THE DEATH BIRD.

North Otago Times, 22 May 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DEATH BIRD.

One of the surest signs of approaching death to the old plainsman and Indian fighter is the scream of the "death-bird." The "denth-bir-d " is supposed to fly about at night or hover near white men or women and children to give warning of the approach of Indians, wild beasts, or other great dangers. I(s cry is the most piercing, nerve-rack-ing wail that ever smote upon human ears. There is an almost human expression in it, as though it were the scream of a woman or child in mortal fear; and there is no mistaking its note among all the other night-birds of the plains. It never warns people unless there is no possible escape by other means and woe to the man who hears its cry and heeds it not. As far as I have been able to discover no human eye has ever looked upon -this mysterious "doath-bird," for it. flies only on dark nights, never uttering its warning at any other lime and the folk it honours with its attentions are thrown into such a slate of fear, expectancy, and dread that curiosity as to the appearanco of the bird is far fr o m their thoughts U is supposed, however, to be an owl black as midnight, with very long wings and n large head and month, which superstitious people who claim to have seen the creature declare to be strangely like the head and month of a human being.- "Wide World Magazine."