Effect of Air-raids and Air-craft 
whirling about in flocks in a thoroughly 
scared manner. 
Charles Waterton was of the opinion that 
all birds would get used to every sound ex- 
cept that of the gun; this opinion has cer- 
tainly been upset by the observations of 
bird watchers on the battle fronts. In this 
country there has not been sufficient con- 
tinuous gun fire in any one place for the local 
birds to become accustomed to it, and in 
this connection it is interesting to note that 
when, in November 1917, the bells of St. 
Paul’s rang out a merry peal for the ‘‘ Victory 
of the Tanks,’’ the PIGEONS in a startled 
flock rose fluttering in the air; whereas in 
happier days, when the ringing of the cathe- 
dral bells was a daily occurrence, they used 
to regard it with indifference (Manchester 
Guardian, 29.xi.17). Similarly, when the 
armistice with Germany was announced at 
II a.m., “‘ French time,’’ on November 11th, 
Ig18, maroons were discharged, cannons 
fired, and church bells rung in London, much 
to the perturbation of the PIGEONS which 
were unaccustomed to any such sounds. The 
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