236 ANIMAL ARTISANS 



a destroyer running her trials on the Maplin Sand 

 was about double that of the ocean-steamers and 

 cargo-boats which commonly pass out of the Thames 

 mouth, to which sea-birds were thoroughly accus- 

 tomed. One of the Thornycroft destroyers was 

 running her trial at top speed, when it disturbed a 

 large flock of wild-ducks. These, according to their 

 invariable habit, rose at some distance ahead, and flew 

 in a direction across the vessel's bows. They rose at 

 what was their accustomed distance when put up by a 

 steamer, but had wholly misjudged the speed of the 

 destroyer. Instead of crossing one hundred yards 

 ahead, the whole flock came right upon the vessel, 

 and broke up in dismay over the smoking funnels of 

 the craft. Had she been carrying masts and spars the 

 ducks would have collided with the rigging. 



Telegraph wires, with the exception of those by the 

 railway lines, are only a permanent danger to night- 

 flying birds and to game, which, flying fast and being 

 often frightened by shots, are constantly killed by 

 them. But as a rule the birds native to the spot 

 learn to avoid them. The swans on Brading Harbour 

 appear unable to avoid the wires, even in the daytime, 

 unless special means are taken to make them readily 

 visible. But swans are unusually stupid birds, and the 

 angle at which their heads are held in flight, together 

 with the knobs at the base of their bills, may prevent 

 them from seeing what is immediately in front of 

 them. The City pigeons are seldom killed by the 

 mazes of telegraph wire above the roofs, but a 

 strange bird, such as a carrier pigeon let loose in 



