Sufferings of Birds 



west as Cumberland were recorded as having 

 manifested an uncanny knowledge of some 

 unusual atmospheric disturbance (Globe, 

 26.vi.i6). Gamekeepers on the east coast 

 used to say that they always knew when 

 enemy raids had commenced, " for the PHEA- 

 SANTS call us day and night" (Globe, 28 .ix .17). 

 On March 7th, 1918, about 10.30 p.m., PHEA- 

 SANTS near Chichester crowed loudly ; pos- 

 sibly the excitement, so to speak, passed 

 along from the north-east of Kent from birds 

 which heard the approaching Gothas (Globe, 

 I2.iii.i8). A pair of TAWNY OWLS, in the 

 outskirts of London, were credited with being 

 able to detect the presence of Zeppelins when 

 many miles away ; on their approach they 

 appeared to be very angry and nervous, fly- 

 ing from bough to bough (Daily Mail, 

 n.x.i6). PEACOCKS are said to have been 

 the first birds to detect the air-raid of 

 May igth, 1918 (Daily Chronicle, 2i.v.i8). 



An observer of an air-raid on the south- 

 east coast on May 20th, 1916, was awakened 

 just before 2 a.m. by the distant approach of 

 sea-planes. NIGHTINGALES were singing 



86 



