FOREWORD 



ture, the goose, and the ibis were all held sacred. The 

 people of Egypt with their belief in transmigration, imag- 

 ined the swallow and the heron as possible abiding-places 

 for their souls after death. 



The Chinese and Japanese have had interesting concep- 

 tions regarding birds that have been both symbolic and 

 poetic. In Japan, wild ducks, geese, cocks, herons, and 

 cranes have been highly honored. The people have built 

 torii gates, or entrances to their temples, as "bird-rests" 

 or perches for their sacred fowl. 



The Greek and Roman mythologies abound in allusions 

 to bird-life. It was natural that the powerful eagle should 

 be held sacred to Jupiter, the lordly peacock to Juno, 

 the wise owl to Minerva, the repulsive vulture that haunted 

 battlefields to Mars, the beautiful swan to Apollo, and 

 the cooing dove to Venus. 



The American Indians regarded birds with great rever- 

 ence. Their bird-myths are full of beauty. To them the 

 eagle and the raven were especially sacred. 



The dove was a cherished symbol of early Christian 

 writers and painters. The pelican, too, was revered; it 

 was the mediaeval symbol of charity. The red breast of 

 the robin was thought to have been caused by a prick 

 of a thorn in Christ's crown as the bird strove to "wrench 

 one single thorn away." The red crossbill's beak was 

 believed to have been twisted in its attempt to remove the 

 iron nail from Christ's blood-stained hand. 



Burroughs continues: "The very oldest poets, the 

 towering antique bards, seem to make very little mention 

 of the song-birds. They loved better the soaring, swoop- 

 ing birds of prey, the eagle, the ominous birds, the vul- 



[x] 



