Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 111, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 May 1916 — WILD SWANS INVADE SHIP [ARTICLE]

WILD SWANS INVADE SHIP

Skippers Bring Some of the Big Birds Home to Philadelphia as Proof. Philadelphia. Hundreds of wild swans which had apparently lost their way in the fog dashed against the steamer Ericsson while the vessel was in the mouth of Chesapeake bay. The huge birds shattered so many panes of glass and caused so much disturbance that many passengers sprang from their berths and rushed on deck, thinking some mishap had befallen the boat. Several of the birds were captured and brought to this city. F. S. Groves, president of the company, declared them the finest specimens he had ever seen. The prisoners, which are pure white in color,’ were among a number which flew in the forward gangway, which was open, and failed to find their way out the other side of the boat. Some of the birds became Confused among the cargo and were easily captured. ; Captain McNamee, commander of the Erlcsson. satd that tire oddattack occurred about 2:30 a. m. He ventured the opinion that the birds were attracted by the. electric lights of he vessel. The game laws of Maryland and Virginia, he explained, have resulted in a wonderful increase in bird life.

because there are a number of persons who still cling to the ancient belief in the Influence of the moon on the growth and development of crops, and to the idea that the weather conditions depend upon planetary and astrological combinations. In consequence the weather bureau has been called upon from time to time to caution the general public against putting faith in these so-called discoveries. The weather bureau itself is the authorized agency of the government to collect meteorological observations and make and issue weather forecasts and warnings. Every Important nation of the world has a similar organization, and all use essentially the same methods. All of these organizations condemn and disprove the methods and theories of those who assert that they are able to predict the weather for any considerable period in advance.