THE JUNIOR LEAGUE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20728, 11 February 1939, Page 21 (Supplement)

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE

Dear Boys and Olrla, I do not Beem able to Ret •way from bird stories, but I feel I must tell you of sometblng- I have Just been reading; It is about the Oodwlt, that wonder; ul bird which spends the summer here, and then Roes off on its Ion? Journey to Siberia. 1 want you to ret out your map of the world and trace the Journey and you cannot but be astonished at so frail a creature being- able to take such a flight. You will realise, that the birds need to be very fit and strong or else they would never reach their goal. I have just been reading that the God-wits assemble In thousands at their starting points on the coast of New Zealand and then a wonderful Inspection takes place. Certain or the birds, apparently tbe leaders. fly among their companions, pecking various birds. What they are really doing Is picking out those birds not able to take the journey. Perl ps one has an injured foot, a broken beSk, or some other defect, and the old bird knows that such would hinder the progress of the others, or would fall on the way. and so he, or she, must /otay behind. When the inspection is over, 'at a given call from their leaders, the €odwlts rise, circle round and away they go on that long, long Journey. And what

SOCIETY FOE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. " I ■will try to make any animal I have in my care very happy.”

of those left behind? Maybe a hundred or more. How their little hearts must flutter as thev watch their companions disappear into space: How they must long- to rise on the wing and follow! There are tw r o wonderr® lessons we can learn from these, first {heir obedience and their sense of honour. They have been selected to stay and they must not disobey. I read that It Is usual to shoot those lert behind. I do not know why this is done but possibly they would die during the Tfew Zealand winter. When the bodies are gathered up, In every one, some physical defect is round, which shows clearly why they were lert behind. ATter reading- this article in our evening paper, I sat for a long time thinking about all this, and I said to myself. “How wonderful are God’s creations how can any any human being ever treat in a thoughtless manner such creatures.” We have evidence that thousands of years ago, in some parts of the world, birds were worshipped as Gods. Perhaps in those days men thought less or themselves, and more or the other works or the Creator. In spite of all our advancement I think the world In those days must have been a happier place than it is to-day. Good-bye, TINKERBELL.