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.^.17). Similarly, when the 

 armistice with Germany was announced at 

 ii a.m., "French time/' on November nth, 

 1918, 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 



