202 EFFECT OF THE WAR ON BIRDS 

 compelled to fly from the stricken area. These 

 human refugees have already sought shelter in 

 countries beyond the zone of their natural 

 haunts ; but as these, it is to be hoped, will 

 shortly be repatriated, so will the birds 

 eventually settle down in their accustomed 

 places. 



Note. 



Owing to the pubUcation of this book having 

 been delayed on account of the war, I am able 

 to add a note to the effect that, contrary to all 

 expectations, there has been no exodus of birds 

 from the battlefields of France and Flanders. 



An officer at the front, in an interesting 

 article written to The Times, March 2nd, 1916, 

 says : " The noise and bustle of war do not 

 drive away the birds, not even from the 

 trenches, and I can remember no nesting 

 season which introduced more birds unknown 

 to me than last summer." 



The fact is, the birds, unreasoning creatures 

 with no free will of their own, can but obey 

 nature's ruling, which is not subject to altera- 

 tion on account of incidental local disturbance. 

 Therefore, in the face of danger, of which they 

 know nothing, the birds keep on the same 

 course and frequent the same places which for 

 countless generations has been their custom. 



