OCR Text |
Show SAILORS HAVE ODD BELIEFS. H Good and Bad Luck Thought to De Brought by Birds. H Illrds, as Inhabitants of tho air, wero J naturnlly rhoscn by tho nnclonts as ;J oracles and augurs of tuturo happen- 'H tugs. Tim JCDBltlvenesa to atmoB- H phcrlc ch;iMK'3 shown by many birds ijM aided In establishing these notions. jH The real Indications often furnished by H sea birds of a coming storm or calm' H were doubtless magnified by the am- H lous, superstitious sailor. Thc30 ludt- 1 cations, bo It explained, seldom pre- H cede the atmocpherlc changes moro thnu a few hours. H Tho custom of hanging the sea swal- H low so that the bill may point to the H wind uroso from the old-time custom of suspending the bird by tho feet, H expecting it -would renev Its feathers H The albatross Is believed by Jack H Tnr to Bleep ion the winds. It wa3 at ono timo thought that the petrol H hatched Its eggs under its wings. Tho kingfisher was at ono tlmo kept H in chests to keep away moths. H Tho ilslibawk wa3 esteemed a bring- H cr of good luck; it boded good or evil H ns Its cry was to tho right or left. H Thoro was an old superstition that H gulls wcro novor seen bleeding. Shoot- H lng stars wero then supposed to bo tho H half digested food of winter gulls. H |