216 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



Sailors have many weird stories to tell of them, and 

 legends refer to them as "Neptune's darlings, the 

 smallest bird cradled on his bosom." Strange stor- 

 ies claim that they are sent from hell to appear as 

 "devil-birds" which glide and play over the corpses 

 of lost sailors. Superstitious seamen believe they 

 bring evil, and are responsible for storms and hurri- 

 canes. How absurd! "Just as well," says Wilson, 

 "might the sailor curse the friendly rays of the 

 lighthouse or the stars of the night which guide him 

 on his voyage, the buoy or beacon which warns him 

 of hidden rocks and shoals, as abuse the stormy 

 petrel ; for as these give notice of coming danger, so 

 does the bird warn the mariner, and afford oppor- 

 tunity to make all snug against the arrival of evil." 

 It is a mistake, however, to claim that these trust- 

 ful, delightful little swallows of the ocean show 

 themselves only when a storm is approaching, and 

 that they never alight to swim in the water. 



One of the most interesting and peculiar forms 

 of mimicry among the feathered tribe are simula- 

 tions of death. Not a few birds are given to this 

 ruse. A water-hen is often found "possuming." 

 An English sportsman tells of a hunting trip when 

 he chanced to come upon a water-hen lying half in 

 the water, with her head concealed by brown leaves 

 which had blown near the place. He picked up the 



