282 ' l L April 



ami pronounced young of the year. We won- unable to purchase them 

 from the sailor.-. - Harold 11. Bailey, Newport News, Va. 



Two Ornithological Fables from Louisiana. — While in Avoyelles 

 Parish, La., recently, the writer heard two interesting bird stories. One 

 concerns the Wood Ibis (Myderia americana). A man told me: " I have 

 heard from my father, and my grandfather, and have heard all my life, 

 that a dock of these birds will alight in shallow water and set to scratching 

 their heads. After all have been doing this a short time, the fish in the 

 place rise and float on the surface stupefied, thus falling an easy prey to the 

 birds." 



Although this tale is a great tax upon credulity the writer gave it the 

 benefit of the doubt to the extent oi testing the fundamental assertion 

 scientifically. Some minnows were kept in a small aquarium with a good 

 quantity of scaly scurf from the head and neck of a Wood Ibis. The min- 

 nows showed no signs of discomfort (during 24 hours) and in fact ate some 

 of the scales. A friend has suggested that if there is anything at all in the 

 story the probability is that scales being scratched off might attract small 

 6shes iu search of food. 



The other fable, admittedly a morality tale. 1 I have put in the following 

 form: It is related that one day of the days a dove espied an ant struggling 

 in the water. Moved to compassion, the dove plucked a leaf and laid it 

 on the water near to the ant. The ant climbing thereon was saved from 

 drowning and a favorable breeze springing up. was wafted to shore and his 

 hold on life made sure. At a later time, the dove sitting quietly on a 

 branch of a tree, was drowsily enjoying the beauty of the day. A wicked 

 boy. gun in hand, stealthily approached, and having taken deliberate aim 

 was about to tire. In this extremity the ant. witnessing the turn of events, 

 quickly climbed to the boy's neck and, ere he could pull trigger bit him 

 shrewdly on the ear. The lad disconcerted by the sharp pain, let fall his 

 gun. and with an exclamation, roughly brushed his hurt. All this hubbub 

 aroused the dove who made off in safety. 



Moral: Befriend, and you may be befriended. — W. L. McAtee, Wash- 

 ington, D. C 



'■This evidently oil story appears in a diffe i - in the ' Marvels 



l.iiV.' W. F. Kirby, L8 - 



