How to Attract the Birds 



faculty of finding their way from one region to an- 

 other, even from one continent to another, with pre- 

 cise regularity, which birds alone possess in the 

 highest degree. Other scientists insist that orienta- 

 tion, the instinct of determining direction or relative 

 position in general, brings into play a sixth sense not 

 dependent on the other five. Doubtless the descent 

 and withdrawal of the ice in the glacial period had 

 much to do with the origin of the migratory habit. 

 Certain it is that only a bird which has once made a 

 journey can find its way back to the starting point. 

 Therefore, every young traveler must be "person- 

 ally conducted" by a veteran. A bird will always 

 return, if possible, to the region of its birth. It 

 knows no other course to follow than the one once 

 taken. A wounded young bird that is not able to 

 leave with the south-bound flock in autumn and 

 recovers strength too late to overtake it, must remain 

 perforce at the north. If the food it requires fail, 

 die it must, for by no possibility could it find its way 

 alone to a land of plenty. The soaring lark, which 

 '^at heaven's gate sings," has been imported to this 

 country from Europe, only to die, in most cases, 

 because, at the approach of winter, it couldn't mi- 

 grate over unknown territory, and couldn't find 

 food enough in our snow-covered northern fields, 

 where, however, it was perfectly content in summer. 

 In all probability the journeys undertaken by 

 birds at first were short, roving excursions from 

 home ; gradually the routes traversed were length- 

 ened of necessity, until, in generation after genera- 

 tion, the habit of traveling became hereditary; the 

 "homing instinct" led little by little to fixed migra- 



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