

 itself with this bright lit- 

 tle chap in my mind. 

 The bird of Mars, 

 why .? Naturally, be- 

 cause of his blood-red 

 hood and eye like the 

 planet Mars. Also was he the bird that 

 played the part of raven to the infant Romu- 

 lus, that son of Mavors, when the mother wolf 

 could no longer supply milk to him and his 

 brother. And then I recalled that obscure old 

 god Picus, son of Saturn, father of Faunus, 

 grandfather of Latinus. To be sure ! Here 

 he was, or at least the symbol, totem, animal 



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