Preface 



of 1917 and 1918 were so stormy that they 

 are not likely to be soon forgotten by any 

 member who was present. Ramifications 

 such as these I have indicated show that 

 the subjects of Birds and the War might 

 be prolonged to infinity; my method of 

 dealing with it makes no claim to finality. 

 Had I extended the range of my notes to 

 include the effect of the war on Animals, 

 Reptiles, and Insects, I might have recorded 

 many strange stories ; but none more re- 

 markable than that of the frogs in the marshy 

 Aillette district, which are alleged, when the 

 Germans were preparing to storm the Chemins 

 des Dames, to have croaked so vociferously 

 that they enabled the enemy to bring up 

 their batteries and ammunition columns with- 

 out discovery, whilst when the attack was 

 actually launched the frogs' deafening con- 

 cert prevented the location of the hostile 

 machine guns (Lokalanzeiger, 3.vii.i8). I 

 have, however, tried to keep within the limits 

 prescribed by my title BIRDS AND THE WAR. 

 This introduction will explain the concep- 

 tion of my work in which I am aware that 



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